H-1B Visa Jobs in Illinois
Illinois has 157,471 certified H-1B filings from FY 2020–2026, ranking #6 of 52 U.S. states by filing volume. The median H-1B salary in Illinois is $96,512, which is 24% below the national H-1B median of $126,302. The largest sponsor is COGNIZANT, and the busiest metro is Chicago, IL.
H-1B salary range in Illinois
Salary percentiles across 157,471 certified filings. The middle 50% of H-1B workers in Illinois earn between $80,000 and $125,000.
- 10th percentile
- $70,000
- 25th percentile
- $80,000
- Median
- $96,512
- 75th percentile
- $125,000
- 90th percentile
- $157,800
Annual H-1B filings in Illinois
Certified LCA filings per fiscal year. FY 2020: 26,015 · FY 2026: 16,541.
Top H-1B sponsors in Illinois
COGNIZANT leads with 6,519 certified filings at a $90,709 median. Each row links to the full employer profile.
| Rank | Employer | Filings | Median salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | COGNIZANT | 6,519 | $90,709 |
| 2 | EY | 4,621 | $135,000 |
| 3 | TATA | 4,170 | $76,045 |
| 4 | CAPGEMINI | 3,542 | $94,016 |
| 5 | DFS CORPORATE SERVICES | 2,702 | $108,000 |
| 6 | DELOITTE | 2,455 | $115,856 |
| 7 | INFOSYS | 2,181 | $82,846 |
| 8 | GRANDISON MANAGEMENT | 2,070 | $71,968 |
| 9 | TEKORG | 2,046 | $79,768 |
| 10 | ACCENTURE | 1,673 | $103,000 |
| 11 | DISCOVER PRODUCTS | 1,466 | $95,000 |
| 12 | NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | 1,462 | $68,000 |
| 13 | CATERPILLAR | 1,456 | $106,500 |
| 14 | THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | 1,449 | $72,471 |
| 15 | MEDLINE INDUSTRIES | 1,141 | $127,000 |
Top H-1B metros in Illinois
Chicago, IL is the busiest metro with 64,499 certified filings. Each row links to a city page with employer and salary detail.
| Rank | City | Filings | Median salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | 64,499 | $103,333 |
| 2 | Schaumburg, IL | 7,495 | $90,397 |
| 3 | Riverwoods, IL | 5,913 | $103,000 |
| 4 | Naperville, IL | 5,183 | $102,690 |
| 5 | Bloomington, IL | 5,005 | $90,000 |
| 6 | Deerfield, IL | 2,858 | $88,088 |
| 7 | Aurora, IL | 2,456 | $106,818 |
| 8 | Peoria, IL | 2,325 | $93,000 |
| 9 | Buffalo Grove, IL | 2,243 | $105,000 |
| 10 | Lisle, IL | 2,153 | $95,472 |
| 11 | Arlington Heights, IL | 1,767 | $90,709 |
| 12 | Northbrook, IL | 1,648 | $95,573 |
| 13 | Normal, IL | 1,598 | $106,000 |
| 14 | Evanston, IL | 1,485 | $87,838 |
| 15 | Hoffman Estates, IL | 1,475 | $100,000 |
Top H-1B job titles in Illinois
Software Developer is the most common H-1B role in the state with 10,611 filings. Job-title pages link to national salary data for the same role.
| Rank | Job title | Filings | Median salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Developer | 10,611 | $94,016 |
| 2 | Software Engineer | 7,805 | $100,000 |
| 3 | Architect | 3,768 | $95,472 |
| 4 | Consultant | 3,716 | $94,016 |
| 5 | Senior Software Engineer | 3,132 | $125,000 |
| 6 | Manager | 2,437 | $93,600 |
| 7 | Assistant Professor | 2,340 | $93,000 |
| 8 | Sr. Sql Database Administrator | 2,038 | $79,768 |
| 9 | Systems Analyst | 1,980 | $85,000 |
| 10 | Project Manager | 1,795 | $95,264 |
| 11 | Data Engineer | 1,702 | $96,928 |
| 12 | Senior Systems Analyst | 1,696 | $73,944 |
| 13 | Senior Consultant | 1,559 | $114,000 |
| 14 | Business Analyst | 1,556 | $90,000 |
| 15 | Physical Therapist | 1,446 | $75,000 |
Wage level distribution in Illinois
DOL prevailing wage levels. Level I is entry-level; Level IV is expert-level. A state skewed higher on this scale typically reflects more senior hiring or higher-complexity roles.
Frequently asked questions
How many H-1B visas are issued in Illinois?
Illinois has 157,471 certified H-1B labor condition applications from FY 2020–2026. It ranks #6 of 52 U.S. states by H-1B filing volume.
What is the average H-1B salary in Illinois?
The median H-1B salary in Illinois is $96,512, 24% below the national median of $126,302. The middle 50% of filings fall between $80,000 and $125,000, and the 90th percentile reaches $157,800.
Which companies sponsor the most H-1B workers in Illinois?
COGNIZANT is the top sponsor with 6,519 filings at a $90,709 median. Other leading employers include EY, TATA, CAPGEMINI, DFS CORPORATE SERVICES.
What are the busiest H-1B cities in Illinois?
Chicago, IL leads with 64,499 filings, followed by Schaumburg, IL, Riverwoods, IL, Naperville, IL.