Software Developers Salary in Illinois
Software Developers in Illinois have a median of $132,110 a year, below the national $135,980 (−3%); the state ranks 16th of 50 states by median. Software Developers earn 2.5 times the median across all occupations in Illinois ($51,960). Illinois pays more than every neighbouring state: Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kentucky and Indiana range from $105,920 in Indiana to $126,120 in Missouri. Illinois employs 56,310 software developers, 9.23 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.85 is close to the national share.
Illinois vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $38.93 | $48.82 | $63.52 | $80.01 | $93.63 | $65.65 | 56,310 | 9.23 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $80,980 | $101,540 | $132,110 | $166,420 | $194,740 | $136,540 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $39.64 | $50.58 | $65.38 | $82.68 | $103.21 | $71.20 | 1,687,890 | – | – |
| Annual | $82,460 | $105,210 | $135,980 | $171,980 | $214,670 | $148,100 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 16th of 50 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.85
- Jobs per 1,000
- 9.23
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Illinois's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Illinois
12 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Illinois publish a row for software developers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $64.60 | $134,380 | $83,820 | $203,410 | 40,370 | 8.94 | 0.82 |
| Peoria, IL | $62.78 | $130,590 | $89,350 | $166,680 | 1,650 | 9.95 | 0.92 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $62.03 | $129,030 | $77,730 | $169,030 | 9,820 | 7.32 | 0.67 |
| Bloomington, IL | $59.29 | $123,320 | $91,360 | $190,180 | 1,570 | 17.78 | 1.64 |
| Kankakee, IL | $56.03 | $116,550 | $62,200 | $168,220 | 60 | 1.37 | 0.13 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $55.67 | $115,780 | $77,920 | $163,490 | 1,220 | 6.78 | 0.62 |
| Decatur, IL | $53.03 | $110,300 | $67,930 | $157,260 | 70 | 1.63 | 0.15 |
| Rockford, IL | $51.75 | $107,640 | $69,020 | $165,040 | 380 | 2.75 | 0.25 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $51.00 | $106,080 | $70,110 | $169,310 | 670 | 6.31 | 0.58 |
| Springfield, IL | $50.27 | $104,550 | $66,760 | $163,760 | 660 | 6.50 | 0.60 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $48.18 | $100,220 | $72,680 | $162,670 | 90 | 1.96 | 0.18 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $47.72 | $99,260 | $62,680 | $155,570 | 140 | 2.70 | 0.25 |
| East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $59.02 | $122,760 | $71,490 | $165,110 | 340 | 2.40 | 0.22 |
| South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $58.84 | $122,390 | $72,290 | $158,600 | 220 | 1.56 | 0.14 |
| Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $49.96 | $103,910 | $75,880 | $168,560 | 200 | 1.56 | 0.14 |
| West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $49.76 | $103,500 | $64,760 | $171,440 | 280 | 1.66 | 0.15 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Software Developers (every state ranked) and the Illinois wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Illinois estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.