Entry-level Data Scientist salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 480 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Riverwoods, Schaumburg, Naperville, Aurora, Lake Forest.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Scientist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $71,594 |
| 25th | $73,894 |
| 50th (median) | $75,000 |
| 75th | $88,000 |
| 90th | $100,280 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $78,500 | $66,000 | $80,000 | 21 |
| FY2021 | $60,000 | $57,655 | $80,500 | 36 |
| FY2022 | $69,550 | $59,862 | $83,000 | 73 |
| FY2023 | $74,000 | $66,000 | $83,809 | 150 |
| FY2024 | $75,000 | $68,786 | $85,000 | 220 |
| FY2025 | $75,300 | $71,594 | $88,000 | 272 |
| FY2026 | $75,000 | $74,277 | $88,000 | 208 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median entry-level Data Scientist salary of $75,000 is worth about $72,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Data Scientists in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $107,640 in May 2025 (7,940 employed). The H-1B median here is $75,000, 30% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| TheMathCompany | $80,000 | 17 |
| The University of Chicago | $82,700 | 12 |
| Boston Consulting Group | $145,000 | 11 |
| Northwestern University | $74,263 | 11 |
| Deloitte | too few | 9 |
| Discover Products | too few | 9 |
| Capital One | too few | 8 |
| Augmented Reality Technologies | too few | 7 |
| Avant | too few | 7 |
| Amazon | too few | 6 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $75,000 | 480 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $97,000 | 941 |
| Senior · Level III | $127,392 | 485 |
| Expert · Level IV | $150,500 | 509 |
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 | $71,594 | $75,000 | 480 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,928 | $97,000 | 941 |
| Senior · Level III | $119,558 | $127,392 | 485 |
| Expert · Level IV | $142,210 | $150,500 | 509 |
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.