- Home >
- Startup hiring data >
- Data Scientist Salary in Chicago Startups 2026
Data Scientist Salary and Equity in Chicago 2026
How much does a Data Scientist expect to make at Chicago-based startups? The average expected salary for Data Scientists in Chicago-based startups is 158k per year, with a range from 115k to 254k. These amounts were gathered from Wellfound self-reported data and represent the median salary range. The salary range for Data Scientists in Chicago startups varies depending on factors such as industry, experience, skills, and startup stage.
157.5k
Average Salary
3 years
Average years of experience
Salary
The average salary for a Data Scientist in Chicago is $157,542, which is 25.4% higher than the average Chicago startup salary of$125,625. Data Scientist salaries in Chicago are based on exclusive Wellfound data. All data is updated on a weekly basis. Factors that may influence salary include: years of experience, title, size of company, skill-set, and industry.
Top of market
$219,042/yr
Range $137k - $254k
Average
$157,542/yr
Range $123k - $206k
Below Average
$131,333/yr
Range $115k - $195k
Industries
The highest average salary a Data Scientist in Chicago can get in Capital Raising, that is $300,000. This pay is 26.1% higher than the average Data Scientist salary in Chicago, which is $238,000. The highest-paying industries in 2023 are: Capital Raising (avg $300,000 per year), Local (avg $240,000 per year), Logistics (avg $240,000 per year).
Tech Stack
The highest average salary a Data Scientist in Chicago can get with C++, that is $275,000. This pay is 118.9% higher than the average salary in Chicago startups, which is $125,625. Salary range for specific skills will vary based on the supply and demand in the current market.
Top Tech Stacks
The top-paying Data Scientist skills in Chicago of 2026 are:
1. C++
$275k
2. AWS
$190k
3. Python
$175k
4. Machine Learning
$175k
5. Scala
$175k
6. TypeScript
$174.5k
7. PyTorch
$174.5k
8. Docker
$164k
9. scikit-learn
$161k
10. Numpy
$160k
Years of experience
Below Average
Average
Top of Market
The highest average salary a Data Scientist in Chicago can get with 10+ years of experience, that is $75,000. This pay is 40.3% lower than the average salary in Chicago startups, which is $125,625. The salary range varies with years of experience and depends on other factors such as skill set, size of company, and industry.
Popular roles
Software EngineerMobile DeveloperAndroid DeveloperiOS DeveloperFrontend EngineerBackend EngineerFull-Stack EngineerSoftware ArchitectMachine Learning EngineerEmbedded EngineerData EngineerDevOpsEngineering ManagerQA EngineerData ScientistDesignerUI/UX DesignerUser ResearcherVisual DesignerCreative DirectorGraphic Designer Product DesignerProduct ManagerOperationsFinance/AccountingH.R.Office ManagerRecruiterCustomer ServiceOperations ManagerSalesBusiness DevelopmentSales Development RepresentativeAccount ExecutiveBD ManagerAccount ManagerSales ManagerCustomer Success ManagerMarketingGrowth HackerMarketing ManagerContent CreatorCopywriterSocial Media ManagerManagementCEOCFOCMOCOOCTOOther EngineeringHardware EngineerMechanical EngineerSystems EngineerOtherBusiness AnalystProject ManagerAttorneyData AnalystInvestorLimited PartnerStrategic InvestorInstitutional InvestorVenture DebtVCSeed FundIndividual InvestorAngelFounder