Quick answer:Electrical Engineers in Illinois earn a median $107,860 per year, below the national median of $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 5,460 of them. Licensing runs through your state engineering licensing board.
Electrical Engineering Pay and Employment in Illinois at a Glance
Metric
Illinois
National
Source
Median annual wage
$107,860
$120,630
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$75,470
$76,550
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$87,360
$92,830
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$131,960
$152,950
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$164,290
$184,300
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
5,460
198,750
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.7
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
7.2%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Illinois Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Illinois median of $107,860 sits below the national median of $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.7 puts Illinois below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Electrical engineering demand concentrates around utilities, grid and generation projects, and the region’s electronics and manufacturing employers.
Electrical Engineers Wages by Metro Area in Illinois
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), electrical engineers wages in Illinois vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
4,290
$113,520
$118,210
$76,660
$165,890
St. Louis
1,290
$123,960
$124,430
$77,770
$165,120
Rockford
180
$112,350
$106,560
$75,290
$136,030
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island
170
$106,840
$116,030
$80,120
$172,170
Peoria
160
$101,500
$111,560
$75,670
$161,200
Champaign-Urbana
110
$95,790
$103,970
$71,560
$161,890
Springfield
70
$101,940
$103,480
$62,360
$137,370
Decatur
50
$103,030
$115,720
$76,740
$162,770
Paducah
50
$95,940
$91,710
$59,040
$124,440
Bloomington
40
$98,920
$103,540
$74,900
$139,990
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Electrical engineering licensure runs through the state boards on the standard framework: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in electrical and computer engineering. The license matters most in power, utility and consulting work, where drawings are sealed and submitted for review. Engineers in electronics and product development more often work under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state engineering licensing board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
#1
Moraine Valley Community College
📍
Palos Hills, IL
•41.0 miles away•BOC Score
60.0
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
9000 W. College Parkway Palos Hills, IL 60465-0937
How much do electrical engineers make in Illinois?
The median annual wage for electrical engineers in Illinois is $107,860, below the national median of $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $87,360 at the 25th percentile to $131,960 at the 75th.
How many electrical engineers work in Illinois?
Illinois holds about 5,460 electrical engineer jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 198,750, and BLS projects about 11,700 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a electrical engineer in Illinois?
Electrical engineering licensure runs through the state boards on the standard framework: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in electrical and computer engineering. The license matters most in power, utility and consulting work, where drawings are sealed and submitted for review. Engineers in electronics and product development more often work under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state engineering licensing board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a ABET-accredited BSEE online while working in Illinois?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
What is the highest-paying area of Illinois for electrical engineers?
Among Illinois metro areas with published data, Chicago reports the highest median at $113,520 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Illinois a good state for electrical engineers?
On pay, the state median of $107,860 sits below the national $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.7 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Electrical Engineers (SOC 17-2071), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
