$175,000
median · per year, annualized USD
$145,053
median · per year, annualized USD
The median for All roles · California is $175,000 per year (typically $146,980–$215,000), versus $145,053 for All roles · Chicago ($107,500–$190,000). That puts All roles · California about 21% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so All roles · California and All roles · Chicago are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.