How Much Does a Resident Engineer Make in Chicago, IL ? (2026 Salary Guide)

Resident Engineer Salary in Chicago, IL

As of April 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Resident Engineer in Chicago, IL is $78,677, equivalent to $38 per hour, $1,513 weekly, or $6,556 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Resident Engineer in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Resident Engineer in Chicago, IL vary widely, spanning from $68,028 to $90,236. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($73,103) and 75th percentile ($84,728), while top earners (90th percentile) make $90,236 per year. This $11,625 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Commitment or Equipment Maintenance, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

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

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Resident Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $68,028 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
25th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $73,103 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
50th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $78,677 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
75th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $84,728 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
90th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $90,236 Chicago, IL April 01, 2026
25% $73,103 10% $68,028 90% $90,236 75% $84,728 $78,677 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Resident Engineer/Project Manager

ExcelliSearch, Inc. - Chicago, IL

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Construction Resident Engineer Serving Clients in Kane & Kendall Counties

Christopher B. Burke Engineering - Des Plaines, IL

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Construction Resident Engineer

Farnsworth Group Inc - Pontiac, IL

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What is a Resident Engineer ?

A resident engineer is a construction occupation. It often describes an engineer employed to work from site for the client or the design engineer. The duties include supervision of and issuing of instructions to the contractor and to report regularly to the designer and/or client. The role was common historically and was also defined in the Institution of Civil Engineers Conditions of Contract and FIDIC contracts. It is not a defined role in the commonly used and more modern NEC Engineering and Construction Contract in which similar roles are named as the client's "project manager" and "su...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/17/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Resident Engineer in Chicago, IL

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Resident Engineer

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Civil Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

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

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
73103
84728
78677

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
80340
99491
89120
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Resident Engineer in Chicago, IL. The base salary for Resident Engineer ranges from $73,103 to $84,728 with the average base salary of $78,677. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $80,340 to $99,491 with the average total cash compensation of $89,120.
Similar Job Titles:
Civil Engineer II, Civil Engineer III, Civil Engineer IV, Civil Engineer V, Civil Engineer VI
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73103
84728

 

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

Resident Engineer Salary in popular cities: Aurora, Rockford, Joliet

Skills associated with Resident Engineer: Design, Inspection, Regulatory Compliance, requests

Recently searched related titles: Civil Engineer Trainee, Civil Engineering Assistant, Engineering Student

Learn more about: Compensation Packages, Employee Flight Risk, Gender Pay Gap, Job Openings for This Role

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