QA Engineer salary in Chicago 2026
QA Engineer salary in Chicago, IL — median (P50) $135,850 base from a US market band (thin LCA cell). P25 $102,960 is a typical floor; P90 $199,113 is the top of this cell. Not total compensation.
| P25 | Median (P50) | P75 | P90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $102,960 | $135,850 | $168,740 | $199,113 |
What P25, P50, P75 and P90 mean for QA Engineer in Chicago
P50 is the median QA Engineer salary in Chicago in this cell. Half of sample bases sit at or below $135,850.
P25 ($102,960) is a realistic floor for early-career or Level I LCA wages. P75 ($168,740) is a common negotiation target. P90 ($199,113) is the upper tail — not a typical offer.
Take-home vs QA Engineer base in IL
These figures are pre-tax base. Federal, FICA and IL wage tax change the check. Run the paycheck calculator for IL before you accept a cut versus a remote offer.
QA Engineer H-1B wages and nearby cities
No Certified LCA rows for QA Engineer in Chicago in this mock — the band is a US market estimate so the URL is still useful.
Same title in other metros: Seattle median $150,670; Austin median $84,800; New York median $163,020; Boston median $148,200; San Francisco median $170,430; Los Angeles median $145,730; Dallas median $82,400.
H-1B sponsors →QA Engineer in Seattle →QA Engineer in Austin →QA Engineer in New York →QA Engineer in Boston →QA Engineer in San Francisco →Software Engineer in Chicago →Data Scientist in Chicago →Product Manager in Chicago →DevOps Engineer in Chicago →
Frequently asked questions
What is the median QA Engineer salary in Chicago?
P50 is $135,850 base per year (a US market band (thin LCA cell)).
What is a typical QA Engineer salary range in Chicago?
P25–P75 is $102,960–$168,740. P90 is $199,113.
Is this total compensation?
No. Base only. Equity and bonus are omitted.
Is this BLS or Levels.fyi?
No. Mock Certified LCA plus a market estimate when the cell is empty.
Can H-1B offers be below P25?
Yes, if prevailing wage and level allow it. Compare the LCA city on /h1b-sponsors.
Should I take a lower QA Engineer offer in Chicago?
Model after-tax pay. Cost of housing in Chicago is not in this table.
QA Engineer jobs in Chicago
WhatJobs listings for this page — tap through to apply on the employer site.
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Lead Site Reliability Engineer
$128,470
Caterpillar Inc · Chicago
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Maintenance & Test Engineering Manager
$112,669 – $193,147
Siemens · Chicago
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Lead Software Engineer
$152,828
Comcast Technology Solutions · Chicago
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Sr. Site Reliability Engineer
$118,000 – $152,000
Early Warning · Scottsdale
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Staff Site Reliability Engineer
$235,000 – $275,000
Filevine · New York
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Principal Data Engineer
$97,000 – $189,000
CNA Insurance · Chicago
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