Economist salary in Chicago, IL

Based on 96 certified H-1B filings in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Evanston, Mettawa.

Also listed as: Research Economist, Associate Economist

Median salary$150,000

Middle 50%$101.3k–$203.3k

vs. national median+7%comparison median $140,000

Filings96FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

National median

$50k$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k$250k$275k

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $68,045 and $352,500.

Median salary

Filings per year

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 year	Median	P25	P75	Filings
FY2020	$90,730	$73,154	$125,882	55
FY2021	$87,464	$67,122	$128,149	73
FY2022	$92,248	$82,150	$138,750	70
FY2023	$114,996	$89,000	$175,000	49
FY2024	$115,502	$94,750	$193,566	47
FY2025	$123,000	$93,750	$191,250	63
FY2026	$165,797	$125,000	$235,000	33

Chicago's median Economist salary of $150,000 is worth about $144,800 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).

Employer	Median	Filings
Cornerstone Research	$230,000	13
The Brattle Group	$103,164	12
Analysis Group	$110,000	11
Compass Lexecon	too few	8
CRA International	too few	8
Econic Partners	too few	7
The University of Chicago	too few	7
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago	too few	4
Northwestern University	too few	3
AECOM Technical Services	too few	2

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

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Wage level	Prevailing wage (most common)	Median offered salary	Filings
Entry-level · Level I	$62,296	$93,750	34
Mid-level · Level II	$105,165	$160,000	36
Senior · Level III	$123,115	$163,473	12
Expert · Level IV	$165,797	$245,000	14

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.