Senior Environmental Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 12 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Lemont, Oak Brook, Itasca, Lombard, Naperville.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $96,054 |
| 25th | $109,216 |
| 50th (median) | $115,625 |
| 75th | $124,048 |
| 90th | $133,856 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median senior Environmental Engineer salary of $115,625 is worth about $111,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Environmental Engineers in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $110,700 in May 2025 (660 employed). The H-1B median here is $115,625, 4% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UChicago Argonne | too few | 6 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | too few | 3 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 5 |
| Senior · Level III | $115,625 | 12 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior · Level III | $92,768 | $115,625 | 12 |
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.