Mid-level Civil Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 110 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $87,000 |
| 25th | $90,579 |
| 50th (median) | $91,500 |
| 75th | $96,075 |
| 90th | $108,012 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,184 | $80,184 | $80,425 | 32 |
| FY2021 | $82,000 | $76,378 | $87,360 | 43 |
| FY2022 | $80,288 | $74,940 | $88,210 | 67 |
| FY2023 | $87,000 | $83,138 | $95,000 | 45 |
| FY2024 | $88,237 | $85,406 | $95,066 | 48 |
| FY2025 | $90,480 | $87,000 | $96,006 | 55 |
| FY2026 | $92,000 | $90,875 | $97,260 | 55 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median mid-level Civil Engineer salary of $91,500 is worth about $88,300 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 $91,500, 9% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Jacobs Engineering Group | too few | 6 |
| Michael Baker International | too few | 5 |
| Pdf Engineering | too few | 5 |
| Atlas Technical Consultants | too few | 4 |
| Clayco | too few | 4 |
| Gsg Consultants | too few | 4 |
| Hbm Engineering Group | too few | 4 |
| Stantec Consulting Services | too few | 4 |
| Thornton Tomasetti | too few | 4 |
| WSP | too few | 3 |
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.