Biomedical Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 70 certified H-1B filings in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Evanston, Lake Forest, Libertyville, North Chicago, Warrenville.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $61,778 |
| 25th | $72,647 |
| 50th (median) | $90,521 |
| 75th | $110,900 |
| 90th | $127,566 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $85,000 | $75,750 | $121,592 | 26 |
| FY2021 | $91,603 | $80,529 | $111,354 | 23 |
| FY2022 | $85,000 | $70,000 | $120,000 | 25 |
| FY2023 | $83,000 | $68,076 | $104,250 | 30 |
| FY2024 | $80,205 | $69,996 | $94,500 | 31 |
| FY2025 | $86,341 | $68,266 | $101,500 | 31 |
| FY2026 | $97,000 | $81,848 | $116,854 | 39 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median Biomedical Engineer salary of $90,521 is worth about $87,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $98,670 in May 2025 (210 employed). The H-1B median here is $90,521, 8% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University | too few | 8 |
| The University of Chicago | too few | 7 |
| Bio-Med Services | too few | 4 |
| CZ Biohub Chicago | too few | 4 |
| Rush University Medical Center | too few | 4 |
| Sumitomo Biorational Company | too few | 4 |
| Abbott Laboratories | too few | 3 |
| Brainlab | too few | 3 |
| cGMP Consulting | too few | 3 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | 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 | $64,678 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,000 | 23 |
| Senior · Level III | $115,669 | 17 |
| 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 | $56,659 | $64,678 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $81,848 | $90,000 | 23 |
| Senior · Level III | $99,341 | $115,669 | 17 |
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.