Materials Engineers in Illinois. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where Illinois materials engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $91,570 and $136,710, with a median of $126,620.
Materials Engineers in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 34 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $90,102. 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 | 9 | $66,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 9 | $92,700 |
| Level III — experienced | 5 | $121,500 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 7 | $134,160 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Materials Engineers in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | Postdoctoral Scholar | 7 | $69,000 |
| Rivian Automotive, LLC | Sr. Material Analyst | 3 | $99,250 |
| Bosch Brake Components LLC | Senior Research and Development Engineer | 1 | $146,471 |
| Caterpillar Inc. | Performance / Simulation / Application Engineer | 1 | $87,339 |
| Entegris, Inc. | Materials Solutions Engineer Manager | 1 | $134,160 |
| Fuyao Glass Illinois, Inc. | Glass Process Engineer | 1 | $129,997 |
| GDB International, Inc. | Material Quality Engineer | 1 | $72,675 |
| Gotion Illinois New Energy Inc. | Sr. Materials Science Engineer | 1 | $100,000 |
| Hyzon Motors Inc. | Sr. Fuel Cell Stack Development Engineer | 1 | $92,700 |
| INEOS Styrolution America LLC | Process Engineer | 1 | $165,844 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Postdoctoral Scholar at The University of Chicago$64,000ChicagoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502233
- Sr. Materials Science Engineer at Gotion Illinois New Energy Inc.$100,000MantenoDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-495934
- Process Engineer at INEOS Styrolution America LLC$165,844WarrenvilleWage Level IVDecided Sep 25, 2025I-200-25261-317700
- R&D Materials Engineer at Wahl Clipper Corporation$134,710SterlingWage Level IIIDecided Jul 15, 2025I-200-25189-158197
- Product and Process Engineer at Plastfix Inc.$76,000ElmhurstWage Level IIDecided Jul 3, 2025I-200-25177-132323
- Senior Research and Development Engineer at Bosch Brake Components LLC$146,471Oakbrook TerraceWage Level IVDecided Jul 2, 2025I-200-25176-127904
- POLYMER SCIENCE ENGINEER at Tangent Technologies, LLC.$115,500MONTGOMERYWage Level IIDecided Jun 27, 2025I-200-25171-115629
- Senior Engineer Packaging Development at WILLIAM WRIGLEY JR. COMPANY$136,097ChicagoWage Level IVDecided Jun 17, 2025I-200-25161-076488
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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Materials 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.
Materials Engineers specialties in Illinois
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 8 certified offers. The most common variant is Postdoctoral Scholar at a median of $66,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postdoctoral Scholar | The University of Chicago | 5 | $66,000 |
| Sr. Material Analyst | Rivian Automotive, LLC | 3 | $99,250 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Materials Engineers in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 38 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $99,483.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Rivian Automotive, LLC | 17 | $99,483 |
| Education | The University of Chicago | 10 | $67,500 |
| Professional services | Institute of Gas Technology | 6 | $90,252 |
| Retail and wholesale | GDB International, Inc. | 4 | $65,458 |
| Energy and utilities | Rio Tinto Services Inc. | 1 | $124,000 |
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)
- 4.3 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Chemistry
Knowledge
- 4.2 / 5
Physics
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Production and Processing
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Science
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.
- 02
Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.
- 03
Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration.
- 04
Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
- 05
Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.
- 06
Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.
- 07
Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices.
- 08
Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+5.7%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in Illinois
Metro-level salary data for materials engineers in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$99,590
Compare Materials Engineers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Illinois with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Materials Engineers in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Materials Engineers in Illinois is $126,620.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Materials Engineers?
- The Illinois median is +10.5% versus the BLS national figure of $114,537.
- What is the salary range for Materials Engineers in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $71,780 and the 90th-percentile at $165,710, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Materials Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 5.7% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Materials 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.