Software Engineer salary in Chicago
Employer-stated pay · updated Oct 23, 2026
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Software Engineer pay in Chicago is measured from 98 postings where the employer stated pay. The best-evidenced figure is senior, where 64 postings put the middle half between $149,481 and $191,289, with a median of $163,750.
Pay rises with seniority here: the medians run mid-level $137,599 and senior $163,750. Moving from mid-level to senior is worth roughly 19% more.
Against the 64 other measured markets for software engineer at senior, this sits below 47 of them; Long Beach leads at $227,450.
1 software engineer role is open in Chicago right now, 1 listing pay.
| Level | Market range | Median | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid | $115,450 – $157,500 | $137,599 | 34 |
| Senior | $149,481 – $191,289 | $163,750 | 64 |
Entry is junior titles. Mid is mid-level and manager titles. Senior is senior titles. Lead is director, VP and above.
Ranges span the 25th to 75th percentile of employer-stated base pay for the level. Median is the 50th percentile. Sample is the number of postings measured.
