How does Chicago compare to the national H-1B median?

The national median offered wage across all certified H-1B LCAs is $111,197 (1,656,589 filings). Data Engineer filings in Chicago, IL have a median of $123,042, which is 11% above that national figure.

What DOL wage levels do data engineer filings in Chicago use?

Of 507 filings with a recorded DOL wage level, 52 are Level I, 203 Level II, 95 Level III and 157 Level IV, so 49.7% are certified at Level III or IV. DOL wage levels I–IV reflect the experience and complexity of the role as certified with the Department of Labor. They are not the same thing as an employer's internal engineering levels, which are unrelated and do not appear in LCA data.

Which employers sponsor H-1B data engineer roles in Chicago?

By certified filing volume, the leading sponsors are Continental Casualty Company (18 filings, median $145,293), Expedia, Inc. (15 filings, median $106,558), Tredence Inc. (14 filings, median $162,500), Synchrony Bank (12 filings, median $107,125), Amazon.com Services LLC (11 filings, median $133,000). Counts cover FY2021–FY2024.

Does a higher DOL wage level improve H-1B lottery odds?

Since February 27, 2026, USCIS weights the H-1B lottery by DOL wage level, Level IV registrations get 4 entries, Level III get 3, Level II get 2, and Level I get 1, so an offer certified at a higher wage level also improves selection odds under the current system.

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H-1B Data Engineer Salary in Chicago 2026

The median offered wage on certified H-1B filings for data engineer roles in Chicago, IL is $123,042, with a 25th–75th percentile range of $96,935–$150,000. Based on 512 certified LCA filings (FY2021–FY2024).

512

Certified Filings

$123,042

Median Offered Wage

49.7%

Level III/IV Share

Offered Wage Distribution

25th percentile	$96,935
Median	$123,042
75th percentile	$150,000
Average	$125,285

Offered wages as certified on the LCA. Source: DOL LCA disclosure data, FY2021–FY2024 (512 certified filings).

Most Common Certified Job Titles

Job Title (as filed)	Filings	Median
Data Engineer	157	$102,690
Senior Data Engineer	78	$145,000
Lead Data Engineer	14	$150,000
Principal Data Engineer	12	$168,329
DATA ENGINEER	12	$90,698
Data Engineer II	10	$130,455

Job titles exactly as certified on the LCA, ranked by filing volume.

Top Sponsoring Employers

Employer	Filings	Median Wage	Level III/IV
Continental Casualty Company	18	$145,293	93.8%
Expedia, Inc.	15	$106,558	46.7%
Tredence Inc.	14	$162,500	85.7%
Synchrony Bank	12	$107,125	50%
Amazon.com Services LLC	11	$133,000	27.3%
Northwestern Memorial HealthCare	11	$114,421	100%

Employers with at least 5 certified filings for this role and city, FY2021–FY2024.

DOL Wage Level Distribution

Every certified LCA records a DOL prevailing wage level from I to IV, reflecting the experience and complexity of the role. The table below shows how many data engineer filings in Chicago were certified at each level, real filing counts, not estimated wages per level. DOL wage levels are a Department of Labor classification and are unrelated to an employer's internal engineering levels.

DOL Wage Level	Certified Filings	Share
Level I	52	10.3%
Level II	203	40%
Level III	95	18.7%
Level IV	157	31%

Based on 507 filings with a recorded wage level, FY2021–FY2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Facts

Certified Filings: 512
Median Wage: $123,042
National Median: $111,197
Data Vintage: FY2021–FY2024

Related H-1B Salary Pages

Methodology

Figures on this page are computed directly from certified Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) in US Department of Labor disclosure data, 512 certified filings for data engineer roles in Chicago, IL (FY2021–FY2024). Wages shown are offered wages as certified on the LCA, not DOL prevailing-wage floors. Percentiles are computed across individual filings; no figures are modeled or estimated.

DOL LCA Disclosure Data