Mid-level Biochemist salary in Chicago, IL

Based on 15 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Evanston, North Chicago, Lemont, Abbott Park, Elmhurst.

Median salary$80,726
Middle 50%$70k–$90k
vs. all levels here+13%comparison median $71,554
Filings15FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $61,167 and $118,920.
PercentileSalary
10th$63,500
25th$70,000
50th (median)$80,726
75th$90,032
90th$96,810

Salary by year

Median salary

$60k $85k $110k FY2020: median $73,276 (10 filings) FY2021: median $96,000 (12 filings) FY2024: median $75,451 (10 filings) FY2025: median $80,363 (12 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 10 filings FY20 FY2021: 12 filings FY21 FY2022: 7 filings FY22 FY2023: 8 filings FY23 FY2024: 10 filings FY24 FY2025: 12 filings FY25 FY2026: 3 filings FY26 12
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$73,276$56,150$91,71310
FY2021$96,000$70,000$102,50012
FY2022–––7
FY2023–––8
FY2024$75,451$70,910$88,25010
FY2025$80,363$68,750$90,01612
FY2026–––3

Cost of living

Chicago's median mid-level Biochemist salary of $80,726 is worth about $77,900 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).

Compared with all workers here

All Biochemists and Biophysicists in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $85,780 in May 2025 (170 employed). The H-1B median here is $80,726, 6% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
The University of Chicagotoo few4
University of Illinois Chicagotoo few4

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $68,787 64
Mid-level · Level II $80,726 15
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 levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$59,467$68,78764
Mid-level · Level II$60,590$80,72615

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.