Entry-level Database Administrator salary in Chicago, IL

Based on 58 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Naperville, Schaumburg, Aurora, Deerfield, Lisle.

Also listed as: DBA

Median salary$75,649
Middle 50%$63k–$91.9k
vs. all levels here−36%comparison median $118,000
Filings58FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $57,348 and $112,150.
PercentileSalary
10th$59,822
25th$63,000
50th (median)$75,649
75th$91,880
90th$97,078

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $70k $90k FY2020: median $65,000 (18 filings) FY2021: median $60,480 (25 filings) FY2022: median $73,478 (26 filings) FY2023: median $75,000 (13 filings) FY2024: median $85,000 (29 filings) FY2025: median $76,286 (35 filings) FY2026: median $68,500 (23 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 18 filings FY20 FY2021: 25 filings FY21 FY2022: 26 filings FY22 FY2023: 13 filings FY23 FY2024: 29 filings FY24 FY2025: 35 filings FY25 FY2026: 23 filings FY26 35
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$65,000$62,091$76,87518
FY2021$60,480$59,322$72,00025
FY2022$73,478$62,500$87,66426
FY2023$75,000$62,732$83,63013
FY2024$85,000$61,500$93,23629
FY2025$76,286$63,000$92,45035
FY2026$68,500$64,480$91,52023

Cost of living

Chicago's median entry-level Database Administrator salary of $75,649 is worth about $73,000 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 $75,649, 31% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
EY$91,77022
IMHO Incorporatedtoo few2
Municipal Employees Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicagotoo few2
Rust-Oleumtoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
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 levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$59,405$75,64958
Mid-level · Level II$85,176$100,000219
Senior · Level III$110,178$136,80073
Expert · Level IV$136,739$144,58069

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.