Biological Technician salary in Chicago, IL

Based on 37 certified H-1B filings in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Evanston, Maywood, Round Lake, Schaumburg.

Also listed as: Research Associate (Biology)

Median salary$50,000
Middle 50%$47k–$60k
vs. national median−14%comparison median $58,000
Filings37FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $40,386 and $88,021.
PercentileSalary
10th$42,250
25th$46,980
50th (median)$50,000
75th$60,000
90th$64,988

Salary by year

Median salary

$40k $55k $70k FY2020: median $45,500 (21 filings) FY2021: median $47,750 (20 filings) FY2022: median $48,535 (20 filings) FY2023: median $48,943 (14 filings) FY2024: median $60,000 (13 filings) FY2025: median $51,657 (15 filings) FY2026: median $50,000 (22 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 21 filings FY20 FY2021: 20 filings FY21 FY2022: 20 filings FY22 FY2023: 14 filings FY23 FY2024: 13 filings FY24 FY2025: 15 filings FY25 FY2026: 22 filings FY26 22
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$45,500$42,057$48,29521
FY2021$47,750$43,802$54,64620
FY2022$48,535$45,461$60,36120
FY2023$48,943$45,167$56,56214
FY2024$60,000$58,000$65,08013
FY2025$51,657$46,540$58,00015
FY2026$50,000$47,237$60,00022

Cost of living

Chicago's median Biological Technician salary of $50,000 is worth about $48,300 at national average prices.

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

Compared with all workers here

All Biological Technicians in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $57,700 in May 2025 (470 employed). The H-1B median here is $50,000, 13% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
Northwestern University$48,25611
The University of Chicagotoo few9
Cell Biologicstoo few6
Loyola University Chicagotoo few3

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $45,163 12
Mid-level · Level II $51,657 17
Senior · Level III too few 3
Expert · Level IV – 0

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$29,931$45,16312
Mid-level · Level II$38,147$51,65717

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.