What is the average Software Engineer salary in Chicago, IL?
Software Engineers in Chicago earn a median of $140,200 per year — about 6% above the national average. Pay ranges from $100,900 (25th percentile) to $217,300 (90th percentile).
Software Engineer salary by experience level
How Chicago pay compares
Cost-of-living adjusted is the Chicago salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.
5-year salary trend
Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 4.3%.
Software Engineer job market in Chicago
Chicago's economy is anchored by finance, manufacturing, and a growing tech scene. Salaries are competitive without the coastal cost of living.
An estimated 9,400 software engineers work in the Chicago metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:
- Write and review code
- Design system architecture
- Debug production issues
- Collaborate with product and design
- Run code reviews
Related job salaries in Chicago
Software Engineer salary in other cities
FAQ
How much does a Software Engineer make in Chicago, IL?+
Software Engineers in Chicago earn a median of $140,200 per year — about 6% above the national average of $132,270.
What's the entry-level Software Engineer salary in Chicago?+
Entry-level Software Engineers in Chicago typically earn around $91,100 per year. Salaries scale to about $203,300 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.
Is $140,200 a good Software Engineer salary in Chicago?+
$140,200 is the median, meaning half of Software Engineers in Chicago earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 107, that's roughly $131,000 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.
How fast is Software Engineer pay growing in Chicago?+
Software Engineer salaries in Chicago grew about 4.3% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +25%.
Where do Software Engineers in Chicago get paid the most?+
The 90th percentile Software Engineer salary in Chicago is around $217,300. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.
Are you being paid fairly in Chicago?
Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the Chicago median.
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