Illinois ranks at the top of its Midwest peer group with a mean of $136,540, essentially matching Texas at $136,450 and sitting well above Michigan ($122,720), Wisconsin ($122,620), Ohio ($119,860), and Indiana ($113,980). That said, Illinois trails the national mean of $148,100 by 7.8%, so employers competing for talent with coastal markets will need to account for that gap. If you are hiring from a national candidate pool, expect some candidates to benchmark against higher-paying states.
Software engineer salary in Illinois (2026)
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Software engineer salary in Illinois (2026)
The average software engineer salary in Illinois is $136,540 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $80,980 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Illinois employs 56,310 software engineers, and the $55,560 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. The statewide mean of $136,540 sits above the 90th percentile threshold of $93,000, which means a segment of highly compensated roles is pulling the average well beyond what most candidates in the market actually earn. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a software engineer hire in Illinois, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Software engineer salary in Illinois (2026)
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $80,980 |
Average Annual Salary | $136,540 |
vs. National Average | 7.8% below the national mean of $148,100 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 56,310 employed software engineers across Illinois.
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Software engineer salary percentiles in Illinois
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $48,000 |
25th Percentile | $63,000 |
75th Percentile | — |
90th Percentile | $93,000 |
When setting an offer for a software engineer in Illinois, note that the statewide mean of $136,540 exceeds the 90th percentile threshold of $93,000, which signals that a concentrated group of very high earners is pulling the average above the published distribution. Employers competing for senior or specialized talent should expect compensation well above the $93,000 level and budget accordingly rather than anchoring to the mean.
Software engineer salary by city in Illinois
City | Average Annual Salary |
Chicago | $141,640 |
Peoria | $129,350 |
Springfield | $115,900 |
Rockford | $115,370 |
Champaign | $114,930 |
Location meaningfully affects what you will need to offer a software engineer in Illinois, so remote or hybrid arrangements that draw from lower-cost metros can reduce your compensation budget. Chicago commands the highest average at $141,640, while Champaign comes in at $114,930, a difference of $26,710 that can matter when you are deciding where to hire or whether to set location-based pay tiers.
How Illinois compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Illinois | $136,540 | $80,980 |
Texas | $136,450 | $82,600 |
Michigan | $122,720 | $78,930 |
Wisconsin | $122,620 | $77,710 |
Ohio | $119,860 | $77,790 |
Indiana | $113,980 | $74,850 |
Illinois sits at the top of the Midwest peer group, so employers here should expect compensation expectations that are higher than most neighboring states but roughly on par with Texas. Illinois averages $136,540 versus Michigan at $122,720 and Indiana at $113,980, meaning candidates relocating from those states may have lower baseline expectations. If your hiring pool spans multiple states, those differences are worth factoring into your offer strategy.
Frequently asked questions about software engineer salary in Illinois
How does Illinois compare to other states for software engineer salary?
What do the top-earning software engineers make in Illinois?
The 90th percentile threshold for software engineers in Illinois is $93,000, but the statewide mean of $136,540 sits above that figure, which reflects a segment of highly compensated roles pulling the average well beyond the published distribution. In practice, senior specialists and those in high-demand niches can command compensation significantly above $93,000. When competing for that caliber of candidate, budget above the 90th percentile and use the mean as a directional signal rather than a target.
What is the salary range for a software engineer in Illinois?
The published range runs from $48,000 at the 10th percentile to $93,000 at the 90th percentile, but the statewide mean of $136,540 exceeds that upper threshold, indicating that a portion of the market sits well above $93,000. For most hiring decisions, the $48,000 to $93,000 band covers the bulk of the candidate pool. Set your offer based on where the specific role falls within that range, and plan for higher if you are targeting senior or specialized talent.
What is the average software engineer salary in Illinois?
The average software engineer salary in Illinois is $136,540 per year, though the median of $80,980 is the more grounded figure for most hiring situations. The $55,560 gap between the two reflects a relatively small number of very high earners pulling the average up. For budgeting purposes, start with the median as your baseline and adjust upward based on the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Software Engineer salary by state
More Illinois salary data
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 15-1252 (Software Developers).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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