Fastest growing jobs in Illinois, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Illinois. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

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

1Nurse Practitioners$130,680
Master's degree
$102,440 – $161,470+41.0%
2Data Scientists$106,560
Bachelor's degree
$68,810 – $168,880+27.5%
3Medical and Health Services Managers$117,850
Bachelor's degree
$75,920 – $227,180+27.5%
4Physician Assistants$131,950
Master's degree
$105,160 – $162,330+22.0%
5Psychiatric Technicians$46,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,820 – $53,620+21.8%
6Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,660
Associate's degree
$78,350 – $122,680+21.5%
7Respiratory Therapists$84,090
Associate's degree
$64,480 – $100,100+21.4%
8Physical Therapist Assistants$65,240
Associate's degree
$41,600 – $81,890+20.7%
9Information Security Analysts$124,180
Bachelor's degree
$78,760 – $172,830+20.6%
10Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$92,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,410 – $214,090+20.0%
11Operations Research Analysts$89,800
Bachelor's degree
$62,500 – $164,990+19.5%
12Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$62,780
Associate's degree
$41,140 – $80,870+19.4%
13Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$79,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,690 – $103,220+18.8%
14Occupational Therapy Assistants$64,120
Associate's degree
$47,830 – $80,150+18.7%
15Exercise Physiologists$60,130
Bachelor's degree
$50,220 – $84,020+18.3%
16Industrial Machinery Mechanics$76,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,230 – $102,590+18.1%
17Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$60,730
Master's degree
$43,010 – $109,100+17.9%
18Medical Equipment Preparers$48,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,280 – $66,390+17.2%
19Cooks, Restaurant$37,580
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $46,460+16.2%
20Veterinarians$133,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,840 – $280,380+16.0%
21Logisticians$80,100
Bachelor's degree
$48,020 – $128,070+16.0%
22Occupational Therapists$99,700
Master's degree
$73,360 – $132,180+15.9%
23Hearing Aid Specialists$63,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $82,890+15.7%
24Home Health and Personal Care Aides$38,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,200 – $42,500+15.6%
25Speech-Language Pathologists$95,080
Master's degree
$60,870 – $123,800+15.5%
26Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$46,440
Associate's degree
$38,580 – $60,520+15.3%
27Mechanical Door Repairers$65,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,730 – $72,850+15.1%
28Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$37,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,550 – $47,000+14.9%
29Taxi Drivers$36,770
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $44,390+14.6%
30Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$47,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,190 – $60,490+14.6%
31Actuaries$115,430
Bachelor's degree
$77,790 – $202,160+13.7%
32Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$98,270
Bachelor's degree
$61,160 – $137,000+13.5%
33Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$95,380
Associate's degree
$77,410 – $109,550+13.2%
34Therapists, All Other$116,200
Bachelor's degree
$57,240 – $193,760+13.0%
35Counselors, All Other$49,360
Master's degree
$33,410 – $83,440+12.9%
36Animal Caretakers$35,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $50,160+12.8%
37Orderlies$39,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,870 – $44,920+12.8%
38Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$59,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,670 – $79,880+12.7%
39Financial Examiners$93,150
Bachelor's degree
$59,800 – $167,270+12.4%
40Medical Equipment Repairers$67,380
Associate's degree
$42,190 – $99,880+12.3%
41Dietetic Technicians$42,550
Associate's degree
$36,490 – $49,840+12.3%
42Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$40,910
Associate's degree
$36,030 – $60,890+12.0%
43Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$61,870
Associate's degree
$40,550 – $105,150+11.9%
44Driver/Sales Workers$38,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $65,680+11.9%
45Phlebotomists$46,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,370 – $54,920+11.8%
46Nurse Anesthetists$286,830
Master's degree
$103,490 – $335,610+11.8%
47Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$49,960
Master's degree
$39,910 – $79,050+11.7%
48Nuclear Medicine Technologists$104,950
Associate's degree
$84,590 – $122,800+11.7%
49Food Batchmakers$48,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,680 – $61,750+11.6%
50General Internal Medicine Physicians$140,680
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,940 – $349,420+11.6%

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	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,680	$102,440 – $161,470	+41.0%
2	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$106,560	$68,810 – $168,880	+27.5%
3	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,850	$75,920 – $227,180	+27.5%
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,950	$105,160 – $162,330	+22.0%
5	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,200	$36,820 – $53,620	+21.8%
6	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,660	$78,350 – $122,680	+21.5%
7	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$84,090	$64,480 – $100,100	+21.4%
8	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,240	$41,600 – $81,890	+20.7%
9	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$124,180	$78,760 – $172,830	+20.6%
10	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$92,860	$49,410 – $214,090	+20.0%
11	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$89,800	$62,500 – $164,990	+19.5%
12	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$62,780	$41,140 – $80,870	+19.4%
13	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$79,150	$47,690 – $103,220	+18.8%
14	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,120	$47,830 – $80,150	+18.7%
15	Exercise PhysiologistsBachelor's degree	$60,130	$50,220 – $84,020	+18.3%
16	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,200	$49,230 – $102,590	+18.1%
17	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$60,730	$43,010 – $109,100	+17.9%
18	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,050	$38,280 – $66,390	+17.2%
19	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$37,580	$31,200 – $46,460	+16.2%
20	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$133,580	$74,840 – $280,380	+16.0%
21	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$80,100	$48,020 – $128,070	+16.0%
22	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,700	$73,360 – $132,180	+15.9%
23	Hearing Aid SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,050	$31,200 – $82,890	+15.7%
24	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,060	$34,200 – $42,500	+15.6%
25	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$95,080	$60,870 – $123,800	+15.5%
26	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$46,440	$38,580 – $60,520	+15.3%
27	Mechanical Door RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,090	$48,730 – $72,850	+15.1%
28	Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,480	$31,550 – $47,000	+14.9%
29	Taxi DriversNo formal educational credential	$36,770	$31,200 – $44,390	+14.6%
30	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,100	$36,190 – $60,490	+14.6%
31	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$115,430	$77,790 – $202,160	+13.7%
32	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,270	$61,160 – $137,000	+13.5%
33	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$95,380	$77,410 – $109,550	+13.2%
34	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$116,200	$57,240 – $193,760	+13.0%
35	Counselors, All OtherMaster's degree	$49,360	$33,410 – $83,440	+12.9%
36	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,570	$31,200 – $50,160	+12.8%
37	OrderliesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,450	$34,870 – $44,920	+12.8%
38	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,800	$38,670 – $79,880	+12.7%
39	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$93,150	$59,800 – $167,270	+12.4%
40	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$67,380	$42,190 – $99,880	+12.3%
41	Dietetic TechniciansAssociate's degree	$42,550	$36,490 – $49,840	+12.3%
42	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$40,910	$36,030 – $60,890	+12.0%
43	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,870	$40,550 – $105,150	+11.9%
44	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,960	$31,200 – $65,680	+11.9%
45	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,010	$37,370 – $54,920	+11.8%
46	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$286,830	$103,490 – $335,610	+11.8%
47	Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersMaster's degree	$49,960	$39,910 – $79,050	+11.7%
48	Nuclear Medicine TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$104,950	$84,590 – $122,800	+11.7%
49	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,130	$34,680 – $61,750	+11.6%
50	General Internal Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$140,680	$63,940 – $349,420	+11.6%

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 growing jobs in Illinois, 2024–34

More for Illinois

Metro areas in Illinois

By field in Illinois

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34