Are you considering exploring software engineering careers in Illinois, or looking to benchmark your current compensation?
We have conducted an extensive analysis of 892 software engineering positions across Illinois to provide valuable salary survey data. This article explores education requirements, career progression, geographical opportunities, and advancement into leadership roles, offering crucial information for both entry-level positions and experienced professionals in the field.
Average Software Engineers Salary in Illinois
The median software engineer salary in Illinois is $128,379 USD per year or $61.72 USD per hour. This figure provides insight into software engineer earnings in Illinois and serves as a benchmark for the average salary for software engineers in the state.
Salary Range Overview
Factors Influencing Software Engineer Salary
Educational Level
The data reveals a compelling story about the value of advanced education in the Illinois tech market. While a bachelor’s degree remains the entry point for most positions (79.41% of jobs), pursuing advanced education yields substantial returns. PhD holders earn nearly 29% more than master’s degree holders, and 44% more than those with bachelor’s degrees.
Here’s where it gets interesting: PhD holders earn the highest compensation at $193,702.50 USD, representing a 57% premium over bachelor’s degree holders, particularly valuable for research, AI/ML, and specialized technical roles. This premium reflects the growing demand for specialized skills in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The job market landscape tells a clear story: 82% of software engineering positions in Illinois require only a bachelor’s degree. This accessibility makes software engineering careers an attractive field for career changers and recent graduates. However, for those considering the ROI of advanced education, the salary premiums are substantial enough to justify the investment, particularly for roles in research-intensive companies or cutting-edge technology sectors.
Years of Experience
The salary progression reveals critical career inflection points that every software engineer should understand. The most significant jump occurs between years 1 and 2, where software engineer earnings increase by approximately 26% (from $100,406 to $126,440). This reflects the transition from junior developer to someone who can work independently and contribute meaningfully to projects.
| Years of Experience | Percentage of Jobs | Number of Positions |
|---|---|---|
| 0 years | 4.15% | 28 |
| 1 year | 3.71% | 25 |
| 2 years | 14.09% | 95 |
| 3 years | 25.52% | 172 |
| 4 years | 11.57% | 78 |
| 5 years | 23.00% | 155 |
| 6 years | 3.71% | 25 |
| 7 years | 4.90% | 33 |
| 8 years | 6.68% | 45 |
| 10+ years | 2.52% | 17 |
But what if you’re already at the median? The data shows continued strong growth through the mid-career years, with engineers at the 4-6 year mark earning between $144,918 and $145,549 annually. Engineers with 3+ years of work experience, who can effectively manage AI-augmented workflows and focus on system architecture, are particularly valuable in today’s market.
Work Model
| Work Model | Average Annual Salary (USD) | Number of Positions |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | $140,166.4 | 281 |
| Onsite | $132,694.8 | 481 |
| Remote | $115,129.6 | 108 |
This is one of the most surprising findings in our analysis. Remote software engineers earn significantly less than their onsite counterparts, with a $28,641 difference between remote ($118,768) and onsite ($147,409) positions nationally, and Illinois follows a similar pattern with a $17,565 gap.
However, hybrid work emerges as the sweet spot, commanding the highest average salaries at $140,166. This likely reflects the premium companies place on flexibility while maintaining some in-person collaboration. 68% of American workers say the ability to work remotely and on-site is the perfect work model, with 44% of employees favoring hybrid working arrangements.
Seniority Level
The progression from entry-level to principal represents a 64% increase in compensation, highlighting the value of developing both technical depth and leadership capabilities in the software engineering field. The progression from entry-level to principal represents a 57% increase in compensation, highlighting the potential for career advancement and salary growth in the profession.
What’s particularly noteworthy is the relatively modest jump from senior to principal levels (about 9%), suggesting that at senior levels, compensation increases become more nuanced, often involving equity, bonuses, and other non-salary benefits that aren’t captured in these base salary figures.
Location
| City | Average Annual Salary (USD) | Average Hourly Rate (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Will County | $300,000 | $144.23 |
| Time | $200,000 | $96.15 |
| Brookfield | $175,090 | $84.18 |
| Evanston | $162,500 | $78.13 |
| Oak Park | $162,500 | $78.13 |
| Atlanta | $156,000 | $75.00 |
| Mettawa | $150,800 | $72.50 |
| Normal | $144,250 | $69.35 |
| Deerfield | $143,324 | $68.91 |
| Hoffman Estates | $142,500 | $68.51 |
| Chicago | $141,029.6 | $67.80 |
Will County leads with the highest software engineer earnings in Illinois, offering significantly higher software engineering wages than even Chicago, the state’s tech hub. Chicago’s tech workforce has grown by 18% over the last decade, with software developers leading the charge at a median salary of $124,000. Software engineering roles in Chicago are offering competitive packages averaging $102,348.
Evanston and Oak Park lead with average annual salaries of $162,500 USD, followed by Atlanta at $156,000 USD and Mettawa at $150,800 USD. The variation often reflects local industry concentrations, with areas like Will County potentially benefiting from proximity to both Chicago’s tech ecosystem and lower operational costs.
Top Paying Companies in Illinois
Here’s a list of the top companies that consistently offer above-average salaries for software engineers in Illinois, representing some of the highest paying software engineer positions in the state:
Highest Paying Employers
| Company | Average Annual Salary (USD) | Average Hourly Rate (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Barnes | $600,000 | $288.46 |
| Goliath Partners | $387,500 | $186.30 |
| Quantinuum | $300,000 | $144.23 |
| Hopper | $250,000 | $120.19 |
| Stripe | $246,616.7 | $118.57 |
| Salesforce | $246,100 | $118.32 |
| Huxley | $225,000 | $108.17 |
| Harrington Starr | $220,000 | $105.77 |
| Adyen | $211,500 | $101.68 |
| Belvedere Trading | $200,000 | $96.15 |
| Carrum Health | $200,000 | $96.15 |
| Hudson River Trading | $200,000 | $96.15 |
| Selby Jennings | $200,000 | $96.15 |
| WorkOS | $200,000 | $96.15 |
| $197,050 | $94.74 |
The prominence of trading firms like Belvedere Trading, Hudson River Trading, and Optiver reflects Chicago’s status as a major financial center, where software engineers with expertise in low-latency systems, algorithmic trading, and quantitative finance can command premium salaries. What’s particularly noteworthy is that many of these top-paying companies operate in specialized niches where technical performance directly impacts business outcomes—whether it’s microsecond improvements in trading algorithms or scaling systems for millions of users.
These organizations span diverse industry sectors including fintech, trading firms, enterprise software, and technology consulting, indicating strong demand for software engineering expertise across multiple industries in Illinois.
How to Maximize Your Software Engineer Salary Potential
Based on our comprehensive salary survey data analysis, we recommend the following strategies to optimize your software engineer earnings in Illinois:
Strategic Career Moves
- Target the 2-4 Year Experience Sweet Spot – The most significant salary increase occurs at this career stage. The data suggests focusing on that crucial 2-4 year mark for maximum salary growth potential
- Consider Hybrid Work Arrangements – Hybrid positions command the highest average salaries at $140,166, offering both flexibility and premium compensation
- Pursue Advanced Education Strategically – While 79% of positions only require a bachelor’s degree, advanced degrees can yield substantial returns, with PhD holders earning 29% more than master’s holders
- Focus on High-Paying Locations – Consider opportunities in Will County, Evanston, or Oak Park for significantly higher compensation than the Chicago average
- Target Specialized Industries – Financial services, trading firms, and fintech companies offer some of the highest software engineer salaries in the state
Explore our detailed article on the software engineering skills required in 2025
The data presented in this article was compiled through an analysis of 892 publicly available software engineering salaries across Illinois. Salaries, required education levels, work experience expectations, seniority titles, and locations were extracted and analyzed to identify trends and calculate average and median figures. The data analysis was completed in August 2025, providing the most up-to-date information on how much software developers make in Illinois.
Conclusion
The software engineering profession offers strong earning potential across Illinois, with the median software engineer salary reaching $128,379 USD annually. Illinois saw salary declines, while the Midwest saw modest declines (-1.6% and -2.1% respectively), but the state remains competitive when factoring in cost of living.
While education provides a foundation, experience and specialization significantly influence software engineer earnings. Work arrangement choices (hybrid vs. remote vs. onsite) and location decisions have equally important impacts on total compensation packages.
For software engineers looking to maximize their earning potential, a strategic approach combining technical skill development, emerging technology expertise, and leadership capabilities is essential. Understanding salary trends and market dynamics will help you negotiate competitive total compensation packages and advance your career effectively in the dynamic field of software engineering.
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