Software Engineer Salary in Chicago

💰 $118K–$186K salary range

Median: $149K  ·  Based on 78 public job postings  ·  Updated July 1, 2026

This Software Engineer salary benchmark for Chicago is built from public job postings at high-growth and AI-native companies — no private placement data. Figures reflect base salary and are refreshed as new postings are collected.

📊 Salary breakdown

Software Engineer pay in Chicago vs. national

• Chicago: $149K median
• National: $162K median

Chicago Software Engineer pay runs 8% below the national median.

Engineering salaries in Chicago by seniority

• Software Engineer: $149K
• Engineering Manager: $151K
• Senior Software Engineer: $170K
• Tech Lead: $170K
• Staff Software Engineer: $209K

What does a Software Engineer in Chicago do?

Software Engineers are engineers who design, build, and operate the core software systems. This benchmark reflects Mid-level base compensation for Chicago-based roles at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Common questions

What is the average Software Engineer salary in Chicago?
The median pay is $149K, with a typical range of $118K–$186K, based on 78 public Chicago job postings collected in 2025–2026.

How does Chicago compare to the national Software Engineer salary?
The national median is $162K; Chicago is shown above.

Where does this data come from?
Public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. Minimum 15 Chicago postings.

Methodology

Posted-range midpoints (USD) aggregated from 78 public job postings located in Chicago (2025–2026). Range = 25th–75th percentile; median = 50th percentile. Equity is excluded. At least 15 Chicago postings required to publish. Last refreshed July 1, 2026.

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