Mid-level Data Scientist salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 941 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $93,974 |
| 25th | $95,000 |
| 50th (median) | $97,000 |
| 75th | $115,000 |
| 90th | $138,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $82,654 | $80,966 | $90,500 | 123 |
| FY2021 | $76,023 | $76,000 | $94,375 | 178 |
| FY2022 | $90,397 | $77,000 | $102,303 | 233 |
| FY2023 | $89,877 | $85,000 | $101,782 | 383 |
| FY2024 | $92,153 | $89,690 | $105,000 | 439 |
| FY2025 | $96,928 | $93,974 | $113,357 | 501 |
| FY2026 | $97,000 | $96,928 | $115,239 | 440 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median mid-level Data Scientist salary of $97,000 is worth about $93,600 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 $97,000, 10% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| $137,000 | 15 | |
| CCC Intelligent Solutions | $96,928 | 14 |
| PayPal | $132,500 | 12 |
| Discover Products | $94,266 | 12 |
| AbbVie | $111,400 | 11 |
| TransUnion | $93,974 | 11 |
| Deloitte | $98,314 | 10 |
| Discover | too few | 9 |
| McKinsey & Company | too few | 9 |
| Caterpillar | too few | 9 |
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.