Deep Learning Engineer.
Chicago.
$212,000
median salary, 6% above the national average
$164,000 to $270,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Chicago is 7% more expensive than the national average. For Deep Learning Engineers, that shakes out to a median of $212,000, with the full range spanning $164,000 to $270,000. Pay hinges on expertise with transformer architectures, large-scale training pipelines, and GPU optimization. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $191,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$138,000
to $170,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$180,000
to $223,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$233,000
to $276,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$265,000
to $329,000
Salary trend
+8% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $108,000 to the total package.
Base
$212,000
Equity
$66,000
Bonus
$29,000
Signing
$13,000
Estimated total: $320,000
Deep Learning Engineer salary by company
Total compensation estimates include base, equity, bonus, and signing. Ranges reflect mid to senior level. Derived from public H-1B LCA filings, SEC proxy statements, and aggregated self-reported data.
How Chicago compares
Chicago, IL
$212,000
Cost of living: 7% above average
National Average
$200,000
Chicago is $12,000 above
Deep Learning Engineer salary by city
Salary by role in Chicago
What you should know
Here is what the Deep Learning Engineer market actually looks like in Chicago. Chicago's economy is anchored by finance, manufacturing, and a rapidly expanding tech sector. The city has become a major hub for fintech, enterprise SaaS, and e-commerce. With lower living costs than coastal cities and a deep talent pool from top universities, Chicago offers strong salary to cost of living ratios for professionals across industries. Pay hinges on expertise with transformer architectures, large-scale training pipelines, and GPU optimization. Engineers who have shipped production models at scale earn top-band salaries. Publications at NeurIPS or ICML and familiarity with distributed training frameworks like DeepSpeed further boost compensation.
Junior deep learning roles start at $120,000 to $145,000. Mid-level engineers earn $155,000 to $200,000. Senior and staff-level positions reach $220,000 to $300,000 base, with principal engineers at top labs exceeding $400,000 in total compensation. In Chicago, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity is a major component at AI-focused companies, often representing 30 to 50% of total compensation. Annual bonuses range from 10 to 20% of base, with signing bonuses of $30,000 to $75,000 common for experienced hires. And on the tax side: illinois has a flat 4.95% state income tax. Chicago does not levy a separate city income tax, making the overall burden moderate compared to coastal metros. When someone quotes you $212,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference the Bay Area or NYC salary band for your role, then negotiate a modest discount. Chicago employers routinely offer 85 to 90% of coastal pay. The range for Deep Learning Engineers in Chicago runs from $164,000 to $270,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A AI Alignment Researcher in Chicago earns $211,000 (0% more)
- The highest-paying role in Chicago is Chief AI Officer at $325,000
Common questions.
Deep Learning Engineer salary in other cities
Other salaries in Chicago
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