Expert Civil Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 40 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Schaumburg, Aurora, Downers Grove, Rosemont, Naperville.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $123,748 |
| 25th | $124,093 |
| 50th (median) | $125,000 |
| 75th | $135,000 |
| 90th | $149,074 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2021 | $125,000 | $116,480 | $138,000 | 13 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 2 |
| FY2023 | $120,000 | $115,000 | $128,740 | 11 |
| FY2024 | $120,000 | $114,939 | $126,850 | 12 |
| FY2025 | $124,093 | $120,125 | $129,250 | 12 |
| FY2026 | $127,500 | $124,093 | $135,750 | 28 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median expert Civil Engineer salary of $125,000 is worth about $120,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $100,160 in May 2025 (9,760 employed). The H-1B median here is $125,000, 25% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Clayco | too few | 7 |
| WSP | too few | 3 |
| ARCO/Murray National Construction Company | too few | 2 |
| Gsg Consultants | too few | 2 |
| Ingenii | too few | 2 |
| Rubinos And Mesia Engineers | too few | 2 |
| Skender Group | too few | 2 |
| T.Y. Lin International | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $76,500 | 177 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $91,500 | 110 |
| Senior · Level III | $109,543 | 66 |
| Expert · Level IV | $125,000 | 40 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $70,824 | $76,500 | 177 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,875 | $91,500 | 110 |
| Senior · Level III | $107,474 | $109,543 | 66 |
| Expert · Level IV | $124,093 | $125,000 | 40 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.