Data Scientists in Illinois. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median wage for Data Scientists in Illinois was $113,490 in 2024, about 2% below the national median of $115,636. That gap is narrow enough that Illinois effectively tracks the national figure, and cost of living makes it closer still. The state's overall price index sits at 99.5, nearly dollar-for-dollar with the national baseline, so the nominal gap does not widen once you account for what the money buys.
The spread between earners tells a more interesting story. A Data Scientist at the 10th percentile earned $65,420. One at the 90th earned $172,220, more than 2.6 times as much. The 25th to 75th range runs from $82,010 to $147,130, a $65,000 gap concentrated in the middle of the distribution. That kind of spread usually reflects real differences in seniority and the complexity of the work, not just employer size or industry.
Illinois employed 7,390 Data Scientists in 2024, one of the larger state totals outside the coastal tech hubs, driven in part by Chicago's financial services and healthcare sectors.
BLS projects employment in this occupation to grow 33.5% between 2024 and 2034, a rate it classifies as much faster than average. The average wage was $119,010, about $5,500 above the median. A smaller group of senior earners pull the average up, which is consistent with the wide top end of the pay range.
Salary distribution
Where Illinois data scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $84,610 and $137,290, with a median of $106,560.
Data Scientists in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,995 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $113,422. 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 | 377 | $75,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 743 | $96,928 |
| Level III — experienced | 374 | $130,300 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 399 | $150,500 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Data Scientists in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings. Click a company for its full H-1B salary breakdown.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover Products Inc | Lead Data Science Analyst | 80 | $119,259 |
| Capital One, National Association | Lead Data Science Analyst | 45 | $138,715 |
| PayPal, Inc. | Data Scientist | 39 | $150,000 |
| Medline Industries, LP. | Sr. Analyst Business Systems IT | 38 | $134,500 |
| TheMathCompany, Inc. | Senior Associate | 33 | $148,000 |
| Google LLC | Business & Marketing Data Scientist | 29 | $155,000 |
| Discover Products Inc. | Lead Data Science Analyst | 26 | $105,500 |
| Caterpillar Inc. | Data Scientist | 25 | $96,928 |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Associate, Quant Analytics Associate Sr | 23 | $135,000 |
| DFS Corporate Services LLC | Data Engineer | 21 | $96,034 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Lead Data Scientist at TransUnion LLC$142,210ChicagoWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728929
- Data Scientist at Molina Healthcare, Inc.$119,558ChicagoWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-728106
- Sr. Data Scientist at HERE North America, LLC$142,210ChicagoWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-729712
- Business Analyst at CT Mechanical, LLC$110,000AddisonDecided —I-200-26084-730046
- Senior Data Analyst at Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc.$111,075ChicagoWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728730
- Senior Business Systems Analyst at CIBC Bank USA$119,250ChicagoWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728691
- Senior Business Systems Analyst at CIBC Bank USA$119,250ChicagoWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728694
- Senior Quantitative Risk Analyst at GENEVA TRADING USA LLC$150,000ChicagoWage Level IVDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-724970
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.
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Data 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.
Data Scientists specialties in Illinois
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 1,113 certified offers. The most common variant is Data Scientist at a median of $119,779.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | PayPal, Inc. | 296 | $119,779 |
| Data Analyst | MACHINE INTELLIGENCE LLC | 162 | $93,974 |
| Data Engineer | DFS Corporate Services LLC | 144 | $96,928 |
| Business Analyst | Zion Cloud Solutions LLC | 118 | $94,000 |
| Manager, Data Science | Caremark LLC | 89 | $152,487 |
| Lead Data Science Analyst | Discover Products Inc | 76 | $105,500 |
| Principal Data Science | Discover Products Inc | 59 | $138,715 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | 58 | $96,928 |
| Consultant | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 40 | $110,369 |
| Senior Analyst | TransUnion LLC | 39 | $93,974 |
| Business Intelligence Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 16 | $122,453 |
| Director, Business Systems Analysis | ABBVIE INC. | 16 | $158,050 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Data Scientists in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,941 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $96,928.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Google LLC | 640 | $96,928 |
| Finance and insurance | Discover Products Inc | 492 | $130,000 |
| Professional services | TheMathCompany, Inc. | 346 | $115,413 |
| Manufacturing | Caterpillar Inc. | 184 | $115,793 |
| Retail and wholesale | Medline Industries, LP. | 118 | $134,500 |
| Education | The University of Chicago | 59 | $84,048 |
| Healthcare | Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | 37 | $93,974 |
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 25 | $111,946 |
| Energy and utilities | American Water Resources, LLC | 18 | $107,400 |
| Real estate | Equity Residential Services, LLC | 11 | $127,626 |
| Media and entertainment | Anuvu Operations LLC | 6 | $130,000 |
| Nonprofit and civic | American College of Healthcare Executives | 4 | $123,210 |
| Government and public sector | Gauntlet Networks, Inc. | 1 | $166,200 |
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 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+33.5%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in Illinois
Metro-level salary data for data scientists in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$107,640
Compare Data Scientists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Illinois with another state
Related roles in Illinois
Occupations in the same field, with Illinois salary data.
How Data Scientists pay compares nationally
Put this Illinois figure in context with our national salary data reports.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Data Scientists in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Data Scientists in Illinois is $106,560.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Data Scientists?
- The Illinois median is -11.2% versus the BLS national figure of $120,042.
- What is the salary range for Data Scientists in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $68,810 and the 90th-percentile at $168,880, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Data Scientists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 33.5% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Data Scientists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
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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.