Entry-level Operations Manager salary in Chicago, IL

Based on 25 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Naperville, Schaumburg, Wood Dale, Munster, Lake Bluff.

Also listed as: General Manager

Median salary$58,074
Middle 50%$57.6k–$62.4k
vs. all levels here−42%comparison median $100,000
Filings25FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $57,200 and $83,040.
PercentileSalary
10th$57,200
25th$57,595
50th (median)$58,074
75th$62,400
90th$71,200

Cost of living

Chicago's median entry-level Operations Manager salary of $58,074 is worth about $56,100 at national average prices.

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

Compared with all workers here

All General and Operations Managers in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $109,390 in May 2025 (122,930 employed). The H-1B median here is $58,074, 47% 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
Abygroupstoo few2
NourishLifetoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $58,074 25
Mid-level · Level II $100,000 22
Senior · Level III $193,000 10
Expert · Level IV $211,500 14

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$57,200$58,07425
Mid-level · Level II$97,864$100,00022
Senior · Level III$142,230$193,00010
Expert · Level IV$184,538$211,50014

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.