Electrical Engineer (R&D) salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 14 certified H-1B filings in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Lemont, Batavia, Evanston.
Also listed as: Researcher Iii Electrical Engineering
Median salary$95,099
Middle 50%$90.1k–$114.7k
vs. national median+0%comparison median $95,000
Filings14FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
National median
$60k$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k$120k$130k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $72,962 |
| 25th | $90,063 |
| 50th (median) | $95,099 |
| 75th | $114,668 |
| 90th | $118,315 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median Electrical Engineer (R&D) salary of $95,099 is worth about $91,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| UChicago Argonne | too few | 7 |
| Fermi Forward Discovery Group | too few | 6 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | too few | 2 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 4 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 5 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.