Chemical Engineers in Illinois. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where Illinois chemical engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $95,800 and $140,010, with a median of $121,560.
Chemical Engineers in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 55 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $110,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 16 | $78,832 |
| Level II — qualified | 13 | $100,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 16 | $130,763 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 8 | $134,793 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Chemical Engineers in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| EVONIK CORPORATION | Assistant Plant Manager | 4 | $130,000 |
| UOP LLC | SR ADVANCED R&D ENGINEER/SCIENTIST | 4 | $135,663 |
| ABBVIE INC. | PROJECT MANAGER, CMC EXTERNAL MANUFACTURING&PROGRAM STRATEGY | 3 | $135,000 |
| Archer Daniels Midland Company | Lipids Science and Applications Scientist | 3 | $100,000 |
| Medefil, Inc. | Validation Engineering Manager | 3 | $160,000 |
| UChicago Argonne, LLC | Assistant Scientist | 3 | $90,063 |
| Institute of Gas Technology | Pilot Plant Operations Process Engineer | 2 | $109,740 |
| Northwestern University | Postdoctoral Scholar | 2 | $73,510 |
| Particulate Solid Research, Inc. | Project Leader | 2 | $127,888 |
| RNA CORPORATION | CHEMICAL ENGINEER | 2 | $99,416 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Research Associate at Northwestern University$79,019EvanstonWage Level IIIDecided Mar 23, 2026I-200-26075-705651
- Data Scientist Lead at Linde Inc.$134,712Burr RidgeWage Level IIIDecided Mar 20, 2026I-200-26072-702547
- Technical Manager at Archer Daniels Midland Company$140,000DecaturWage Level IIIDecided Feb 11, 2026I-200-26035-619973
- Project Engineer at EVONIK CORPORATION$130,000MapletonWage Level IIDecided Feb 3, 2026I-200-26027-595236
- Senior Process Engineer at EVONIK CORPORATION$145,683MapletonWage Level IVDecided Feb 3, 2026I-200-26027-595099
- Assistant Plant Manager at EVONIK CORPORATION$130,000MapletonWage Level IVDecided Jan 27, 2026I-200-26020-572047
- Senior Plant Engineer at EVONIK CORPORATION$115,000MapletonWage Level IIDecided Jan 27, 2026I-200-26020-572050
- Postdoctoral Scholar at Northwestern University$68,000EvanstonWage Level IDecided Jan 22, 2026I-200-26014-559245
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Chemical Engineers pay by experience level in Illinois
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Chemical Engineers specialties in Illinois
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 24 certified offers. The most common variant is CHEMICAL ENGINEER at a median of $80,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHEMICAL ENGINEER | TECHEVON LLC. | 5 | $80,000 |
| Assistant Scientist | AbbVie Inc. | 5 | $118,000 |
| SR ADVANCED R&D ENGINEER/SCIENTIST | UOP LLC | 4 | $135,663 |
| Project Engineer | Ardagh Metal Packaging USA Corp. | 4 | $84,417 |
| PROCESS ENGINEER | Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. | 3 | $100,086 |
| Validation Engineering Manager | Medefil, Inc. | 3 | $160,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Chemical Engineers in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 52 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $120,663.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | EVONIK CORPORATION | 28 | $120,663 |
| Professional services | UChicago Argonne, LLC | 16 | $90,272 |
| Education | Northwestern University | 6 | $73,510 |
| Energy and utilities | BP America Inc. | 1 | $108,243 |
| Retail and wholesale | GDB International, Inc. | 1 | $185,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Illinois over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 5.0 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.8 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.8 / 5
Chemistry
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Physics
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Production and Processing
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Science
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Complex Problem Solving
Technical
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Monitor and analyze data from processes and experiments.
- 02
Develop safety procedures to be employed by workers operating equipment or working in close proximity to ongoing chemical reactions.
- 03
Develop processes to separate components of liquids or gases or generate electrical currents, using controlled chemical processes.
- 04
Troubleshoot problems with chemical manufacturing processes.
- 05
Evaluate chemical equipment and processes to identify ways to optimize performance or to ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
- 06
Conduct research to develop new and improved chemical manufacturing processes.
- 07
Perform laboratory studies of steps in manufacture of new products and test proposed processes in small-scale operation, such as a pilot plant.
- 08
Prepare estimate of production costs and production progress reports for management.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+2.3%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in Illinois
Metro-level salary data for chemical engineers in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$110,760
Compare Chemical Engineers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Illinois with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Chemical Engineers in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Chemical Engineers in Illinois is $121,560.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Chemical Engineers?
- The Illinois median is +16.8% versus the BLS national figure of $104,075.
- What is the salary range for Chemical Engineers in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $79,120 and the 90th-percentile at $176,110, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Chemical Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 2.3% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Chemical Engineers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.