Senior Data Scientist salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 485 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $116,334 |
| 25th | $119,558 |
| 50th (median) | $127,392 |
| 75th | $145,000 |
| 90th | $165,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $98,000 | $96,325 | $110,598 | 24 |
| FY2021 | $96,000 | $96,000 | $110,000 | 66 |
| FY2022 | $107,996 | $96,000 | $125,000 | 146 |
| FY2023 | $112,000 | $104,000 | $131,172 | 214 |
| FY2024 | $118,000 | $111,000 | $133,067 | 185 |
| FY2025 | $126,431 | $116,444 | $145,000 | 256 |
| FY2026 | $128,000 | $119,709 | $145,000 | 229 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median senior Data Scientist salary of $127,392 is worth about $123,000 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 $127,392, 18% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medline Industries | $135,000 | 27 |
| PayPal | $150,000 | 26 |
| Discover Products | $116,334 | 26 |
| AbbVie | $136,145 | 12 |
| CVS Health | $137,271 | 12 |
| $156,000 | 12 | |
| TheMathCompany | too few | 9 |
| JPMorgan Chase | too few | 8 |
| Amazon | too few | 7 |
| Grainger Management | too few | 7 |
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.