Expert QA Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 218 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Schaumburg, Naperville, Deerfield, Aurora, Lisle.
Also listed as: Software Tester, Test Automation Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $116,085 |
| 25th | $121,389 |
| 50th (median) | $125,074 |
| 75th | $139,979 |
| 90th | $152,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $115,000 | $113,630 | $115,378 | 17 |
| FY2021 | $115,400 | $115,378 | $121,389 | 17 |
| FY2022 | $115,679 | $114,899 | $125,334 | 58 |
| FY2023 | $120,000 | $110,000 | $130,000 | 92 |
| FY2024 | $122,016 | $115,461 | $140,000 | 83 |
| FY2025 | $123,793 | $116,085 | $138,750 | 118 |
| FY2026 | $126,308 | $121,389 | $140,000 | 100 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median expert QA Engineer salary of $125,074 is worth about $120,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $105,580 in May 2025 (5,010 employed). The H-1B median here is $125,074, 18% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $121,389 | 19 |
| Chicago Mercantile Exchange | $121,389 | 11 |
| Medline Industries | $128,125 | 10 |
| LexisNexis Risk Solutions FL | too few | 6 |
| Zebra Technologies | too few | 6 |
| Zurich American Insurance Company | too few | 6 |
| Charles Schwab & Company | too few | 5 |
| Nokia of America | too few | 5 |
| CCC Intelligent Solutions | too few | 4 |
| Foot Locker Corporate Services | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $71,427 | 102 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $88,088 | 584 |
| Senior · Level III | $104,728 | 291 |
| Expert · Level IV | $125,074 | 218 |
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 | $71,427 | $71,427 | 102 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $82,368 | $88,088 | 584 |
| Senior · Level III | $104,728 | $104,728 | 291 |
| Expert · Level IV | $121,389 | $125,074 | 218 |
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.