Lead engineering teams, set technical direction, and drive product development. Median salary in Aurora: $213K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Aurora, Illinois. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Adjusted for Aurora's cost-of-living index (95), the median Director of Engineering salary buys the equivalent of $224,211 in a US-average-cost city. That's $9,211 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
This role's national salaries are growing at 6.5% year-over-year, well above the BLS all-occupations average of ~3.5%. If that pace holds, the Aurora median reaches $291,828 in five years.
This role is 65% remote-eligible nationally according to job-posting analysis, which significantly expands the job market for Aurora-based Director of Engineerings. Many Aurora professionals in this role are paid on the locality scale of their employer's HQ rather than Aurora's local rate — verify which scale your offer references before negotiating.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $213K by 2030.
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The median Director of Engineering salary in Aurora, IL is $213,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Aurora–IL metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Director of Engineerings in Aurora with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $166,000 and $213,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $213,000 to $269,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $269,000 to $341,000 or more.
Aurora has a cost of living index of 95 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 5% further in Aurora than the national average. Illinois has a 4.95% state income tax rate.
Bachelor's in CS or Engineering; 10+ years engineering; management experience. This role is 65% remote-eligible nationally, which can significantly expand the job market for Aurora-based professionals.