High paying entry level jobs in Bloomington, IL

These occupations in Bloomington, IL ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Bloomington, IL run 6.5% below the national average (2024), so a Bloomington, IL salary is worth about 1.07× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Bloomington, IL

OccupationMedian, Bloomington, IL · Employed

1Dentists, General$160,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,970 – $285,81060
2Business Teachers, Postsecondary$148,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,800 – $169,580140
3Nurse Practitioners$139,190
Master's degree
$97,730 – $153,24090
4Pharmacists$139,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,770 – $179,980140
5Optometrists$132,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,920 – $162,22040
6Lawyers$124,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$38,680 – $282,680530
7Software Developers$123,320
Bachelor's degree
$91,360 – $190,1801,570
8Data Scientists$120,760
Bachelor's degree
$73,800 – $191,260590
9Computer Systems Analysts$103,030
Bachelor's degree
$75,960 – $124,990630
10Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$102,070
Bachelor's degree
$74,170 – $122,950240
11Project Management Specialists$101,110
Bachelor's degree
$62,420 – $190,510460
12Mechanical Engineers$100,500
Bachelor's degree
$65,270 – $133,450100
13Electrical Engineers$98,920
Bachelor's degree
$74,900 – $139,99040
14Network and Computer Systems Administrators$97,580
Bachelor's degree
$64,790 – $139,900140
15Physical Therapists$97,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$76,210 – $127,350100
16Civil Engineers$97,070
Bachelor's degree
$60,960 – $127,330120
17Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$93,860
Associate's degree
$72,020 – $104,56050
18Public Relations Specialists$91,630
Bachelor's degree
$49,080 – $132,960110
19Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$90,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,940 – $140,19030
20Occupational Therapists$90,060
Master's degree
$63,370 – $119,93080
21Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$87,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,060 – $101,05050
22Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$85,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$41,340 – $102,47070
23Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$85,280
Doctoral or professional degree
$51,640 – $101,24070
24Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$84,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$34,160 – $116,45070
25Registered Nurses$79,970
Bachelor's degree
$62,980 – $107,2601,990
26English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$78,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$43,710 – $98,70080
27Dental Hygienists$78,220
Associate's degree
$67,570 – $99,130130
28Logisticians$78,030
Bachelor's degree
$46,760 – $98,500180
29Financial and Investment Analysts$77,280
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $193,050630
30Operations Research Analysts$76,890
Bachelor's degree
$50,440 – $130,80060
31Business Operations Specialists, All Other$76,610
Bachelor's degree
$38,820 – $118,920220
32Accountants and Auditors$76,510
Bachelor's degree
$49,250 – $117,910750
33Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$75,530
Bachelor's degree
$55,990 – $104,270150
34Respiratory Therapists$75,490
Associate's degree
$61,310 – $107,33070
35Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$74,590
Associate's degree
$58,710 – $100,780140
36Human Resources Specialists$74,210
Bachelor's degree
$49,710 – $119,830510
37Chiropractors$71,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$45,800 – $149,43040
38Surgical Technologists$68,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,970 – $84,50080
39Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$67,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,960 – $75,740170
40History Teachers, Postsecondary$66,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,980 – $106,51050
41Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$66,300
Master's degree
$49,750 – $84,140180
42Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$66,280
Bachelor's degree
$47,010 – $110,280530
43Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$66,180
Master's degree
$41,120 – $99,150130
44Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$65,590
Bachelor's degree
$47,360 – $106,580670
45Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$65,180
Bachelor's degree
$43,460 – $81,98070
46Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$64,250
Bachelor's degree
$51,610 – $104,620270
47Special Education Teachers, Middle School$64,060
Bachelor's degree
$44,800 – $79,39030
48Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$63,110
Bachelor's degree
$43,980 – $106,110370
49Financial Specialists, All Other$62,680
Bachelor's degree
$37,220 – $176,09040
50Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$62,280
Bachelor's degree
$45,600 – $94,74050

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

#	Occupation	MedianBloomington, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$160,750	$104,970 – $285,810	60
2	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$148,290	$50,800 – $169,580	140
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$139,190	$97,730 – $153,240	90
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,050	$107,770 – $179,980	140
5	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,740	$100,920 – $162,220	40
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$124,100	$38,680 – $282,680	530
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$123,320	$91,360 – $190,180	1,570
8	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$120,760	$73,800 – $191,260	590
9	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,030	$75,960 – $124,990	630
10	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$102,070	$74,170 – $122,950	240
11	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,110	$62,420 – $190,510	460
12	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,500	$65,270 – $133,450	100
13	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$98,920	$74,900 – $139,990	40
14	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$97,580	$64,790 – $139,900	140
15	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$97,250	$76,210 – $127,350	100
16	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,070	$60,960 – $127,330	120
17	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$93,860	$72,020 – $104,560	50
18	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$91,630	$49,080 – $132,960	110
19	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$90,840	$52,940 – $140,190	30
20	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$90,060	$63,370 – $119,930	80
21	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$87,620	$55,060 – $101,050	50
22	Communications Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$85,390	$41,340 – $102,470	70
23	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$85,280	$51,640 – $101,240	70
24	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$84,110	$34,160 – $116,450	70
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$79,970	$62,980 – $107,260	1,990
26	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,860	$43,710 – $98,700	80
27	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$78,220	$67,570 – $99,130	130
28	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$78,030	$46,760 – $98,500	180
29	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$77,280	$59,990 – $193,050	630
30	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$76,890	$50,440 – $130,800	60
31	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,610	$38,820 – $118,920	220
32	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,510	$49,250 – $117,910	750
33	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$75,530	$55,990 – $104,270	150
34	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$75,490	$61,310 – $107,330	70
35	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,590	$58,710 – $100,780	140
36	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,210	$49,710 – $119,830	510
37	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$71,120	$45,800 – $149,430	40
38	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$68,140	$48,970 – $84,500	80
39	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,270	$51,960 – $75,740	170
40	History Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$66,330	$37,980 – $106,510	50
41	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$66,300	$49,750 – $84,140	180
42	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$66,280	$47,010 – $110,280	530
43	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$66,180	$41,120 – $99,150	130
44	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$65,590	$47,360 – $106,580	670
45	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$65,180	$43,460 – $81,980	70
46	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,250	$51,610 – $104,620	270
47	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$64,060	$44,800 – $79,390	30
48	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$63,110	$43,980 – $106,110	370
49	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$62,680	$37,220 – $176,090	40
50	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,280	$45,600 – $94,740	50

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Bloomington, IL. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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

High paying entry level jobs in Bloomington, IL

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