Chicago, IL
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H1BIndex City Grade
i
B
FY 2026
2023
A+
2024
A+
2025
A+
City Visa Volume i
1,304
Filings in FY 2026
Median City Pay i
$123,480
Typical yearly salary
True Purchasing Power i
$116,498
Adjusted for Cost of Living
Green Card Rate i
35.40%
Transition to Residency
City Data Overview
An automated review of Chicago's tech ecosystem, salaries, and residency sponsorship.Massive Visa Demand: "B"
Professionals in this city enter a highly active job market. We tracked 1,304 corporate sponsorships, resulting in an H1B Index Rating of "B".
High Remote Work
Working remotely for out-of-state companies is common here. Exactly 60.1% of sponsored workers based in this area work for employers in other states.
Direct Hiring Market
Companies in the area build their own internal talent pools. Because of this, 78.1% of the local workforce avoids outside client work entirely.
High Salary Growth
Gaining experience pays off well in Chicago. Moving from an entry-level job to a senior role multiplies your base pay by 2.2x.
Junior-Level Opportunities
The experience needed for a long-term job in Chicago is just 24 months. This makes it a great market for early-career workers.
Unstable Job Market
Company filings confirm a 11.5% layoff rate among active sponsors. At the same time, 0.2% of new visa applications in the region get rejected.
Layoff Radar & Risk Indicators
US Worker Displacement Alert
Unstable Local Market: Federal data shows a high 11.5% layoff rate among companies hiring foreign talent in Chicago.
Top Companies
The leading companies driving the foreign talent market in Chicago.Ernst & Young U.S. LLP
99 Local Filings
$178,500
+44.6% City Avg
The University Of Chicago
40 Local Filings
$77,844
-37.0% City Avg
Northwestern University
33 Local Filings
$71,532
-42.1% City Avg
University Of Illinois Chicago
26 Local Filings
$95,241
-22.9% City Avg
Deloitte Consulting LLP
26 Local Filings
$160,555
+30.0% City Avg
Cognizant Technology Solutions Us Corp.
22 Local Filings
$107,640
-12.8% City Avg
Grandison Management, Inc.
19 Local Filings
$71,968
-41.7% City Avg
Capgemini America Inc.
16 Local Filings
$132,517
+7.3% City Avg
Hiring & Green Card Data
How companies acquire and retain talent.Talent Origin Pipeline
Fresh Hires (70.1%)Transfers/Poached (29.9%)
Green Card (PERM) Conversion i
35.40% of active filings transition to residency.
Top Startup Employers in Chicago
Here are the most active young companies hiring in Chicago. All these startups are less than five years old and actively support work visas.
Apex Fintech Services LLC
Talent Strategy Standard Hiring
Hiring Focus Senior / Lead Level
Residency High GC Sponsorship
$150,000+21.5% vs City Avg
Citadel Securities Americas Services LLC
Talent Strategy Standard Hiring
Hiring Focus Senior / Lead Level
Residency High GC Sponsorship
$275,000+122.7% vs City Avg
10-Year Salary Trends
Tracking the 10-year salary growth for tech workers in Chicago. Strong Regional Wage Growth: +66.7%. Total average pay baselines inside this localized job hub have expanded steadily over the ten-year window.
Local Permanent Premium: +$3,614. Regional employers pay an average of 3.0% more when transitioning contract workers onto permanent Green Card files.
Most Common Job Titles i
The most frequently sponsored positions.Job Title & Market DataTotal Approvals
4.5% Share
59
2.9% Share
38
1.6% Share
21
1.5% Share
19
1.5% Share
19
O*NET Wage Level Distribution
Experience requirements matched against pay tiers.| Experience Level | Total Filings | Cohort Size | Minimum Base | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (Level I) | 232 | 17.8% | $40,914 | $75,000 |
| Qualified (Level II) | 428 | 32.8% | $50,606 | $108,077 |
| Experienced (Level III) | 282 | 21.6% | $60,000 | $134,500 |
| Fully Competent (Level IV) | 308 | 23.6% | $56,090 | $164,800 |
| Not Disclosed (Blank) | 54 | 4.1% | $49,553 | $119,144 |
Top Local Industries
The top sectors operating in Chicago.| Economic Sector | Total Filings | Market Share | Median Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services | 686 | 52.6% | $118,118 |
| Finance & Insurance | 202 | 15.5% | $145,800 |
| Educational Services | 123 | 9.4% | $77,210 |
| Unspecified / Blank | 109 | 8.4% | $129,427 |
| Information & Tech | 59 | 4.5% | $153,317 |
| Healthcare & Social Assistance | 51 | 3.9% | $84,552 |
| Manufacturing | 49 | 3.8% | $132,434 |
| Retail Trade | 10 | 0.8% | $136,464 |
| Construction | 9 | 0.7% | $150,000 |
| Wholesale Trade | 6 | 0.5% | $99,670 |
Law Firms & Third-Party Work i
Leading legal counsel for visas.Law Firm & Market DataTotal Approvals
12.5% Share
120
11.6% Share
111
10.7% Share
103
5.9% Share
57
4.9% Share
47
Top Third-Party End Clients i
Where consultants are deployed.End Client & Placement DataTotal Approvals
9.1% Share
26
6.7% Share
19
6.7% Share
19
6.3% Share
18
4.9% Share
14
Highest Density Zip Codes i
The most active areas for talent.Zip Code & Hub DemographicsTotal Approvals
27.1% Hub Share
354
10.1% Hub Share
132
8.3% Hub Share
108
7.7% Hub Share
101
6.8% Hub Share
89
Historical Visa Volume
10-Year Labor Condition Application history for Chicago.💡 Click on the legend labels below to filter data.
Historical Green Card Data
10-Year Permanent Residency sponsorship volume.💡 Click on the legend labels below to filter data.
Noticing a difference in dates? Salary metrics reflect real-time DOL filings, while approval metrics rely on finalized USCIS historical data. View timelines
Complete Employer List
A detailed ledger of all employers operating in Chicago.| Local Employer | Total Filings | Market Share | Maximum Salary | Median Salary | Minimum Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 99 | 7.6% | $313,664 | $178,500 | $78,000 |
| The University Of Chicago | 40 | 3.1% | $461,943 | $77,844 | $50,606 |
| Northwestern University | 33 | 2.5% | $150,689 | $71,532 | $56,484 |
| University Of Illinois Chicago | 26 | 2.0% | $500,000 | $95,241 | $60,000 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | 26 | 2.0% | $428,200 | $160,555 | $85,467 |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions Us Corp. | 22 | 1.7% | $132,434 | $107,640 | $82,846 |
| Grandison Management, Inc. | 19 | 1.5% | $71,968 | $71,968 | $71,968 |
| Capgemini America Inc. | 16 | 1.2% | $167,241 | $132,517 | $108,077 |
| Northwestern Memorial Healthcare | 16 | 1.2% | $223,196 | $86,320 | $63,960 |
| Paypal, Inc. | 15 | 1.2% | $190,000 | $150,000 | $111,500 |
| Amazon Web Services, Inc. | 14 | 1.1% | $218,680 | $174,001 | $108,077 |
| Tata Consultancy Services Limited | 13 | 1.0% | $140,400 | $82,846 | $75,150 |
| Jpmorgan Chase & Co. | 13 | 1.0% | $190,080 | $150,500 | $121,000 |
| Machine Intelligence LLC | 11 | 0.8% | $85,467 | $74,277 | $70,179 |
| Cloud Social Technologies LLC | 11 | 0.8% | $85,467 | $85,467 | $74,277 |
| Capital One Services, LLC | 11 | 0.8% | $306,100 | $162,100 | $85,829 |
| Augmented Reality Technologies LLC | 11 | 0.8% | $85,467 | $85,467 | $70,179 |
| Motorola Solutions, Inc. | 10 | 0.8% | $295,600 | $141,472 | $70,512 |
| Akuna Investment Operations LLC | 10 | 0.8% | $400,000 | $151,658 | $133,900 |
| Pricewaterhousecoopers Advisory Services LLC | 9 | 0.7% | $273,000 | $251,000 | $171,000 |
| Transunion LLC | 9 | 0.7% | $200,000 | $113,235 | $74,277 |
| Hexaware Technologies, Inc. | 9 | 0.7% | $190,000 | $104,728 | $76,835 |
| Health Care Service Corporation | 9 | 0.7% | $202,779 | $124,301 | $104,728 |
| Mcdonald'S Corporation | 9 | 0.7% | $274,560 | $163,000 | $142,210 |
| Wipro Limited | 9 | 0.7% | $117,412 | $108,077 | $86,486 |
| Accenture LLP | 9 | 0.7% | $205,600 | $140,300 | $102,400 |
| Infosys Limited | 8 | 0.6% | $148,200 | $95,243 | $82,846 |
| Adyen N.V. | 8 | 0.6% | $220,024 | $108,077 | $108,077 |
| Elevance Health, Inc. | 8 | 0.6% | $194,488 | $146,543 | $119,243 |
| The Northern Trust Company | 8 | 0.6% | $173,326 | $138,442 | $130,707 |
| Rush University Medical Center | 8 | 0.6% | $147,264 | $95,014 | $60,006 |
| Relativity Oda LLC | 8 | 0.6% | $184,558 | $151,658 | $125,000 |
| V-Soft Consulting Group, Inc. | 7 | 0.5% | $131,000 | $109,000 | $99,000 |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children'S Hospital Of Chicago | 7 | 0.5% | $164,736 | $63,960 | $49,553 |
| Compunnel Software Group, Inc. | 7 | 0.5% | $156,900 | $113,500 | $109,500 |
| Salesforce, Inc. | 7 | 0.5% | $287,542 | $240,950 | $160,062 |
| Skilltune Technologies Inc. | 7 | 0.5% | $114,500 | $76,900 | $60,000 |
| University Of Chicago | 6 | 0.5% | $152,500 | $97,024 | $66,000 |
| U.S. Bank National Association | 6 | 0.5% | $161,000 | $108,077 | $108,077 |
| Akuna Capital, LLC | 6 | 0.5% | $206,000 | $139,050 | $65,354 |
| Ibm Corporation | 6 | 0.5% | $300,000 | $115,159 | $99,840 |
| Google LLC | 6 | 0.5% | $208,000 | $170,500 | $124,000 |
| Boston Consulting Group, Inc. | 6 | 0.5% | $252,900 | $190,000 | $100,450 |
| Deloitte Tax LLP | 6 | 0.5% | $205,500 | $98,674 | $76,544 |
| Chicago Public Schools | 6 | 0.5% | $102,387 | $76,711 | $67,415 |
| Here North America, LLC | 5 | 0.4% | $189,046 | $132,434 | $117,844 |
| Artificial Intelligence Staffing LLC | 5 | 0.4% | $85,467 | $85,467 | $71,427 |
| Caterpillar Inc. | 5 | 0.4% | $218,049 | $130,707 | $108,077 |
| A.T. Kearney, Inc. | 5 | 0.4% | $235,000 | $212,000 | $157,000 |
| Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Services, LLC | 5 | 0.4% | $181,840 | $151,050 | $100,400 |
Complete Salary Matrix by Job Title
Salary breakdown across all job titles in this city.| Local Job Title | Total Filings | Salary Variance | Maximum Salary | Median Salary | Minimum Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | 59 | $147,400 | $207,400 | $108,077 | $60,000 |
| Software Developer | 38 | $298,165 | $375,000 | $108,077 | $76,835 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | 21 | $23,516 | $80,000 | $66,252 | $56,484 |
| Occupational Therapist | 19 | Flat Rate | $71,968 | $71,968 | $71,968 |
| Manager | 19 | $132,809 | $235,000 | $171,000 | $102,191 |
| Senior Software Engineer | 13 | $111,947 | $220,024 | $153,317 | $108,077 |
| Research Assistant Professor | 12 | $261,040 | $325,000 | $96,000 | $63,960 |
| Data Engineer | 12 | $114,500 | $200,000 | $110,788 | $85,500 |
| Data Scientist | 11 | $129,958 | $208,000 | $119,558 | $78,042 |
| Consultant | 11 | $139,943 | $225,410 | $130,707 | $85,467 |
| Research Associate | 11 | $61,514 | $117,998 | $72,761 | $56,484 |
| Applications Consultant 3 | 8 | $36,534 | $167,241 | $131,654 | $130,707 |
| Assistant Professor | 8 | $300,000 | $410,000 | $160,000 | $110,000 |
| Manager Jc50 - Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 8 | Flat Rate | $107,640 | $107,640 | $107,640 |
| Computer Programmer | 8 | $109,000 | $170,000 | $76,868 | $61,000 |
| Medical Laboratory Scientist | 8 | $25,978 | $95,658 | $74,256 | $69,680 |
| Director | 7 | $148,000 | $273,000 | $260,000 | $125,000 |
| Sr. Software Engineer | 7 | $173,533 | $259,000 | $130,707 | $85,467 |
| Research Scientist | 7 | $103,274 | $163,280 | $84,048 | $60,006 |
| Data Analyst | 7 | $28,144 | $96,930 | $74,277 | $68,786 |
| Senior Manager | 6 | $132,544 | $251,000 | $173,326 | $118,456 |
| Senior Data Scientist | 6 | $64,898 | $170,000 | $152,500 | $105,102 |
| Specialist Master | 6 | $40,983 | $194,300 | $156,936 | $153,317 |
| Trader | 6 | $166,100 | $300,000 | $149,350 | $133,900 |
| Associate | 6 | $248,848 | $310,000 | $123,500 | $61,152 |
| Architect | 6 | $64,542 | $140,400 | $82,846 | $75,858 |
| Sr. Software Developer | 5 | $44,635 | $130,102 | $85,467 | $85,467 |
| Software Engineer Iii | 5 | $86,000 | $206,000 | $136,464 | $120,000 |
| Senior Product Manager | 5 | $55,000 | $155,000 | $125,000 | $100,000 |
| Senior Manager, Software Engineering | 5 | $144,000 | $306,100 | $204,900 | $162,100 |
| Network Engineer | 5 | $103,666 | $155,000 | $82,846 | $51,334 |
| Lead Software Engineer | 5 | $130,375 | $270,375 | $156,000 | $140,000 |
| Devops Engineer | 5 | $76,000 | $146,000 | $108,077 | $70,000 |
| Financial Analyst | 5 | $85,114 | $156,000 | $93,933 | $70,886 |
| Business Analyst | 5 | $24,723 | $99,000 | $82,846 | $74,277 |
| Senior Data Analyst | 5 | $74,171 | $160,000 | $99,100 | $85,829 |
| Senior Consultant, Strategic Services | 4 | $40,072 | $137,000 | $116,964 | $96,928 |
| Senior Associate | 4 | $57,000 | $182,000 | $142,500 | $125,000 |
| Product Manager | 4 | $108,000 | $208,000 | $127,439 | $100,000 |
| Mgr. Jc50 - Software Quality Assurance Analysts And Testers | 4 | Flat Rate | $104,728 | $104,728 | $104,728 |
| Project Manager | 4 | $27,790 | $105,000 | $80,028 | $77,210 |
| Project Engineer | 4 | $38,500 | $115,000 | $93,705 | $76,500 |
| Financial And Investment Analysts - Kbgfjg71292-20 | 4 | Flat Rate | $263,000 | $263,000 | $263,000 |
| Data Engineering Analyst | 4 | $31,500 | $196,500 | $180,750 | $165,000 |
| Vice President, Lead Software Engineer | 4 | $16,000 | $166,500 | $158,650 | $150,500 |
| Technology Consultant 2 | 4 | $15,938 | $98,784 | $82,846 | $82,846 |
| Tax Senior | 4 | $33,456 | $110,000 | $83,272 | $76,544 |
| Associate, Software Engineer Iii | 4 | $5,900 | $137,000 | $134,500 | $131,100 |
| Senior Software Developer | 4 | $58,323 | $166,400 | $119,392 | $108,077 |
| Data Scientist (Analytics Engineer) | 4 | $21 | $170,747 | $170,726 | $170,726 |
Historical Compensation Averages
Year-over-year salary data comparing historical averages.| Fiscal Year | YoY Growth | Maximum | Median | Average | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | In Progress | $600,000 | $120,000 | $124,476 | $45,760 |
| 2025 | +5.8% | $800,000 | $110,000 | $117,788 | $33,280 |
| 2024 | +1.3% | $800,000 | $104,000 | $113,980 | $33,280 |
| 2023 | +2.7% | $600,000 | $102,690 | $112,454 | $39,520 |
| 2022 | +5.3% | $450,000 | $100,000 | $108,747 | $31,200 |
| 2021 | +5.6% | $764,528 | $95,000 | $101,765 | $31,200 |
| 2020 | +7.1% | $680,000 | $89,981 | $96,305 | $18,720 |
| 2019 | +0.8% | $365,000 | $84,000 | $89,243 | $31,200 |
| 2018 | +11.2% | $710,000 | $83,366 | $85,921 | $27,040 |
| 2017 | +4.2% | $800,000 | $75,000 | $81,856 | $20,800 |
| 2016 | - | $450,000 | $72,000 | $78,558 | $22,880 |
Recent Visa Applications (FY 2026)
Raw, unedited federal disclosures showing individual labor applications filed in this city.City Specific Intelligence (FAQ)
Common questions and insights about Chicago.How much is the state income tax in Chicago, IL?
In Chicago, state taxes sit around 4.9%. You should expect an estimated $6,051 to be withheld for state taxes annually.
What company hires the most international workers in Chicago?
Currently, Ernst & Young U.S. LLP drives the local employment market, generating 99 approved work visas in Chicago.
What is a standard salary for sponsored jobs in Chicago?
The median base pay in Chicago is $123,480, while specialized roles often push past $159,067.
What is the actual spending power of a professional in Chicago?
Based on local economic factors, standard compensation in Chicago gives you an actual spending power of roughly $116,498.