What the data says about data scientist pay in Chicago
After a simplified 14% national tax estimate that is about US$7,700 a month, in a metro with a cost-of-living index of 100.
Chicago vs the national and IL picture
San Jose leads at US$185,080, 72% above Chicago, while San Antonio sits at US$103,290. The neighbours in the ranking are Atlanta and Houston.
With Chicago as the sole IL entry for data scientists, the useful benchmarks are national: 19th of 21, -10% vs the median.
Take-home, rent and buying power for Chicago data scientists
With a COL index of 100, there is little difference between headline pay and price-adjusted pay (US$107,600).
Cash rank and buying-power rank match for Chicago: 19th of 21.
Take-home on the median comes to roughly US$7,700 monthly (14% effective tax in our simplified model). Rent for a modeled 1-bedroom is 21% of it, and the single-adult budget ends about US$4,230 in the black.
If you compared Chicago with similarly priced cities
A data scientist moving from Chicago to New York (similar cost level, COL 100) would see the median rise 26% to US$135,980, with US$1,820 more left over monthly in our model.
Los Angeles (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$129,740, 21% more than Chicago; modeled monthly leftover is US$1,430 higher.
In Houston — similar cost level, COL 100 — the median is US$106,750 (-1% vs Chicago), and the modeled budget leaves US$50 less each month.
Other Chicago jobs compared with data scientist
Lawyer is the best-paid tracked role in Chicago at US$165,660; data scientist comes 3rd of 9.
Closest neighbours in the Chicago list: Software Engineer at US$134,380 (+25%) and Project Manager at US$105,320 (-2%).
How Chicago ranks at the low and high end
Entry-level data scientists fare better here (14th of 21 at the 10th percentile, US$70,740) than senior ones (17th at the 90th, US$168,880).
For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$282,840 at the 90th percentile, +67% against Chicago.
Spread between low and high data scientist pay in Chicago
Pay is spread out: US$70,740 at the 10th percentile to US$168,880 at the 90th (2.4×). Level and setting matter more than the city average here.