Software Engineer salary in Chicago 2026
Software Engineer salary in Chicago, IL — median (P50) $116,600 base from 2 Certified LCA rows. P25 $95,612 is a typical floor; P90 $153,912 is the top of this cell. Not total compensation.
| P25 | Median (P50) | P75 | P90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $95,612 | $116,600 | $137,588 | $153,912 |
What P25, P50, P75 and P90 mean for Software Engineer in Chicago
P50 is the median Software Engineer salary in Chicago in this cell. Half of sample bases sit at or below $116,600.
P25 ($95,612) is a realistic floor for early-career or Level I LCA wages. P75 ($137,588) is a common negotiation target. P90 ($153,912) is the upper tail — not a typical offer.
Take-home vs Software 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.
Software Engineer H-1B wages and nearby cities
This cell uses 2 Certified LCA rows for Software Engineer in Chicago. Thin cells blend a US market estimate so every role×city URL still has a number.
Same title in other metros: Seattle median $160,200; Austin median $144,600; New York median $169,700; Boston median $149,600; San Francisco median $184,500; Los Angeles median $112,400; Dallas median $93,600.
H-1B sponsors →Software Engineer in Seattle →Software Engineer in Austin →Software Engineer in New York →Software Engineer in Boston →Software Engineer in San Francisco →Data Scientist in Chicago →Product Manager in Chicago →DevOps Engineer in Chicago →Cloud Architect in Chicago →
Frequently asked questions
What is the median Software Engineer salary in Chicago?
P50 is $116,600 base per year (2 Certified LCA rows).
What is a typical Software Engineer salary range in Chicago?
P25–P75 is $95,612–$137,588. P90 is $153,912.
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 Software Engineer offer in Chicago?
Model after-tax pay. Cost of housing in Chicago is not in this table.
Software Engineer jobs in Chicago
WhatJobs listings for this page — tap through to apply on the employer site.
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Specialist Software Engineer
$97,000 – $180,000
L3Harris Technologies · Northampton
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Sr. Software Engineer
The target salary range for this position is $220,000-265,000
NetApp · San Jose
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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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