Entry-level Industrial Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 89 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Buffalo Grove, Elgin, Naperville, Lisle, Vernon Hills.
Also listed as: Manufacturing Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $69,826 |
| 25th | $69,826 |
| 50th (median) | $72,200 |
| 75th | $84,000 |
| 90th | $90,563 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $62,000 | $60,341 | $66,313 | 63 |
| FY2021 | $62,175 | $61,318 | $69,234 | 52 |
| FY2022 | $68,000 | $61,130 | $74,256 | 29 |
| FY2023 | $70,000 | $66,000 | $74,000 | 37 |
| FY2024 | $70,440 | $68,515 | $79,275 | 52 |
| FY2025 | $70,000 | $69,826 | $78,656 | 56 |
| FY2026 | $77,800 | $71,240 | $89,000 | 33 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median entry-level Industrial Engineer salary of $72,200 is worth about $69,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Industrial Engineers in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $101,760 in May 2025 (12,750 employed). The H-1B median here is $72,200, 29% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ebco | too few | 3 |
| Intellectt | too few | 3 |
| Digi Cloud | too few | 2 |
| Electronic Interconnect | too few | 2 |
| Findica | too few | 2 |
| Grind Lap Services | too few | 2 |
| HARTING Inc. of North America | too few | 2 |
| Inteplast Group | too few | 2 |
| Medefil | too few | 2 |
| Medline Industries | 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 | $72,200 | 89 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,000 | 211 |
| Senior · Level III | $111,999 | 91 |
| Expert · Level IV | $130,000 | 59 |
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 | $69,826 | $72,200 | 89 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $87,610 | $90,000 | 211 |
| Senior · Level III | $104,000 | $111,999 | 91 |
| Expert · Level IV | $120,370 | $130,000 | 59 |
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.