Entry-level Architect salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 114 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Evanston, Roselle, Naperville, Lombard, Batavia.
Also listed as: Project Architect, Architect Non Licensed
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $59,634 |
| 25th | $61,589 |
| 50th (median) | $64,948 |
| 75th | $71,396 |
| 90th | $75,661 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $58,000 | $51,750 | $66,040 | 52 |
| FY2021 | $54,239 | $50,908 | $60,000 | 42 |
| FY2022 | $56,930 | $56,930 | $60,000 | 59 |
| FY2023 | $61,006 | $57,949 | $68,000 | 53 |
| FY2024 | $64,251 | $61,006 | $69,836 | 62 |
| FY2025 | $64,890 | $59,634 | $70,000 | 67 |
| FY2026 | $65,100 | $61,589 | $71,890 | 47 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median entry-level Architect salary of $64,948 is worth about $62,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Architects, Except Landscape and Naval in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $81,790 in May 2025 (4,460 employed). The H-1B median here is $64,948, 21% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Skidmore, Owings & Merrill | $64,445 | 10 |
| Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture | too few | 8 |
| Perkins & Will | too few | 7 |
| Solomon Cordwell Buenz | too few | 7 |
| Gannett Fleming | too few | 6 |
| Hks | too few | 6 |
| Goettsch Partners | too few | 4 |
| Studio Gang Architects | too few | 4 |
| Dxu | too few | 3 |
| KP&J Architects & Engineers | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $64,948 | 114 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $78,500 | 57 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 3 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $59,634 | $64,948 | 114 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $75,858 | $78,500 | 57 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.