Entry-level Biomedical Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 22 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Evanston, Lake Forest, Libertyville, North Chicago, Warrenville.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $61,008 |
| 25th | $61,113 |
| 50th (median) | $64,678 |
| 75th | $71,267 |
| 90th | $75,719 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2022 | $70,000 | $68,807 | $82,488 | 12 |
| FY2023 | $57,852 | $56,112 | $70,000 | 11 |
| FY2024 | $69,996 | $69,576 | $76,230 | 14 |
| FY2025 | $64,356 | $61,008 | $72,000 | 13 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 9 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median entry-level Biomedical Engineer salary of $64,678 is worth about $62,400 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 $64,678, 34% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | too few | 7 |
| Northwestern University | too few | 6 |
| Bio-Med Services | too few | 2 |
| Rush University Medical Center | 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 | $64,678 | 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.