Okay, let’s calculate. So Elise has a strong skill set in civil engineering, project management, and transportation planning. She’s located in the Greater Chicago Area, which is a hub for infrastructure projects. Her skills like Autocad, Microstation, and Microsoft Office are in demand. Considering her experience and location, she’s likely to charge lower rates compared to urban areas like New York or San Francisco. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for civil engineers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Division is around $95,000. However, this doesn’t directly translate to hourly rates. Let’s assume a 40-hour workweek and 52 weeks per year. That’s 2,080 hours per year. Using the median salary, her hourly rate would be around $45. However, considering her skills and experience, I’ll estimate her hourly rate to be around $125, which is slightly higher than the average, but still reasonable for the Greater Chicago Area.