Chicago's Fortune 500 companies, trading firms, and consulting offices use the CCAT to screen candidates. Prepare for roles at Morningstar, Allstate, Accenture, and more.
Avg. Salary Range
$90,000–$170,000
CCAT Job Openings
2,400+ monthly
Top Industry
Finance / Insurance
Chicago is the third-largest job market in the United States and home to 36 Fortune 500 companies — more than any city outside of New York. The city's financial services sector, anchored by the Chicago Board of Trade and CME Group, drives significant demand for cognitive aptitude testing. Morningstar, headquartered in Chicago's West Loop, uses the CCAT for analyst and technology roles where the ability to process complex financial data quickly is essential. Allstate, one of the nation's largest insurers, applies the CCAT across its corporate operations for roles in data science, actuarial analysis, and IT. Accenture's Chicago office — one of its largest in the US — uses the CCAT for management consulting and technology advisory positions. The city's growing tech scene, centered in the Fulton Market and River North neighborhoods, has also brought CCAT-using startups and scale-ups like Tempus AI and Relativity into the hiring mix. Chicago employers generally set thresholds between 70th and 80th percentile, slightly below New York but above the national average.
| Company | Industry | Typical Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Morningstar | Financial Data / Research | 75–85th percentile |
| Allstate | Insurance | 70–80th percentile |
| Accenture (Chicago) | Management Consulting | 75–85th percentile |
| Tempus AI | Healthcare AI | 80th+ percentile |
| Relativity | Legal Tech / SaaS | 70–80th percentile |
| CME Group | Financial Exchanges | 75–85th percentile |
Thresholds are approximate and may vary by role, department, and time of year. Data compiled from public job postings, Glassdoor reviews, and candidate reports.
Chicago's job market has a distinct advantage for CCAT test-takers: the city's cost of living is roughly 30% lower than New York or San Francisco, yet many Chicago employers pay competitive salaries for roles that require the same CCAT thresholds. This means your CCAT score has higher purchasing power in Chicago. The city's financial services firms — particularly trading firms and quantitative shops along LaSalle Street — tend to weight the math and logic sections most heavily. If you are applying to Morningstar or CME Group, expect the quantitative bar to be set at 80th percentile or higher for analyst roles. Chicago's consulting offices (Accenture, Deloitte, McKinsey) follow the same CCAT standards as their national practices, so a strong score here transfers directly to opportunities at other office locations.
Chicago's trading firms and financial data companies (Morningstar, CME Group) place outsized emphasis on the number series and word problem sections of the CCAT. Practice mental math shortcuts — being able to quickly estimate percentages, ratios, and growth rates will save you critical seconds on these questions and directly mirrors the skills these employers value.
Take a free 25-question sample exam that simulates the real CCAT experience. 15-minute timer, instant scoring, and detailed explanations.
Wall Street banks, consulting firms, and NYC tech companies use the CCAT as a hiring filter. Prepare to compete in the most demanding job market in the country.
Top consulting firms and financial institutions set the highest CCAT thresholds in any industry. Prepare for Accenture, Deloitte, Capital One, Fidelity, and more.