Database Administrator salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 425 certified H-1B filings in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Naperville, Schaumburg, Aurora, Deerfield, Lisle.
Also listed as: DBA
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $85,176 |
| 25th | $87,360 |
| 50th (median) | $118,000 |
| 75th | $143,000 |
| 90th | $171,267 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $90,000 | $79,560 | $108,834 | 200 |
| FY2021 | $79,768 | $79,768 | $79,768 | 1,808 |
| FY2022 | $79,768 | $79,768 | $79,768 | 670 |
| FY2023 | $93,604 | $80,000 | $130,000 | 172 |
| FY2024 | $95,750 | $86,694 | $134,026 | 220 |
| FY2025 | $112,000 | $86,382 | $137,500 | 263 |
| FY2026 | $123,300 | $88,000 | $149,614 | 162 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median Database Administrator salary of $118,000 is worth about $113,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Database Administrators in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $109,680 in May 2025 (1,870 employed). The H-1B median here is $118,000, 8% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| EY | $128,750 | 161 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $85,176 | 13 |
| Medline Industries | too few | 9 |
| Elevance Health | too few | 7 |
| too few | 4 | |
| Fermi Forward Discovery Group | too few | 4 |
| Bitwise | too few | 3 |
| Chicago Public Schools | too few | 3 |
| Envoy Global | too few | 3 |
| Epcot Technologies | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $75,649 | 58 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,000 | 219 |
| Senior · Level III | $136,800 | 73 |
| Expert · Level IV | $144,580 | 69 |
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 | $59,405 | $75,649 | 58 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,176 | $100,000 | 219 |
| Senior · Level III | $110,178 | $136,800 | 73 |
| Expert · Level IV | $136,739 | $144,580 | 69 |
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.