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As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Data Center Engineer in Illinois is $85,202 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $41.
However, a Data Center Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
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Data Center Engineer Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $91,976 | $7,665 | $1,769 | $44 |
| Average | $85,202 | $7,100 | $1,638 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $76,300 | $6,358 | $1,467 | $37 |
BIC Recruiting - Elk Grove Village, IL
Blue Signal LLC - Mount Prospect, IL
Starcom Mediavest Group Germany Gmbh - Chicago, IL
TEKsystems - Chicago, IL
A Data Center Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Data Center Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Data Cent... Level Data Center Engineer | $87,056 |
| DevOps En... Level Data Center Engineer | $105,658 |
| DevOps En... Level Data Center Engineer | $141,622 |
| DevOps En... Level Data Center Engineer | $158,415 |
| DevOps En... Level Data Center Engineer | $175,030 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Data Center Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
For Data Center Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 47% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 22% above the average. In contrast, Data Center Engineer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Data Center Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals | $103,946 | $50.0 | 22% |
| Internet | $100,538 | $48.0 | 18% |
| Aerospace & Defense | $97,982 | $47.0 | 15% |
| Financial Services | $97,982 | $47.0 | 15% |
| Insurance | $93,722 | $45.0 | 10% |
Understanding how a Data Center Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $91,976 | $7,665 | $1,769 | $44 |
| Average | $85,202 | $7,100 | $1,638 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $76,300 | $6,358 | $1,467 | $37 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Data Center Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Roblox
Chicago, IL
Roblox | Chicago, IL
Every day, tens of millions of people come to Roblox to explore, create, play, learn, and connect with friends in 3D immersive digital experiences- all cre... more
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Oracle
Chicago, IL
Oracle | Chicago, IL
hackajob is collaborating with Oracle to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role. Description Tracks and monitors ongoing Data Center cri... more
6 Days Ago
US Signal
Aurora, IL
US Signal | Aurora, IL
Job TypeFull-timeDescriptionUS Signal is a leading data center services provider, offering secure, reliable network, cloud hosting, colocation, data protec... more
8 Days Ago
Equinix
Chicago, IL
Equinix | Chicago, IL
Facility Operations Technician. Equinix is the world's digital infrastructure company, shortening the path to connectivity to enable the innovations that e... more
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Equinix
Chicago, IL
Equinix | Chicago, IL
Who are we. Equinix is the world's digital infrastructure company , shortening the path to connectivity to enable the innovations that enrich our work, lif... more
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Equinix
Elk Grove Village, IL
Equinix | Elk Grove Village, IL
Who are we. Equinix is the world's digital infrastructure company, shortening the path to connectivity to enable the innovations that enrich our work, life... more
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