Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 972 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Naperville, Schaumburg, Riverwoods, Deerfield, Waukegan.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $107,640 |
| 25th | $107,640 |
| 50th (median) | $112,965 |
| 75th | $120,250 |
| 90th | $146,978 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $96,325 | $96,325 | $105,250 | 461 |
| FY2021 | $95,750 | $95,555 | $110,000 | 402 |
| FY2022 | $100,000 | $95,472 | $121,125 | 556 |
| FY2023 | $98,259 | $93,912 | $115,000 | 433 |
| FY2024 | $99,500 | $98,259 | $115,050 | 608 |
| FY2025 | $112,965 | $112,965 | $125,000 | 603 |
| FY2026 | $107,640 | $107,640 | $113,152 | 369 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $112,965 is worth about $109,000 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 $112,965, 11% 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 | $112,965 | 379 |
| Infosys | $107,640 | 72 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $112,965 | 28 |
| HCLTech | $112,965 | 24 |
| Capgemini America | $134,850 | 24 |
| AbbVie | $139,577 | 16 |
| IBM | $121,193 | 16 |
| Hexaware Technologies | $112,965 | 13 |
| Microsoft | $180,776 | 13 |
| ZS Associates | $165,000 | 13 |
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.