Physicists salary
in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Physicists in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro earn a median of $137,140 a year, based on BLS estimates for 1,510 jobs (May 2025). That is 20% below the U.S. median of $172,250 and in line with the IL statewide median of $137,140. It ranks #10 of 14 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE1,510 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
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EMPLOYERS FILING FOR THIS JOB IN CHICAGO · VISA-SPONSORED BASE WAGES
Median of each employer’s DOL LCA filings (5+ filings) in this metro, FY2026 Q3. Covers sponsored positions only.
Questions
What is the average Physicists salary in Chicago?
The BLS median is $137,140 a year (May 2025). Half of the 1,510 jobs pay between $82,110 and $175,510. The 10th percentile is $81,830 and the 90th is $221,380.
Is Chicago a high-paying metro for Physicists?
That is 20% below the U.S. median of $172,250 and in line with the IL statewide median of $137,140. It ranks #10 of 14 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Which employers pay Physicists the most in Chicago?
Among employers with 5+ visa-sponsored filings here, the highest medians were UChicago Argonne ($127,650), Fermi Forward Discovery Group ($126,081). These are base wages for sponsored positions, not all employees.
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.