Senior Operations Research Analyst salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 134 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Riverwoods, Evanston, Schaumburg, Naperville, Northbrook.
Also listed as: Data Analyst
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $105,395 |
| 25th | $105,920 |
| 50th (median) | $126,236 |
| 75th | $170,750 |
| 90th | $195,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $100,000 | $96,000 | $130,000 | 89 |
| FY2021 | $116,769 | $96,533 | $160,000 | 100 |
| FY2022 | $139,086 | $100,000 | $178,200 | 157 |
| FY2023 | $135,360 | $100,161 | $180,050 | 136 |
| FY2024 | $141,439 | $107,332 | $199,690 | 104 |
| FY2025 | $126,400 | $105,893 | $163,500 | 89 |
| FY2026 | $124,509 | $107,000 | $183,000 | 45 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median senior Operations Research Analyst salary of $126,236 is worth about $121,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Operations Research Analysts in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $86,500 in May 2025 (3,680 employed). The H-1B median here is $126,236, 46% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger Analytics | $188,000 | 15 |
| Deloitte | $134,155 | 14 |
| PwC | too few | 8 |
| Kforce | too few | 8 |
| EY | too few | 7 |
| Discover Products | too few | 7 |
| ZS Associates | too few | 6 |
| Amazon | too few | 5 |
| Health Care Service | too few | 5 |
| Discover | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $75,000 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,000 | 267 |
| Senior · Level III | $126,236 | 134 |
| Expert · Level IV | $155,000 | 127 |
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 | $66,706 | $75,000 | 111 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,904 | $100,000 | 267 |
| Senior · Level III | $105,893 | $126,236 | 134 |
| Expert · Level IV | $124,301 | $155,000 | 127 |
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.