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Staff Software Engineers in Chicago earn $196K–$228K. Median: $203K. Based on 26 public job postings (2025–2026).
Median: $203K · Based on 26 public Chicago job postings · Updated June 10, 2026
This Staff 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.
Chicago Staff Software Engineer pay runs 20% below the national median.
Staff Software Engineers are engineers who design, build, and operate the core software systems. This benchmark reflects Staff-level base compensation for Chicago-based roles at high-growth and AI-native companies.
What is the average Staff Software Engineer salary in Chicago?
The median base salary is $203K, with a typical range of $196K–$228K, based on 26 public Chicago job postings collected in 2025–2026.
How does Chicago compare to the national Staff Software Engineer salary?
The national median is $255K; 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.
USD base salary aggregated from 26 public job postings located in Chicago (2025–2026). Range = 25th–75th percentile; median = 50th percentile. At least 15 Chicago postings required to publish. Last refreshed June 10, 2026.
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