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). Software Engineer filings in Chicago, IL have a median of $116,251, which is 5% above that national figure.

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

Of 8,326 filings with a recorded DOL wage level, 797 are Level I, 3,756 Level II, 2,083 Level III and 1,690 Level IV, so 45.3% 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 software engineer roles in Chicago?

By certified filing volume, the leading sponsors are Capgemini America Inc (336 filings, median $107,931), Ernst & Young U.S. LLP (318 filings, median $138,190), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (161 filings, median $141,700), Deloitte Consulting LLP (153 filings, median $125,800), Jpmorgan Chase & Co. (118 filings, median $140,000). 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 Software Engineer Salary in Chicago 2026

The median offered wage on certified H-1B filings for software engineer roles in Chicago, IL is $116,251, with a 25th–75th percentile range of $97,760–$140,000. Based on 8,573 certified LCA filings (FY2021–FY2024).

8,573

Certified Filings

$116,251

Median Offered Wage

45.3%

Level III/IV Share

Offered Wage Distribution

25th percentile	$97,760
Median	$116,251
75th percentile	$140,000
Average	$122,608

Offered wages as certified on the LCA. Source: DOL LCA disclosure data, FY2021–FY2024 (8,573 certified filings).

Most Common Certified Job Titles

Job Title (as filed)	Filings	Median
Software Engineer	759	$109,700
Software Developer	655	$99,000
Senior Software Engineer	392	$129,338
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER	181	$99,000

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

Top Sponsoring Employers

Employer	Filings	Median Wage	Level III/IV
Capgemini America Inc	336	$107,931	54.2%
Ernst & Young U.S. LLP	318	$138,190	30.3%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.	161	$141,700	92.9%
Deloitte Consulting LLP	153	$125,800	65.1%
Jpmorgan Chase & Co.	118	$140,000	95.2%
TransUnion LLC	102	$102,690	44.1%

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 software 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	797	9.6%
Level II	3,756	45.1%
Level III	2,083	25%
Level IV	1,690	20.3%

Based on 8,326 filings with a recorded wage level, FY2021–FY2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Facts

Certified Filings: 8,573
Median Wage: $116,251
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, 8,573 certified filings for software 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