Salary distribution
Where Illinois mechanical engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $80,690 and $124,490, with a median of $99,730.
Mechanical Engineers in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 532 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $100,000. 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 | 106 | $76,083 |
| Level II — qualified | 209 | $95,680 |
| Level III — experienced | 80 | $116,235 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 70 | $127,034 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Mechanical Engineers in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caterpillar Inc. | Performance / Simulation / Application Engineer | 54 | $100,298 |
| Rivian Automotive, LLC | Sr. Automation Controls Engineer | 23 | $124,630 |
| HCL AMERICA INC | Design Lead | 20 | $88,827 |
| Gotion Illinois New Energy Inc. | Mechanical Engineer | 18 | $109,000 |
| TECH MAHINDRA (AMERICAS), INC | Mechanical Engineer | 18 | $87,548 |
| RIVIAN AUTOMOTIVE, LLC | Sr. Process Engineer | 16 | $119,910 |
| Traton R&D US LLC | Project Engineer | 15 | $135,200 |
| CNH Industrial America LLC | Hydraulics System Lead | 9 | $114,400 |
| International Motors, LLC | Project Engineer | 9 | $122,221 |
| Harvey Nash Inc. | Mechanical Engineer | 7 | $87,360 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- MECHANICAL DESIGN ENGINEER at STERTIL ALM CORPORATION$62,234STREATORDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503816
- Dev/Research Engineer at Harvey Nash Inc.$99,840ChillicotheDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-498943
- Mechanical Engineer at Cyient, Inc.$95,680PeoriaDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-498460
- Senior PLC/Controls Engineer at Gotion Illinois New Energy Inc.$150,000MantenoDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-495919
- ENGINEER - DESIGN at CATERPILLAR INC.$75,962PONTIACDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-492034
- Performance/ Simulation/ Application Engineer at CATERPILLAR INC.$95,680CHILLICOTHEDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-491547
- Senior Engineer, Product Quality (MedTech) at Knowles Electronics, LLC$140,000ItascaDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-487200
- Design Engineer at Xylo Consulting, LLC.$76,000PONTIACDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-484255
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.
Mechanical 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.
Mechanical Engineers specialties in Illinois
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 305 certified offers. The most common variant is Mechanical Engineer at a median of $87,548.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineer | TECH MAHINDRA (AMERICAS), INC | 88 | $87,548 |
| Design Engineer | Caterpillar Inc. | 47 | $93,080 |
| Engineer | Gamma Technologies LLC | 32 | $96,800 |
| Performance / Simulation / Application Engineer | Caterpillar Inc. | 29 | $100,298 |
| Project Engineer | Traton R&D US LLC | 27 | $116,432 |
| Mechanical Design Engineer | TECH MAHINDRA (AMERICAS), INC | 20 | $87,548 |
| Manufacturing Engineer | Cintal, Inc. | 13 | $100,000 |
| Sr. Process Engineer | RIVIAN AUTOMOTIVE, LLC | 12 | $106,453 |
| Design Lead | HCL AMERICA INC | 12 | $95,202 |
| Product Engineer | International Motors, LLC | 9 | $100,499 |
| Senior Designer | HCL AMERICA INC | 9 | $83,803 |
| Manager, Process Engineering | RIVIAN AUTOMOTIVE, LLC | 7 | $149,240 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Mechanical Engineers in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 526 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $104,294.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Caterpillar Inc. | 252 | $104,294 |
| Professional services | Gotion Illinois New Energy Inc. | 144 | $99,620 |
| Technology and software | HCL AMERICA INC | 99 | $87,548 |
| Retail and wholesale | Elkay Plumbing Products Company | 17 | $90,730 |
| Education | Northwestern University | 7 | $65,582 |
| Energy and utilities | S&C ELECTRIC COMPANY | 4 | $119,327 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Open Avenues Foundation | 2 | $90,106 |
| Media and entertainment | AO Racing LLC | 1 | $85,000 |
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 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.9 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.7 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.6 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Mechanical
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Physics
Knowledge
- 4.2 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports.
- 02
Research, design, evaluate, install, operate, or maintain mechanical products, equipment, systems or processes to meet requirements.
- 03
Confer with engineers or other personnel to implement operating procedures, resolve system malfunctions, or provide technical information.
- 04
Develop, coordinate, or monitor all aspects of production, including selection of manufacturing methods, fabrication, or operation of product designs.
- 05
Investigate equipment failures or difficulties to diagnose faulty operation and recommend remedial actions.
- 06
Develop or test models of alternate designs or processing methods to assess feasibility, sustainability, operating condition effects, potential new applications, or necessity of modification.
- 07
Recommend the use of utility or energy services that minimize carbon footprints.
- 08
Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design, performance specifications, or environmental regulations.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+9.0%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for mechanical engineers in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$100,390
Compare Mechanical Engineers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Mechanical Engineers in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in Illinois is $99,730.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Mechanical Engineers?
- The Illinois median is -4.7% versus the BLS national figure of $104,651.
- What is the salary range for Mechanical Engineers in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $67,200 and the 90th-percentile at $143,500, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Mechanical Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 9.0% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Mechanical 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.