Salary distribution
Where Illinois medical scientists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $61,410 and $125,330, with a median of $78,430.
Medical Scientists in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 196 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $68,982. 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 | 121 | $65,083 |
| Level II — qualified | 28 | $79,077 |
| Level III — experienced | 9 | $135,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 6 | $158,250 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Medical Scientists in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University | Postdoctoral Scholar | 74 | $69,482 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Research Specialist | 30 | $63,960 |
| The University of Chicago | Postdoctoral Scholar | 27 | $73,015 |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | Postdoctoral Associate | 12 | $60,164 |
| Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago | Post-Doctoral Fellow, Research | 8 | $60,164 |
| Rush University Medical Center | Instructor / Research Scientist | 7 | $85,009 |
| AbbVie Inc. | Pharmacometrician | 7 | $152,250 |
| ABBVIE INC. | DIRECTOR, CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY | 4 | $206,500 |
| Lurie Children's Medical Group, Inc. | Research Assistant Professor | 4 | $76,960 |
| Northwestern Memorial HealthCare | Simulations Operations Specialist | 3 | $69,888 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Research Technologist II at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago$49,553ChicagoDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-490733
- Post-Doctoral Fellow, Research at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago$63,960ChicagoDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-478842
- Visiting Instructor at University of Illinois Chicago$69,000ChicagoDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-479615
- Simulations Operations Specialist at Northwestern Memorial HealthCare$63,960ChicagoDecided Dec 15, 2025I-200-25342-466199
- Clinical Research Associate at Northwestern University$63,960ChicagoDecided Dec 4, 2025I-200-25330-440479
- Instructor / Research Scientist at Rush University Medical Center$85,009ChicagoDecided Dec 3, 2025I-200-25329-436219
- Postdoctoral Associate at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago$63,960ChicagoDecided Dec 3, 2025I-200-25329-436563
- Post-Doctoral Fellow, Research at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago$63,960ChicagoDecided Dec 2, 2025I-200-25328-432661
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.
Medical 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.
Medical Scientists specialties in Illinois
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 148 certified offers. The most common variant is Postdoctoral Scholar at a median of $65,970.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postdoctoral Scholar | Northwestern University | 40 | $65,970 |
| Research Assistant Professor | Northwestern University | 24 | $80,196 |
| Research Associate | Northwestern University | 19 | $68,964 |
| Staff Scientist | The University of Chicago | 16 | $80,392 |
| Research Specialist | University of Illinois Chicago | 10 | $59,773 |
| Research Scientist | Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | 8 | $70,304 |
| Post-Doctoral Fellow, Research | Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago | 7 | $56,368 |
| Postdoctoral Associate | Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | 6 | $63,960 |
| Postdoctoral Research Associate | University of Illinois Chicago | 6 | $63,960 |
| Clinical Research Associate | Northwestern University | 4 | $62,531 |
| Instructor / Research Scientist | Rush University Medical Center | 4 | $105,000 |
| Visiting Research Scientist | University of Illinois Chicago | 4 | $65,980 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Medical Scientists in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 196 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Education leads with a median of $68,964.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | Northwestern University | 135 | $68,964 |
| Healthcare | Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | 39 | $63,960 |
| Manufacturing | AbbVie Inc. | 12 | $153,625 |
| Professional services | M1 Health LLC | 9 | $85,708 |
| Retail and wholesale | AbbVie Inc. | 1 | $335,000 |
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
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Biology
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Writing
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Speaking
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Written Expression
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Science
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Active Learning
Cross-functional
- 4.1 / 5
Inductive Reasoning
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
- 02
Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
- 03
Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
- 04
Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
- 05
Standardize drug dosages, methods of immunization, and procedures for manufacture of drugs and medicinal compounds.
- 06
Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
- 07
Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
- 08
Study animal and human health and physiological processes.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+8.7%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for medical scientists in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$78,560
Compare Medical Scientists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Medical Scientists in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Medical Scientists in Illinois is $78,430.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Medical Scientists?
- The Illinois median is -22.7% versus the BLS national figure of $101,397.
- What is the salary range for Medical Scientists in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $48,540 and the 90th-percentile at $157,530, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Medical Scientists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 8.7% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Medical Scientists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Doctoral or professional 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.