Expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 692 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Naperville, Schaumburg, Riverwoods, Deerfield, Waukegan.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $132,434 |
| 25th | $134,790 |
| 50th (median) | $137,758 |
| 75th | $160,000 |
| 90th | $187,527 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $116,046 | $115,211 | $130,000 | 258 |
| FY2021 | $122,000 | $115,378 | $139,875 | 414 |
| FY2022 | $125,492 | $115,000 | $145,000 | 576 |
| FY2023 | $125,000 | $115,500 | $150,950 | 404 |
| FY2024 | $135,000 | $118,186 | $158,140 | 511 |
| FY2025 | $137,808 | $137,758 | $160,000 | 425 |
| FY2026 | $135,000 | $132,434 | $160,000 | 267 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $137,758 is worth about $133,000 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 $137,758, 36% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $137,758 | 182 |
| Accenture | $162,800 | 38 |
| Discover | $137,758 | 31 |
| Medline Industries | $160,000 | 17 |
| Capgemini America | $159,920 | 15 |
| The Northern Trust Company | $145,750 | 14 |
| Salesforce | $221,348 | 10 |
| IBM | too few | 9 |
| ZS Associates | too few | 9 |
| Capital One | too few | 8 |
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.