Chicago is a top-5 H1B metro with 22,000 FY2024 filings, dominated by finance tech, consulting, and enterprise software. The median H1B SWE wage is $155,000 -- 29% above the national median. Illinois has a flat 4.95% state income tax and Chicago's cost of living is 35% below San Francisco.
| Role | Median |
|---|---|
| SWE L3 | $128,000 |
| Senior SWE L4 | $168,000 |
| Staff SWE L5 | $205,000 |
| ML Engineer L4 | $172,000 |
| SWE Manager | $195,000 |
Source: DOL LCA disclosures, FY2024.
| Employer | Median Wage |
|---|---|
| Accenture Chicago | $142,000 |
| Morningstar | $158,000 |
| Braintree / PayPal | $165,000 |
| McDonald's Tech | $148,000 |
| United Airlines Tech | $138,000 |
| Citadel | $195,000 |