Entry-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 113 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Naperville, Schaumburg, Riverwoods, Deerfield, Waukegan.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $60,000 |
| 25th | $63,357 |
| 50th (median) | $72,000 |
| 75th | $83,200 |
| 90th | $100,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $62,000 | $60,000 | $69,000 | 110 |
| FY2021 | $62,000 | $55,931 | $75,000 | 121 |
| FY2022 | $64,500 | $56,618 | $73,125 | 112 |
| FY2023 | $60,000 | $51,000 | $79,271 | 42 |
| FY2024 | $64,480 | $60,000 | $75,500 | 75 |
| FY2025 | $72,000 | $63,357 | $81,000 | 81 |
| FY2026 | $71,360 | $59,513 | $98,320 | 32 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median entry-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $72,000 is worth about $69,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $101,660 in May 2025 (7,800 employed). The H-1B median here is $72,000, 29% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| CRA International | too few | 4 |
| Epcot Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Slk America | too few | 3 |
| EY | too few | 2 |
| Virtusa | too few | 2 |
| Akrivis Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Boston Consulting Group | too few | 2 |
| Cloud Social Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Dyvicc | too few | 2 |
| Findica | 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 | $72,000 | 113 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $88,150 | 1,192 |
| Senior · Level III | $112,965 | 972 |
| Expert · Level IV | $137,758 | 692 |
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 | $63,357 | $72,000 | 113 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $88,150 | $88,150 | 1,192 |
| Senior · Level III | $112,965 | $112,965 | 972 |
| Expert · Level IV | $132,434 | $137,758 | 692 |
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.