Materials Scientist salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 65 certified H-1B filings in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Lemont, Evanston, Skokie, North Chicago, East Chicago.
Also listed as: Research Associate Materials Science
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $61,900 |
| 25th | $68,371 |
| 50th (median) | $84,094 |
| 75th | $106,500 |
| 90th | $123,002 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,746 | $68,400 | $96,138 | 29 |
| FY2021 | $72,775 | $61,372 | $95,597 | 31 |
| FY2022 | $78,000 | $63,627 | $92,000 | 21 |
| FY2023 | $64,829 | $63,000 | $82,451 | 21 |
| FY2024 | $78,955 | $66,767 | $95,228 | 30 |
| FY2025 | $87,822 | $70,758 | $106,500 | 36 |
| FY2026 | $83,366 | $63,480 | $106,500 | 29 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median Materials Scientist salary of $84,094 is worth about $81,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Materials Scientists in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $133,340 in May 2025 (460 employed). The H-1B median here is $84,094, 37% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| UChicago Argonne | $90,063 | 20 |
| Northwestern University | $65,582 | 18 |
| Underwriters Laboratories | too few | 7 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | too few | 7 |
| AbbVie | too few | 2 |
| ArcelorMittal USA Research | too few | 2 |
| INEOS Styrolution America | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $66,265 | 28 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $101,899 | 15 |
| Senior · Level III | $109,922 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
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 | $51,750 | $66,265 | 28 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,371 | $101,899 | 15 |
| Senior · Level III | $83,366 | $109,922 | 13 |
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.