Senior Network Architect salary in Chicago, IL

Based on 24 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Northbrook, Warrenville, Naperville, Buffalo Grove, Hoffman Estates.

Also listed as: Network Engineer, Network Development Engineer

Median salary$146,578
Middle 50%$142k–$157.6k
vs. all levels here+17%comparison median $125,091
Filings24FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $139,860 and $195,000.
PercentileSalary
10th$140,000
25th$141,960
50th (median)$146,578
75th$157,550
90th$175,000

Salary by year

Median salary

$110k $135k $160k FY2021: median $125,112 (17 filings) FY2022: median $130,000 (15 filings) FY2025: median $145,995 (15 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 6 filings FY20 FY2021: 17 filings FY21 FY2022: 15 filings FY22 FY2023: 6 filings FY23 FY2024: 8 filings FY24 FY2025: 15 filings FY25 FY2026: 9 filings FY26 17
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–––6
FY2021$125,112$125,112$135,00017
FY2022$130,000$129,605$137,50015
FY2023–––6
FY2024–––8
FY2025$145,995$140,980$156,00015
FY2026–––9

Cost of living

Chicago's median senior Network Architect salary of $146,578 is worth about $141,500 at national average prices.

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

Compared with all workers here

All Computer Network Architects in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $143,800 in May 2025 (5,400 employed). The H-1B median here is $146,578, 2% higher.

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
Abbott Laboratoriestoo few3
CIBC Banktoo few2
Medline Industriestoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $99,712 12
Mid-level · Level II $120,702 45
Senior · Level III $146,578 24
Expert · Level IV $177,698 24

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$97,074$99,71212
Mid-level · Level II$118,435$120,70245
Senior · Level III$139,818$146,57824
Expert · Level IV$163,238$177,69824

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.