Fastest declining jobs in Illinois, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Illinois, most negative first. A declining projection does not mean a job is disappearing — most of these still hire steadily to replace people who leave.

State projections are produced by Illinois's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Illinois run 0.0% below the national average (2024), so a Illinois salary is worth about 1.00× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Illinois.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Illinois

OccupationMedian, Illinois · Growth 2024–34

1Print Binding and Finishing Workers$47,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,780 – $57,500-27.7%
2Data Entry Keyers$42,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $59,920-26.9%
3Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service$42,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,450 – $55,180-26.1%
4Telemarketers$31,200
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $71,340-24.6%
5Prepress Technicians and Workers$49,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,290 – $77,000-23.2%
6Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$55,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,960 – $72,480-21.0%
7Tellers$38,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $47,750-20.4%
8Engine and Other Machine Assemblers$49,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,480 – $64,260-20.4%
9New Accounts Clerks$49,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,090 – $60,470-20.2%
10Order Clerks$47,670
Some college, no degree
$36,000 – $60,630-19.7%
11Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$38,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,540 – $51,260-19.6%
12Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,760 – $63,180-19.0%
13Office Machine Operators, Except Computer$44,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,440 – $59,990-18.4%
14Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$54,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,990 – $62,830-18.2%
15Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$61,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,670 – $86,460-17.7%
16Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,530 – $63,400-16.0%
17File Clerks$49,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,120 – $73,040-15.9%
18Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$64,630
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,700 – $100,140-15.7%
19Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$63,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,680 – $66,950-15.3%
20Printing Press Operators$46,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,450 – $66,250-15.2%
21Bill and Account Collectors$48,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,490 – $65,780-14.7%
22Gambling Cage Workers$39,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,270 – $47,570-14.5%
23Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$48,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,990 – $68,950-14.3%
24Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$70,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,810 – $100,140-13.4%
25Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,960 – $73,270-13.3%
26Tool and Die Makers$61,170
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,490 – $82,520-13.2%
27Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $73,880-13.0%
28Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$62,370
Bachelor's degree
$47,330 – $98,470-12.6%
29Cooks, Fast Food$34,960
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $40,580-12.3%
30Carpet Installers$49,480
No formal educational credential
$37,890 – $116,300-11.4%
31Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,300
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,280-11.4%
32Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,120 – $57,960-11.3%
33Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers$45,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $58,000-11.3%
34First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers$64,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,090 – $80,260-11.3%
35Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$77,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,620 – $118,810-11.1%
36Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan$43,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $59,230-11.0%
37Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$48,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,520 – $65,580-10.7%
38Credit Analysts$84,990
Bachelor's degree
$58,400 – $172,180-10.6%
39Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$33,840
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $49,240-10.6%
40Loan Interviewers and Clerks$50,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,030 – $67,400-10.6%
41Brokerage Clerks$63,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,980 – $95,030-10.6%
42Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$38,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,230 – $50,640-10.5%
43Mechanical Drafters$63,320
Associate's degree
$56,710 – $94,930-10.5%
44Power Plant Operators$104,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,330 – $128,040-10.5%
45Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$54,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,360 – $62,980-10.3%
46Gas Plant Operators$97,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,880 – $112,700-10.3%
47Insurance Underwriters$89,620
Bachelor's degree
$59,730 – $161,410-9.9%
48Gambling Dealers$31,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $45,000-9.8%
49Computer Programmers$72,540
Bachelor's degree
$50,640 – $142,410-9.7%
50Cashiers$34,490
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $38,480-9.2%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianIllinois	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,880	$37,780 – $57,500	-27.7%
2	Data Entry KeyersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,840	$31,200 – $59,920	-26.9%
3	Switchboard Operators, Including Answering ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,660	$34,450 – $55,180	-26.1%
4	TelemarketersNo formal educational credential	$31,200	$31,200 – $71,340	-24.6%
5	Prepress Technicians and WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,450	$38,290 – $77,000	-23.2%
6	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,380	$36,960 – $72,480	-21.0%
7	TellersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,670	$34,670 – $47,750	-20.4%
8	Engine and Other Machine AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,630	$39,480 – $64,260	-20.4%
9	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,040	$39,090 – $60,470	-20.2%
10	Order ClerksSome college, no degree	$47,670	$36,000 – $60,630	-19.7%
11	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,620	$34,540 – $51,260	-19.6%
12	Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,340	$34,760 – $63,180	-19.0%
13	Office Machine Operators, Except ComputerHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,360	$34,440 – $59,990	-18.4%
14	Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,930	$35,990 – $62,830	-18.2%
15	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,390	$39,670 – $86,460	-17.7%
16	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,180	$37,530 – $63,400	-16.0%
17	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,920	$32,120 – $73,040	-15.9%
18	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,630	$42,700 – $100,140	-15.7%
19	Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,360	$43,680 – $66,950	-15.3%
20	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,260	$31,450 – $66,250	-15.2%
21	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,140	$37,490 – $65,780	-14.7%
22	Gambling Cage WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,900	$34,270 – $47,570	-14.5%
23	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,420	$38,990 – $68,950	-14.3%
24	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,700	$33,810 – $100,140	-13.4%
25	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,990	$36,960 – $73,270	-13.3%
26	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,170	$39,490 – $82,520	-13.2%
27	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,440	$31,200 – $73,880	-13.0%
28	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$62,370	$47,330 – $98,470	-12.6%
29	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$34,960	$31,200 – $40,580	-12.3%
30	Carpet InstallersNo formal educational credential	$49,480	$37,890 – $116,300	-11.4%
31	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,300	$42,600 – $75,280	-11.4%
32	Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,020	$38,120 – $57,960	-11.3%
33	Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,560	$31,200 – $58,000	-11.3%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,620	$45,090 – $80,260	-11.3%
35	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,010	$48,620 – $118,810	-11.1%
36	Interviewers, Except Eligibility and LoanHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,200	$31,200 – $59,230	-11.0%
37	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,440	$38,520 – $65,580	-10.7%
38	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,990	$58,400 – $172,180	-10.6%
39	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$33,840	$31,200 – $49,240	-10.6%
40	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,000	$39,030 – $67,400	-10.6%
41	Brokerage ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,350	$44,980 – $95,030	-10.6%
42	Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal ServiceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,190	$31,230 – $50,640	-10.5%
43	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,320	$56,710 – $94,930	-10.5%
44	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,440	$77,330 – $128,040	-10.5%
45	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,180	$37,360 – $62,980	-10.3%
46	Gas Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,810	$51,880 – $112,700	-10.3%
47	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$89,620	$59,730 – $161,410	-9.9%
48	Gambling DealersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31,200	$31,200 – $45,000	-9.8%
49	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$72,540	$50,640 – $142,410	-9.7%
50	CashiersNo formal educational credential	$34,490	$31,200 – $38,480	-9.2%

More for Illinois

Metro areas in Illinois

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Illinois

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Illinois to rank honestly.

Fastest declining jobs in Illinois, 2024–34

More for Illinois

Metro areas in Illinois

By field in Illinois

Without a degree

Fastest declining jobs in each state, 2024–34