Data Scientist salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Data Scientists in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median of $107,640 a year ($51.75 an hour), based on BLS data for 7,940 workers.
Pay ranges from $70,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $168,880 for the top 10%. That is 10% lower than the national median of $120,230. Pay here is 1% higher than the Illinois statewide median of $106,560. There are 1.8 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $118,860, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $70,740 | $34.01 |
| 25th percentile | $84,600 | $40.68 |
| Median | $107,640 | $51.75 |
| 75th percentile | $138,210 | $66.45 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $168,880 | $81.19 |
| Average (mean) | $118,860 | $57.15 |
Half of data scientists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,970 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,485 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,140 |
| Weekly | $2,070 |
| Hourly | $51.75 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Data Scientist salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | $120,760 | 590 |
| Peoria, IL | $120,000 | 340 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $106,340 | 280 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $102,650 | 1,680 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $99,980 | 650 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $99,600 | 2,640 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $99,110 | 1,880 |
| Columbus, IN | $94,700 | 40 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $94,470 | 270 |
| Rockford, IL | $92,990 | 100 |
| Springfield, IL | $92,000 | 100 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $91,760 | 140 |
| Evansville, IN | $83,140 | 140 |
| Bloomington, IN | $83,020 | 50 |
| Muncie, IN | $82,160 | 30 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $81,570 | 130 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $81,420 | 100 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $79,280 | 70 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $77,220 | 50 |
Highest-paying states for data scientists
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $163,350 |
| California | $141,590 |
| Maryland | $136,370 |
| New Jersey | $135,280 |
| Massachusetts | $131,750 |
| New York | $130,460 |
| Minnesota | $128,800 |
| Vermont | $127,070 |
| District of Columbia | $126,490 |
| Virginia | $126,430 |
See Data Scientist pay in every state or the Illinois statewide figures.
Related jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $86,500 | $41.59 |
| Actuary | $113,730 | $54.68 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $82,230 | $39.54 |
| Statistician | $122,180 | $58.74 |
| Mathematician | $130,970 | $62.97 |
| Software Developer | $134,380 | $64.60 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $60,730 | $29.20 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $103,490 | $49.76 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $101,660 | $48.88 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $103,170 | $49.60 |
| Computer Network Architect | $143,800 | $69.14 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $105,580 | $50.76 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $73,340 | $35.26 |
| Information Security Analyst | $125,310 | $60.25 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 15-2051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data scientist make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median salary for data scientists in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $107,640 a year, or $51.75 an hour. Pay ranges from $70,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $168,880 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The top 10% of data scientists in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn at least $168,880 a year. The top 25% earn $138,210 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $70,740 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $84,600 or less.
How many data scientists work in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
About 7,940 data scientists are employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, not counting the self-employed.