Data Scientist salary in Illinois
Data Scientists in Illinois earn a median of $106,560 a year ($51.23 an hour), based on BLS data for 10,520 workers.
Pay ranges from $68,810 for the lowest-paid 10% to $168,880 for the top 10%. That is 11% lower than the national median of $120,230. Illinois ranks 22nd of 49 states for data scientists pay. There are 1.7 data scientists per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $117,870, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for data scientists in Illinois
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $68,810 | $33.08 |
| 25th percentile | $84,610 | $40.68 |
| Median | $106,560 | $51.23 |
| 75th percentile | $137,290 | $66.01 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $168,880 | $81.19 |
| Average (mean) | $117,870 | $56.67 |
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 | $8,880 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,440 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,098.46 |
| Weekly | $2,049.23 |
| Hourly | $51.23 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Data Scientist salary in cities in Illinois
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | $120,760 | 590 |
| Peoria, IL | $120,000 | 340 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $107,640 | 7,940 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $106,340 | 280 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $99,600 | 2,640 |
| Rockford, IL | $92,990 | 100 |
| Springfield, IL | $92,000 | 100 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $91,760 | 140 |
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 |
Related jobs in Illinois
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Research Analyst | $89,800 | $43.17 |
| Actuary | $115,430 | $55.50 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $81,090 | $38.99 |
| Statistician | $119,760 | $57.58 |
| Mathematician | $130,970 | $62.97 |
| Software Developer | $132,110 | $63.52 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $59,860 | $28.78 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $101,570 | $48.83 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $99,360 | $47.77 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $100,080 | $48.12 |
| Computer Network Architect | $132,790 | $63.84 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $68,530 | $32.95 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $104,910 | $50.44 |
| Information Security Analyst | $124,180 | $59.70 |
More: Computer and Mathematical Occupations · all salaries in Illinois
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 Illinois?
The median salary for data scientists in Illinois is $106,560 a year, or $51.23 an hour. Pay ranges from $68,810 for the lowest-paid 10% to $168,880 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid data scientists make in Illinois?
The top 10% of data scientists in Illinois earn at least $168,880 a year. The top 25% earn $137,290 or more.
What is the starting pay for data scientists in Illinois?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $68,810 a year, and a quarter of data scientists earn $84,610 or less.
How many data scientists work in Illinois?
About 10,520 data scientists are employed in Illinois, not counting the self-employed.