Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 129 certified H-1B filings in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Lemont, Evanston, Batavia, Lake Forest, Lombard.
Also listed as: Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $72,879 |
| 25th | $90,064 |
| 50th (median) | $122,450 |
| 75th | $166,296 |
| 90th | $194,315 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $103,500 | $95,306 | $128,000 | 81 |
| FY2021 | $119,635 | $100,963 | $137,000 | 65 |
| FY2022 | $114,737 | $100,963 | $138,570 | 73 |
| FY2023 | $121,909 | $104,229 | $144,914 | 61 |
| FY2024 | $110,000 | $91,228 | $154,838 | 70 |
| FY2025 | $122,575 | $97,402 | $165,000 | 82 |
| FY2026 | $105,200 | $85,202 | $168,308 | 47 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median Research Scientist (Computer Science) salary of $122,450 is worth about $118,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer and Information Research Scientists in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $135,630 in May 2025 (490 employed). The H-1B median here is $122,450, 10% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| UChicago Argonne | $90,063 | 31 |
| Amazon | too few | 9 |
| Fermi Forward Discovery Group | too few | 6 |
| Epsilon Data Management | too few | 5 |
| Motorola Mobility | too few | 5 |
| The University of Chicago | too few | 4 |
| W.W. Grainger | too few | 4 |
| Northwestern University | too few | 3 |
| AbbVie | too few | 2 |
| Algorithmic Research Group | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $72,879 | 26 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $105,123 | 45 |
| Senior · Level III | $141,000 | 31 |
| Expert · Level IV | $170,320 | 27 |
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 | $59,634 | $72,879 | 26 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $79,934 | $105,123 | 45 |
| Senior · Level III | $122,450 | $141,000 | 31 |
| Expert · Level IV | $139,797 | $170,320 | 27 |
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.