Entry-level Sales Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 20 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Naperville, Lisle, Bolingbrook, Schaumburg, Aurora.
Also listed as: Solutions Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,880 |
| 25th | $77,028 |
| 50th (median) | $80,000 |
| 75th | $90,000 |
| 90th | $111,119 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2021 | $70,000 | $62,026 | $78,025 | 11 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2024 | $76,750 | $74,880 | $91,500 | 14 |
| FY2025 | $80,000 | $75,680 | $90,000 | 15 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 5 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median entry-level Sales Engineer salary of $80,000 is worth about $77,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Sales Engineers in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $104,070 in May 2025 (790 employed). The H-1B median here is $80,000, 23% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| E80 Group | too few | 3 |
| Autotech Technologies | 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 | $80,000 | 20 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $104,037 | 53 |
| Senior · Level III | $129,427 | 37 |
| Expert · Level IV | $145,300 | 90 |
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 | $74,880 | $80,000 | 20 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,578 | $104,037 | 53 |
| Senior · Level III | $110,427 | $129,427 | 37 |
| Expert · Level IV | $126,298 | $145,300 | 90 |
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.