Chicago's manufacturing, food-processing and freight-logistics base anchors Illinois pay for safety and EHS managers at an estimated median near $97,000 a year — here's how the state's OSHA coverage, regional industries and cost of living shape that number.
Illinois safety and EHS managers land at an estimated median of $97,000 a year, with most roles paying between $75,660 and $130,950. That range scales the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ national median for occupational health & safety specialists — $83,910 (SOC 19-5011, OES May 2024) — to Illinois wage levels, so actual offers still move with employer size, industry, certifications and tenure. The state’s economy leans on Chicago-area manufacturing, food processing (Illinois is headquarters territory for major agribusiness firms), and one of the country’s busiest freight-rail and trucking corridors, all of which keep demand for EHS talent fairly steady. Cost of living is uneven across the state: metro Chicago runs above the national median, particularly for housing, while much of downstate Illinois — where agriculture and smaller manufacturing plants dominate — is considerably cheaper, so the same salary buys more outside the city.
Illinois’s OSHA coverage is split. The state runs its own State Plan, but it applies only to state and local government employees — not the private sector. Private employers, where most safety-manager roles actually sit, answer directly to federal OSHA (Region 5) rather than a state-run inspectorate. Worth knowing if you’re comparing an Illinois offer against a state with full-scope coverage: public-sector Illinois jobs follow the state plan, everyone else follows federal rules.
EHS hiring clusters around Chicago, Aurora and Naperville, which tracks with how much of the state’s manufacturing, distribution and rail-intermodal activity sits in and around the metro area. Smaller pockets of demand turn up downstate near Peoria, Rockford and the Metro East (across the river from St. Louis), usually tied to agriculture processing, heavy-equipment manufacturing or chemical plants.
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What do safety managers earn in Illinois?
Illinois safety and EHS managers land at an estimated median of about $97,000 per year, with most roles paying between $75,660 and $130,950 depending on industry, employer size, certifications and experience. The figure scales BLS national OES wage data to Illinois's pay level.
Does Illinois run its own OSHA program?
Only partly. Illinois operates a State Plan that covers state and local government employees, but private-sector workplaces — where most safety-manager jobs sit — are regulated directly by federal OSHA, not the state program.
What industries drive safety-manager hiring in Illinois?
Demand concentrates around Chicago's manufacturing base, food processing, and one of the busiest freight-rail and trucking corridors in the country, with smaller pockets tied to agriculture and chemical plants downstate.
Does cost of living affect what this salary is worth in Illinois?
Yes — Illinois's cost of living varies a lot by region. Metro Chicago runs above the national median, particularly for housing, while much of downstate Illinois is considerably cheaper, so the same salary goes further outside the city.
Salary figures are estimates derived from BLS national OES data scaled to state wage levels — not a guarantee or an offer. Verify current local data with BLS and employers. ← All states · Home