Mid-level Architect salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 57 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $75,858 |
| 25th | $76,482 |
| 50th (median) | $78,500 |
| 75th | $85,000 |
| 90th | $93,506 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $69,736 | $64,800 | $72,800 | 24 |
| FY2021 | $67,746 | $67,746 | $70,000 | 17 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2023 | $75,691 | $74,381 | $85,000 | 24 |
| FY2024 | $81,507 | $76,985 | $84,274 | 20 |
| FY2025 | $80,040 | $77,246 | $85,654 | 28 |
| FY2026 | $78,000 | $76,000 | $84,000 | 29 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median mid-level Architect salary of $78,500 is worth about $75,800 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 $78,500, 4% 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 | too few | 6 |
| Studio Gang Architects | too few | 6 |
| Hks | too few | 3 |
| Rieder Noram | too few | 3 |
| Solomon Cordwell Buenz | too few | 3 |
| BLDG Projects | too few | 2 |
| Eckenhoff Saunders Architects | too few | 2 |
| FGP Atelier International PLLC | too few | 2 |
| Harley Ellis Devereaux | too few | 2 |
| Krueck & Sexton Architects | too few | 2 |
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.