Software Developer (Non-R&D) salary in Chicago, IL

Based on 48 certified H-1B filings in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Batavia, Dekalb, Oakbrook Terrace.

Median salary$89,336

Middle 50%$79.3k–$114.1k

vs. national median−22%comparison median $115,000

Filings48FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

National median

$60k$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k$120k$130k$140k

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $74,152 and $161,212.

Median salary

Filings per year

Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.

Show as table

Fiscal year	Median	P25	P75	Filings
FY2020	$78,104	$70,402	$93,015	23
FY2021	$89,346	$79,395	$108,323	26
FY2022	$93,267	$77,693	$104,291	32
FY2023	$93,267	$86,761	$108,243	27
FY2024	$86,445	$84,906	$112,299	24
FY2025	$89,336	$88,525	$117,291	30
FY2026	$88,015	$79,303	$94,606	18

Chicago's median Software Developer (Non-R&D) salary of $89,336 is worth about $86,200 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).

Employer	Median	Filings
Fermi Forward Discovery Group	$88,660	28
The University of Chicago	too few	7
DePaul University	too few	5
Northern Illinois University	too few	3
Rush University Medical Center	too few	2
University of Illinois Chicago	too few	2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Wage level	Prevailing wage (most common)	Median offered salary	Filings
Entry-level · Level I	$74,152	$79,300	16
Mid-level · Level II	$88,525	$89,336	22

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.