High paying entry level jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

These occupations in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN run 3.6% above the national average (2024), so a Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN salary is worth about 0.97× 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

OccupationMedian, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · Employed

1Lawyers$165,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$87,070 – $331,14028,320
2Dentists, General$156,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,920 – $290,8505,910
3Veterinarians$148,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,770 – $289,3101,530
4Pharmacists$140,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,950 – $171,7108,930
5Physicists$137,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,830 – $221,3801,510
6Software Developers$134,380
Bachelor's degree
$83,820 – $203,41040,370
7Nurse Practitioners$131,740
Master's degree
$106,260 – $164,7506,530
8Physician Assistants$127,940
Master's degree
$105,160 – $164,2003,050
9Engineers, All Other$121,910
Bachelor's degree
$61,860 – $172,2601,570
10Electrical Engineers$113,520
Bachelor's degree
$76,660 – $165,8904,290
11Database Administrators$109,680
Bachelor's degree
$60,150 – $164,0501,870
12Data Scientists$107,640
Bachelor's degree
$70,740 – $168,8807,940
13Physical Therapists$105,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,220 – $142,3207,880
14Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$105,580
Bachelor's degree
$67,010 – $152,9005,010
15Financial Risk Specialists$105,370
Bachelor's degree
$65,860 – $205,1402,360
16Project Management Specialists$105,320
Bachelor's degree
$67,350 – $165,78021,040
17Computer Systems Analysts$103,490
Bachelor's degree
$61,860 – $151,49014,660
18Network and Computer Systems Administrators$103,170
Bachelor's degree
$68,990 – $162,2906,950
19Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$103,080
Associate's degree
$82,660 – $123,9902,280
20Mechanical Engineers$102,070
Bachelor's degree
$66,900 – $157,7206,900
21Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$101,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,340 – $208,9601,760
22Industrial Engineers$101,760
Bachelor's degree
$74,420 – $155,48012,750
23Financial and Investment Analysts$101,750
Bachelor's degree
$67,480 – $167,30017,150
24Computer Occupations, All Other$101,660
Bachelor's degree
$57,690 – $170,0907,800
25Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$101,630
Bachelor's degree
$61,070 – $140,0402,250
26Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$100,610
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,060 – $130,9502,090
27Registered Nurses$100,490
Bachelor's degree
$77,410 – $119,260100,240
28Dental Hygienists$100,260
Associate's degree
$74,280 – $118,4106,470
29Civil Engineers$100,160
Bachelor's degree
$74,130 – $159,9409,760
30Occupational Therapists$99,860
Master's degree
$73,900 – $136,1605,960
31Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,970
Bachelor's degree
$60,380 – $140,60032,790
32Web Developers$96,870
Bachelor's degree
$72,790 – $134,3302,790
33Business Teachers, Postsecondary$93,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,030 – $215,5002,450
34Credit Analysts$92,900
Bachelor's degree
$61,190 – $172,1802,560
35Chemists$90,920
Bachelor's degree
$62,330 – $145,9302,630
36Web and Digital Interface Designers$87,920
Bachelor's degree
$59,450 – $162,0501,470
37Respiratory Therapists$87,060
Associate's degree
$74,560 – $100,1003,620
38Operations Research Analysts$86,500
Bachelor's degree
$62,470 – $148,6003,680
39Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,510
Associate's degree
$58,230 – $120,9001,590
40Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$83,240
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,500 – $143,5103,810
41Accountants and Auditors$82,360
Bachelor's degree
$59,530 – $134,10041,360
42Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$82,350
Bachelor's degree
$60,540 – $131,5307,360
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$82,140
Associate's degree
$60,130 – $106,1505,650
44Financial Specialists, All Other$81,740
Bachelor's degree
$54,930 – $155,5404,630
45Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,360
Associate's degree
$51,940 – $126,5202,250
46Business Operations Specialists, All Other$81,170
Bachelor's degree
$47,510 – $138,79021,760
47Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$80,400
Bachelor's degree
$49,910 – $140,26030,970
48Surgical Assistants$80,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$64,220 – $80,2102,090
49Logisticians$79,900
Bachelor's degree
$48,430 – $127,15010,220
50Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$79,690
Bachelor's degree
$53,010 – $104,49011,210

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

#	Occupation	MedianChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$165,660	$87,070 – $331,140	28,320
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$156,100	$123,920 – $290,850	5,910
3	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$148,730	$80,770 – $289,310	1,530
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,880	$84,950 – $171,710	8,930
5	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$137,140	$81,830 – $221,380	1,510
6	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$134,380	$83,820 – $203,410	40,370
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$131,740	$106,260 – $164,750	6,530
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,940	$105,160 – $164,200	3,050
9	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$121,910	$61,860 – $172,260	1,570
10	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$113,520	$76,660 – $165,890	4,290
11	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$109,680	$60,150 – $164,050	1,870
12	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$107,640	$70,740 – $168,880	7,940
13	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$105,720	$85,220 – $142,320	7,880
14	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$105,580	$67,010 – $152,900	5,010
15	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$105,370	$65,860 – $205,140	2,360
16	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$105,320	$67,350 – $165,780	21,040
17	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,490	$61,860 – $151,490	14,660
18	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$103,170	$68,990 – $162,290	6,950
19	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$103,080	$82,660 – $123,990	2,280
20	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,070	$66,900 – $157,720	6,900
21	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,960	$47,340 – $208,960	1,760
22	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,760	$74,420 – $155,480	12,750
23	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,750	$67,480 – $167,300	17,150
24	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$101,660	$57,690 – $170,090	7,800
25	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$101,630	$61,070 – $140,040	2,250
26	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$100,610	$50,060 – $130,950	2,090
27	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$100,490	$77,410 – $119,260	100,240
28	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$100,260	$74,280 – $118,410	6,470
29	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,160	$74,130 – $159,940	9,760
30	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,860	$73,900 – $136,160	5,960
31	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,970	$60,380 – $140,600	32,790
32	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$96,870	$72,790 – $134,330	2,790
33	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,670	$35,030 – $215,500	2,450
34	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$92,900	$61,190 – $172,180	2,560
35	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$90,920	$62,330 – $145,930	2,630
36	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$87,920	$59,450 – $162,050	1,470
37	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$87,060	$74,560 – $100,100	3,620
38	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$86,500	$62,470 – $148,600	3,680
39	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,510	$58,230 – $120,900	1,590
40	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$83,240	$64,500 – $143,510	3,810
41	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$82,360	$59,530 – $134,100	41,360
42	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$82,350	$60,540 – $131,530	7,360
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,140	$60,130 – $106,150	5,650
44	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,740	$54,930 – $155,540	4,630
45	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,360	$51,940 – $126,520	2,250
46	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,170	$47,510 – $138,790	21,760
47	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,400	$49,910 – $140,260	30,970
48	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,210	$64,220 – $80,210	2,090
49	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$79,900	$48,430 – $127,150	10,220
50	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,690	$53,010 – $104,490	11,210

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

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