As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Startup Software Engineer in Chicago, IL is $79,932, equivalent to $38 per hour, $1,537 weekly, or $6,661 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Startup Software Engineer in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Startup Software Engineer in Chicago, IL vary widely, spanning from $67,021 to $91,414. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($73,174) and 75th percentile ($85,942), while top earners (90th percentile) make $91,414 per year. This $12,768 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Analysis or Python, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Chicago Startup Software Engineer often earn 1.4% higher than national averages. However, Chicago currently ranks 249 statewide for Startup Software Engineer job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Startup Software Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Startup Software Engineer Salary $67,021 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Startup Software Engineer Salary $73,174 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Startup Software Engineer Salary $79,932 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Startup Software Engineer Salary $85,942 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Startup Software Engineer Salary $91,414 Chicago, IL May 01, 2026
25% $73,174 10% $67,021 90% $91,414 75% $85,942 $79,932 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Check out Startup Software Engineer jobs in Chicago, Illinois

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Synechron - Chicago, IL

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Pentangle Tech Services | P5 Group - Peoria, IL

Embedded Software Engineer

L&T Technology Services - Mossville, IL

Embedded Software Engineer (C/C++)

Global Connect Technologies - Mossville, IL

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Startup Software Engineer

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Job Openings for Startup Software Engineer in Chicago, IL

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Startup Software Engineer

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Software Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Startup Software Engineer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
73174
85942
79932

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
79707
97641
87682
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Startup Software Engineer in Chicago, IL. The base salary for Startup Software Engineer ranges from $73,174 to $85,942 with the average base salary of $79,932. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $79,707 to $97,641 with the average total cash compensation of $87,682.

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73174
85942

 

About Chicago, Illinois    Chicago (/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ (listen), locally also /-ˈkɔː-/), officially the City of Chicago, is the most populous city in Illinois, as well as the third mos....More

Chicago, Illinois  area prices were up 0.8% from a year ago

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