How to Become an Engineering Manager in Illinois: Salary & Requirements (2026)
Quick answer: The median engineering manager salary in Illinois is $163,610 per year - 4% below the national median of $171,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The career requires a 4-year degree: ABET-accredited engineering bachelor’s + experience; often an MBA or MEM.
Engineering Manager Salary in Illinois
| Wage level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| Illinois entry level (10th percentile) | $112,090 |
| Illinois 25th-75th percentile | $133,070 - $200,190 |
| Illinois median | $163,610 |
| Illinois top earners (90th percentile) | $231,880 |
| U.S. median | $171,270 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. State employment: 8,900.
The Illinois Job Market: Engineering Manager
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employed in Illinois | 8,900 |
| Jobs per 1,000 in the state | 1.46 |
| Concentration vs U.S. (location quotient) | 1.03 |
| Mean annual wage in Illinois | $170,480 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. With a location quotient of 1.03, Illinois’s demand for architectural and engineering managers tracks close to the national average.
Requirements in Illinois
The education path is national - ABET-accredited engineering bachelor’s + experience; often an MBA or MEM - while licensing runs through Illinois’s own boards: PE license commonly required for firms sealing work. Verify current requirements with the Illinois licensing authority before enrolling, as details change. The step-by-step path (degree, exams, first role, advancement) is covered in the national guide: How to Become an Engineering Manager.
Salary Nationwide
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th | $120,810 |
| 25th | $139,360 |
| 50th (median) | $171,270 |
| 75th | $212,500 |
| 90th | $262,760 |
Job Outlook
| Year | Employment |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 212,500 |
| 2034 projected | 220,500 |
| Percent change | +3.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an engineering manager make in Illinois?
The median annual wage for architectural and engineering managers in Illinois is $163,610 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 4% below the national median of $171,270.
How do I become an engineering manager in Illinois?
The core path is the same nationwide - ABET-accredited engineering bachelor's + experience; often an MBA or MEM - with licensing administered at the state level: PE license commonly required for firms sealing work. See the steps below.
How many architectural and engineering managers work in Illinois?
BLS counts about 8,900 architectural and engineering managers employed in Illinois (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Engineering Manager in Nearby States
- Engineering Manager in Hawaii
- Engineering Manager in Idaho
- Engineering Manager in Indiana
- Engineering Manager in Iowa
Related
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041), Illinois and national
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
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/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
| O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones) | U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.) | O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13) |