As of April 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Contract Engineer in Chicago, IL is $71,258, equivalent to $34 per hour, $1,370 weekly, or $5,938 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Contract Engineer in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Contract Engineer in Chicago, IL vary widely, spanning from $60,714 to $80,683. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($65,738) and 75th percentile ($76,191), while top earners (90th percentile) make $80,683 per year. This $10,453 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Carpentry, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Chicago Contract Engineer often earn 1.4% higher than national averages. However, Chicago currently ranks 264 statewide for Contract Engineer job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Contract Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Contract Engineer Salary $60,714 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
25th Percentile Contract Engineer Salary $65,738 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
50th Percentile Contract Engineer Salary $71,258 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
75th Percentile Contract Engineer Salary $76,191 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
90th Percentile Contract Engineer Salary $80,683 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
25% $65,738 10% $60,714 90% $80,683 75% $76,191 $71,258 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Team One Credit Union - Chicago, IL

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Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) - Rolling Meadows, IL

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Contract Engineer

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Job Openings for Contract Engineer in Chicago, IL

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Contract Engineer

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Contract Engineer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
65738
76191
71258

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
68213
79974
73449
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Contract Engineer in Chicago, IL. The base salary for Contract Engineer ranges from $65,738 to $76,191 with the average base salary of $71,258. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $68,213 to $79,974 with the average total cash compensation of $73,449.

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65738
76191

 

About Chicago, Illinois    Chicago (/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ (listen), locally also /-ˈkɔː-/), officially the City of Chicago, is the most populous city in Illinois, as well as the third mos....More

Chicago, Illinois  area prices were up 0.8% from a year ago

Contract Engineer Salary in popular cities: AuroraRockfordJoliet

Skills associated with Contract Engineer: Design, Maintenance, Reporting, User

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