Senior Data Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 110 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Schaumburg, Mettawa, Riverwoods, Oak Brook, Naperville.
Also listed as: Database Architect, Data Architect
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $122,117 |
| 25th | $135,000 |
| 50th (median) | $140,000 |
| 75th | $149,605 |
| 90th | $165,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $100,000 | $96,325 | $110,000 | 25 |
| FY2021 | $105,000 | $95,514 | $126,834 | 19 |
| FY2022 | $117,748 | $95,868 | $133,125 | 48 |
| FY2023 | $121,826 | $114,110 | $134,516 | 37 |
| FY2024 | $136,500 | $131,435 | $141,000 | 45 |
| FY2025 | $139,000 | $129,500 | $146,300 | 67 |
| FY2026 | $142,000 | $136,885 | $150,000 | 43 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median senior Data Engineer salary of $140,000 is worth about $135,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Database Architects in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $147,490 in May 2025 (1,260 employed). The H-1B median here is $140,000, 5% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medline Industries | $140,000 | 10 |
| Beyond Finance | too few | 6 |
| AbbVie | too few | 5 |
| Cognizant | too few | 5 |
| Northwestern Memorial HealthCare | too few | 5 |
| Zurich American Insurance Company | too few | 5 |
| Abbott Laboratories | too few | 3 |
| Avanade | too few | 3 |
| Wavicle Data Solutions | too few | 3 |
| IBM | 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 | $90,000 | 31 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $114,000 | 109 |
| Senior · Level III | $140,000 | 110 |
| Expert · Level IV | $162,344 | 123 |
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 | $71,386 | $90,000 | 31 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,741 | $114,000 | 109 |
| Senior · Level III | $136,885 | $140,000 | 110 |
| Expert · Level IV | $160,555 | $162,344 | 123 |
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.