Entry-level Chemist salary in Chicago, IL

Based on 59 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Evanston, North Chicago, Lemont, Melrose Park, Libertyville.

Also listed as: Quality Control Chemist, Analytical Chemist

Median salary$65,520
Middle 50%$63k–$70.4k
vs. all levels here−11%comparison median $74,000
Filings59FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $61,008 and $78,690.
PercentileSalary
10th$61,008
25th$63,023
50th (median)$65,520
75th$70,379
90th$72,879

Salary by year

Median salary

$40k $55k $70k FY2020: median $51,203 (29 filings) FY2021: median $55,599 (20 filings) FY2022: median $54,000 (31 filings) FY2023: median $58,250 (26 filings) FY2024: median $57,000 (27 filings) FY2025: median $65,000 (38 filings) FY2026: median $65,562 (21 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 29 filings FY20 FY2021: 20 filings FY21 FY2022: 31 filings FY22 FY2023: 26 filings FY23 FY2024: 27 filings FY24 FY2025: 38 filings FY25 FY2026: 21 filings FY26 38
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$51,203$47,653$57,00029
FY2021$55,599$52,458$60,34320
FY2022$54,000$53,249$62,29331
FY2023$58,250$52,890$62,75026
FY2024$57,000$56,484$61,00827
FY2025$65,000$61,305$68,36338
FY2026$65,562$65,520$71,40021

Cost of living

Chicago's median entry-level Chemist salary of $65,520 is worth about $63,200 at national average prices.

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

Compared with all workers here

All Chemists in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $90,920 in May 2025 (2,630 employed). The H-1B median here is $65,520, 28% 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
University of Chicago$65,26018
Northwestern University$61,88415
UChicago Argonne$70,75811
The University of Chicagotoo few5

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $65,520 59
Mid-level · Level II $79,040 17
Senior · Level III $101,650 27
Expert · Level IV $130,613 26

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$40,082$65,52059
Mid-level · Level II$78,853$79,04017
Senior · Level III$51,646$101,65027
Expert · Level IV$119,829$130,61326

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.