Mid-level Validation Engineer salary in Chicago, IL

Based on 35 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Schaumburg, Wood Dale, Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, Woodridge.

Median salary$95,410
Middle 50%$93.1k–$106.4k
vs. all levels here+0%comparison median $95,410
Filings35FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $89,184 and $132,586.
PercentileSalary
10th$92,643
25th$93,079
50th (median)$95,410
75th$106,401
90th$119,756

Salary by year

Median salary

$60k $85k $110k FY2020: median $75,000 (57 filings) FY2021: median $76,960 (77 filings) FY2022: median $82,000 (67 filings) FY2023: median $90,000 (13 filings) FY2024: median $94,000 (29 filings) FY2025: median $95,000 (23 filings) FY2026: median $95,410 (12 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 57 filings FY20 FY2021: 77 filings FY21 FY2022: 67 filings FY22 FY2023: 13 filings FY23 FY2024: 29 filings FY24 FY2025: 23 filings FY25 FY2026: 12 filings FY26 77
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 yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$75,000$74,256$82,00057
FY2021$76,960$75,899$81,00077
FY2022$82,000$78,936$90,20767
FY2023$90,000$85,280$105,00013
FY2024$94,000$86,500$105,00029
FY2025$95,000$92,850$106,40123
FY2026$95,410$95,410$99,50012

Cost of living

Chicago's median mid-level Validation Engineer salary of $95,410 is worth about $92,100 at national average prices.

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

Compared with all workers here

All Validation Engineers in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $121,910 in May 2025 (1,570 employed). The H-1B median here is $95,410, 22% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
Gamma Technologiestoo few2
Streamline Engineeringtoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $80,000 53
Mid-level · Level II $95,410 35
Senior · Level III $120,750 11
Expert · Level IV $143,384 18

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$71,968$80,00053
Mid-level · Level II$92,643$95,41035
Senior · Level III$115,981$120,75011
Expert · Level IV$133,973$143,38418

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.