Information Technology Jobs in Chicago, IL
Chicago's tech jobs sit inside its banks, insurers, law firms and distributors, from LaSalle Street and Wolf Point to the Merchandise Mart, more than in standalone tech companies. The guides below cover every information technology role in Chicago, who is hiring and what it pays.
Why Information Technology Work Is Different in Chicago
Chicago has no single tech campus. Its IT jobs follow the industries that already run the city: finance on LaSalle Street, insurance at Health Care Service Corporation, the parent of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, the big law firms along the river at Wolf Point and in the Loop, and corporate headquarters such as Motorola Solutions. Professional and business services is the second-largest employment sector in the Chicago metro, with about 819,000 jobs, and most of those firms need help desk staff, developers and analysts. Fintech is one of the five sectors World Business Chicago targets for growth.
That shapes the work. Kirkland & Ellis runs an on-site, round-the-clock service desk and Sidley Austin staffs its own Chicago service desk, so support jobs here are more often in the office than remote. Banks and trading firms such as Capital One, BlackRock and Geneva Trading hire front-end and full-stack developers for internal trading and investment tools, and Grainger hires engineers and analysts at the Merchandise Mart even though its headquarters is in Lake Forest. Most developer and analyst roles are hybrid, two to four days a week downtown, which makes the L and Metra part of the job. And because Illinois requires employers with 15 or more workers to post pay ranges, most Chicago IT postings tell you what they pay before you apply.
Top Information Technology Employers in Chicago
These Chicago employers have IT, developer and analyst openings posted on their own careers sites:
- Kirkland & Ellis - the global law firm runs a 24/7 IT service desk and technology support team from its Chicago offices.
- Sidley Austin - the law firm hires Chicago service desk technicians supporting Windows, Citrix and mobile devices.
- Grainger - the industrial distributor hires software engineers and data analysts at its Merchandise Mart office.
- Capital One - the bank hires full-stack engineers at its Loop office at 77 W. Wacker.
- Health Care Service Corporation - the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois parent hires analytics and reporting staff in Chicago.
- Motorola Solutions - the Chicago-headquartered public safety technology company hires business intelligence analysts and engineers.
- SRAM - the bicycle component maker hires IT systems associates at its Chicago headquarters, an entry point for certified candidates.
Information Technology Career Paths in Chicago
- Support and infrastructure - IT Support Specialist, Help Desk Technician, Desktop Support Technician, Network Administrator, Systems Administrator and Database Administrator. This is the most common way in, starting on a downtown service desk and moving into servers and networks.
- Cloud and DevOps - Cloud Engineer and DevOps Engineer. The next step for administrators who learn AWS or Azure, skills that show up across bank, distributor and insurer postings.
- Software and web - Software Developer and Web Developer. Front-end, full-stack and platform work for banks, trading firms, distributors and consulting firms.
- Data and project leadership - Data Analyst and IT Project Manager. Analysts turn company data into dashboards, and project managers run technology rollouts across teams.
How to Start an Information Technology Career in Chicago
- CompTIA A+ - the entry certification most Chicago help desk and desktop support postings name; two exams, Core 1 and Core 2.
- City Colleges of Chicago Networking Systems and Technology - certificates and an associate degree at Daley, Kennedy-King, Olive-Harvey, Truman and Wright colleges that prepare students for A+, Network+ and Cisco exams.
- City Colleges of Chicago Web Development and Cybersecurity - a Web Development Basic Certificate and Cybersecurity certificates at all seven campuses, plus a Web Development associate degree at Daley, Malcolm X, Olive-Harvey and Wright.
- Malcolm X College continuing education - free fall courses on the Near West Side and online, including Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), AWS Cloud Foundations and Google Cybersecurity, open to ages 16 and up.
- Four-year degrees - DePaul's Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media in the Loop for computer science, and UIC's business college on the Near West Side for graduate business analytics.
Illinois has no state license for IT support, developer, analyst or administrator jobs; every credential above is employer preference, not a legal requirement.
Information Technology Salaries in Chicago
- Entry - about $42,000 to $60,000 a year ($20 to $29 an hour) for help desk, IT support and junior service desk roles.
- Mid - roughly $60,000 to $120,000 a year for experienced service desk analysts, web developers and data analysts.
- Senior - $120,000 to $150,000 and up for senior developers, senior analysts and leads, with bank and trading firm engineering roles posting ranges near $200,000.
These are estimates from federal wage data for the Chicago metro, where computer user support specialists earn a median of $29.20 an hour and web developers about $96,870 a year, and from ranges Chicago employers post. Banks, trading firms and big law firms pay at the top and often add a bonus; nonprofits and smaller employers pay less but hire more entry-level staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to work in IT in Illinois?
No. Illinois does not license IT support specialists, developers, analysts or administrators. Employers look at certifications such as CompTIA A+, your experience and, for developers, your portfolio.
What is the easiest IT job to get in Chicago without experience?
Help desk and IT support roles are the usual starting point. Some Chicago employers, such as SRAM, accept a high school diploma or GED plus CompTIA, Microsoft or Cisco certifications in place of a degree.
How much do IT jobs pay in Chicago?
Entry support jobs start around $42,000 to $60,000 a year. Experienced analysts and developers commonly earn $60,000 to $120,000, and senior engineers at banks and trading firms can post ranges near $200,000.
Are Chicago IT jobs remote?
Most are hybrid or on site. Developer and analyst roles usually ask for two to four days a week downtown, and help desk jobs at law firms are typically fully on site.
Where can I train for IT in Chicago for free or at low cost?
City Colleges of Chicago offers networking, web development and cybersecurity certificates at its campuses, and Malcolm X College runs free continuing education courses in cloud and cybersecurity. The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership's American Job Centers can also help with job training.
Ready to get started? Browse all current information technology job openings in Chicago, IL on LocalJobPage.