Salary distribution
Where Illinois computer and information research scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $80,310 and $165,350, with a median of $135,120.
Computer and Information Research Scientists in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 106 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $122,575. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 16 | $76,627 |
| Level II — qualified | 32 | $105,123 |
| Level III — experienced | 23 | $135,197 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 21 | $168,500 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Computer and Information Research Scientists in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| UChicago Argonne, LLC | Assistant Computational Scientist | 10 | $90,063 |
| UChicago Argonne LLC | Postdoctoral Appointee | 10 | $90,063 |
| University of Illinois | Research Scientist | 7 | $86,700 |
| Fermi Forward Discovery Group, LLC | Senior Computing Services Specialist | 6 | $97,403 |
| MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC | Advisory Researcher, Algorithm | 5 | $105,123 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Research Scientist III | 4 | $171,500 |
| Epsilon Data Management LLC | Sr Staff Research Scientist, Decision Sciences | 4 | $157,919 |
| W.W. Grainger, Inc. | Manager, Applied Machine Learning Scientist | 3 | $161,850 |
| The University of Chicago | Computational Scientist Climate | 3 | $95,000 |
| NVIDIA Corporation | Research Scientist | 3 | $224,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- AI Engineer, Principal at Gainwell Technologies LLC$166,296ChicagoDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-494732
- Director Data Science at Elevance Health, Inc.$194,488ChicagoDecided Dec 17, 2025I-200-25345-474224
- Assistant Computer Scientist at UChicago Argonne, LLC$94,486LemontDecided Dec 16, 2025I-200-25343-469592
- Research Software Engineer at University of Illinois$96,673UrbanaDecided Dec 9, 2025I-200-25336-449595
- Specialist, Research Software Engineering at UChicago Argonne, LLC$90,063LemontDecided Dec 1, 2025I-200-25325-429171
- Senior Research Scientist at IBM Corporation$300,000ChicagoDecided Nov 26, 2025I-200-25323-421973
- Predoctoral Appointee at UChicago Argonne, LLC$60,965LemontDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25307-361664
- Assistant Computer Scientist at UChicago Argonne, LLC$90,063LemontDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25307-361336
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Computer and Information Research Scientists pay by experience level in Illinois
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Computer and Information Research Scientists specialties in Illinois
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 46 certified offers. The most common variant is Research Scientist at a median of $178,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Scientist | NVIDIA Corporation | 11 | $178,000 |
| Assistant Computational Scientist | UChicago Argonne, LLC | 6 | $90,063 |
| Assistant Computer Scientist | UChicago Argonne, LLC | 5 | $90,063 |
| Data Scientist | Reveal Data Corporation | 5 | $122,700 |
| Postdoctoral Appointee | UChicago Argonne LLC | 4 | $70,758 |
| Staff Researcher, Algorithm | MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC | 3 | $105,123 |
| Manager, Data Science | Teladoc Health Inc. | 3 | $194,272 |
| STAFF MACHINE LEARNING SCIENTIST | VELOCITYEHS INC | 3 | $182,875 |
| Applied Scientist | Amazon.com Services LLC | 3 | $172,300 |
| Applied Sciences | Microsoft Corporation | 3 | $162,615 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Computer and Information Research Scientists in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 103 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $90,063.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | UChicago Argonne, LLC | 31 | $90,063 |
| Technology and software | Epsilon Data Management LLC | 29 | $158,000 |
| Education | University of Illinois | 15 | $95,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Milliman, Inc. | 10 | $175,084 |
| Manufacturing | MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC | 10 | $128,190 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 6 | $178,000 |
| Healthcare | Teladoc Health Inc. | 1 | $128,190 |
| Energy and utilities | RWE Trading Americas Inc. | 1 | $205,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Illinois over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.6 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Inductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Deductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Judgment and Decision Making
Technical
- 4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software.
- 02
Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting principles for applying computers to new uses.
- 03
Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals.
- 04
Maintain network hardware and software, direct network security measures, and monitor networks to ensure availability to system users.
- 05
Meet with managers, vendors, and others to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- 06
Design computers and the software that runs them.
- 07
Conduct logical analyses of business, scientific, engineering, and other technical problems, formulating mathematical models of problems for solution by computers.
- 08
Evaluate project plans and proposals to assess feasibility issues.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+19.9%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for computer and information research scientists in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$135,120
Compare Computer and Information Research Scientists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Computer and Information Research Scientists in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Computer and Information Research Scientists in Illinois is $135,120.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Computer and Information Research Scientists?
- The Illinois median is -6.9% versus the BLS national figure of $145,146.
- What is the salary range for Computer and Information Research Scientists in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $47,810 and the 90th-percentile at $210,040, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Computer and Information Research Scientists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 19.9% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Computer and Information Research Scientists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Master's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.