Entry-level Business Operations Specialist salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 17 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Melrose Park, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, North Chicago, Hoffman Estates.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $47,840 |
| 25th | $49,670 |
| 50th (median) | $49,670 |
| 75th | $60,000 |
| 90th | $72,274 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median entry-level Business Operations Specialist salary of $49,670 is worth about $47,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Business Operations Specialists, All Other in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $81,170 in May 2025 (21,760 employed). The H-1B median here is $49,670, 39% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gofo | too few | 4 |
| Vistaltech | too few | 2 |
| Wellmax | 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 | $49,670 | 17 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $73,120 | 20 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 2 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 4 |
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 | $49,670 | $49,670 | 17 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $65,042 | $73,120 | 20 |
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.