Mid-level QA Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 584 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $82,368 |
| 25th | $82,368 |
| 50th (median) | $88,088 |
| 75th | $90,000 |
| 90th | $106,455 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $77,438 | $77,438 | $80,000 | 341 |
| FY2021 | $75,754 | $75,754 | $83,360 | 197 |
| FY2022 | $76,045 | $76,045 | $85,000 | 303 |
| FY2023 | $80,018 | $78,957 | $85,000 | 303 |
| FY2024 | $82,300 | $82,202 | $87,750 | 358 |
| FY2025 | $82,368 | $82,368 | $89,000 | 382 |
| FY2026 | $88,088 | $88,088 | $91,375 | 202 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median mid-level QA Engineer salary of $88,088 is worth about $85,000 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 $88,088, 17% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $82,368 | 72 |
| Capgemini America | $96,311 | 24 |
| Slk America | $82,368 | 20 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $82,368 | 16 |
| Cigniti Technologies | $82,368 | 15 |
| Ibase Operations | $82,368 | 14 |
| Infosys | too few | 9 |
| Wipro | too few | 9 |
| GlobalLogic | too few | 9 |
| UST | too few | 8 |
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.