Senior Systems Engineer salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 25 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oak Brook, Naperville, Lisle, Rosemont, Wood Dale.
Median salary$123,000
Middle 50%$107.6k–$140.5k
vs. all levels here+23%comparison median $100,000
Filings25FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$80k$90k$100k$110k$120k$130k$140k$150k$160k$170k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $99,320 |
| 25th | $107,640 |
| 50th (median) | $123,000 |
| 75th | $140,527 |
| 90th | $155,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $97,141 | $96,325 | $109,678 | 22 |
| FY2021 | $104,624 | $100,474 | $108,466 | 11 |
| FY2022 | $107,931 | $96,000 | $121,028 | 20 |
| FY2023 | $104,000 | $100,880 | $117,500 | 11 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2026 | $111,500 | $107,640 | $130,780 | 16 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median senior Systems Engineer salary of $123,000 is worth about $118,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| CNH Industrial America | too few | 2 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 2 |
| Northwestern Memorial HealthCare | too few | 2 |
| Only It Consulting | too few | 2 |
| Polar Operations | 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 | $85,467 | 15 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $97,406 | 45 |
| Senior · Level III | $123,000 | 25 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.