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 Scientist filings in Chicago, IL have a median of $115,710, which is 4% above that national figure.

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

Of 1,039 filings with a recorded DOL wage level, 169 are Level I, 403 Level II, 215 Level III and 252 Level IV, so 44.9% 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 scientist roles in Chicago?

By certified filing volume, the leading sponsors are The University of Chicago (37 filings, median $82,800), Caremark LLC (27 filings, median $137,457), Elevance Health, Inc. (25 filings, median $122,470), Health Care Service Corporation (24 filings, median $111,415), Capital One, National Association (21 filings, median $93,974). 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 Scientist Salary in Chicago 2026

The median offered wage on certified H-1B filings for data scientist roles in Chicago, IL is $115,710, with a 25th–75th percentile range of $89,690–$141,147. Based on 1,056 certified LCA filings (FY2021–FY2024).

1,056

Certified Filings

$115,710

Median Offered Wage

44.9%

Level III/IV Share

Offered Wage Distribution

25th percentile	$89,690
Median	$115,710
75th percentile	$141,147
Average	$120,198

Offered wages as certified on the LCA. Source: DOL LCA disclosure data, FY2021–FY2024 (1,056 certified filings).

Most Common Certified Job Titles

Job Title (as filed)	Filings	Median
Data Scientist	159	$102,500
Senior Data Scientist	76	$133,512
Data Scientist II	35	$135,000
Data Engineer	33	$93,974
Data Analyst	29	$76,960
Lead Data Scientist	23	$140,000

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

Top Sponsoring Employers

Employer	Filings	Median Wage	Level III/IV
The University of Chicago	37	$82,800	32.4%
Caremark LLC	27	$137,457	92.6%
Elevance Health, Inc.	25	$122,470	56%
Health Care Service Corporation	24	$111,415	79.2%
Capital One, National Association	21	$93,974	42.9%
United Airlines, Inc.	19	$117,410	10.5%

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 scientist 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	169	16.3%
Level II	403	38.8%
Level III	215	20.7%
Level IV	252	24.3%

Based on 1,039 filings with a recorded wage level, FY2021–FY2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Facts

Certified Filings: 1,056
Median Wage: $115,710
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, 1,056 certified filings for data scientist 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