High paying entry level jobs in Decatur, IL

These occupations in Decatur, 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 Decatur, IL run 11.6% below the national average (2024), so a Decatur, IL salary is worth about 1.13× 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 Decatur, IL

OccupationMedian, Decatur, IL · Employed

1Pharmacists$145,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,180 – $167,29060
2Physical Therapists$125,600
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,580 – $147,63040
3Nurse Practitioners$110,820
Master's degree
$105,450 – $141,07080
4Software Developers$110,300
Bachelor's degree
$67,930 – $157,26070
5Electrical Engineers$103,030
Bachelor's degree
$76,740 – $162,77050
6Project Management Specialists$102,870
Bachelor's degree
$62,850 – $151,10060
7Lawyers$100,790
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,710 – $211,61070
8Civil Engineers$96,170
Bachelor's degree
$64,520 – $156,110100
9Network and Computer Systems Administrators$94,700
Bachelor's degree
$63,090 – $141,91050
10Registered Nurses$87,170
Bachelor's degree
$71,910 – $104,930790
11Logisticians$81,760
Bachelor's degree
$49,780 – $125,830110
12Dental Hygienists$80,930
Associate's degree
$67,960 – $102,49060
13Computer Systems Analysts$80,410
Bachelor's degree
$61,070 – $116,16060
14Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$79,880
Bachelor's degree
$65,060 – $134,63060
15Accountants and Auditors$76,720
Bachelor's degree
$51,890 – $114,000260
16Business Operations Specialists, All Other$73,080
Bachelor's degree
$41,440 – $136,410140
17Financial and Investment Analysts$72,620
Bachelor's degree
$55,710 – $108,25030
18Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$68,080
Bachelor's degree
$38,760 – $116,060140
19Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$66,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,640 – $79,710220
20Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,390
Bachelor's degree
$47,140 – $77,86040
21Physical Therapist Assistants$65,210
Associate's degree
$40,290 – $99,41040
22Human Resources Specialists$63,700
Bachelor's degree
$44,440 – $96,090140
23Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$63,530
Bachelor's degree
$45,470 – $75,37040
24Special Education Teachers, Middle School$63,520
Bachelor's degree
$48,520 – $83,28050
25Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$62,980
Bachelor's degree
$51,520 – $91,910100
26Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,400
Bachelor's degree
$40,170 – $89,56050
27Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$62,000
Bachelor's degree
$46,870 – $123,980310
28Public Relations Specialists$59,840
Bachelor's degree
$37,460 – $99,30030
29Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$59,690
Bachelor's degree
$39,740 – $76,110180
30Paralegals and Legal Assistants$59,690
Associate's degree
$45,280 – $85,05030
31Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$59,050
Bachelor's degree
$45,710 – $76,750370
32Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$58,550
Master's degree
$41,490 – $80,45040
33Child, Family, and School Social Workers$57,270
Bachelor's degree
$46,640 – $93,590160
34Library Technicians$50,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,200 – $60,90040
35Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$50,290
Master's degree
$43,370 – $75,910100
36Medical Records Specialists$50,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,410 – $66,19030
37Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$48,480
Some college, no degree
$31,200 – $62,870550
38Graphic Designers$48,100
Bachelor's degree
$34,320 – $82,03040
39Dental Assistants$47,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,670 – $59,29060
40Phlebotomists$47,720
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,550 – $50,29060
41Rehabilitation Counselors$46,260
Master's degree
$39,970 – $76,79040
42Medical Assistants$43,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,170 – $49,030130
43Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$42,740
Associate's degree
$36,860 – $59,220130
44Nursing Assistants$41,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,390 – $51,290600
45Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$41,470
Bachelor's degree
$33,050 – $48,19030
46Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$39,000
Bachelor's degree
$34,820 – $56,160160
47Coaches and Scouts$38,870
Bachelor's degree
$31,200 – $78,26060
48Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$32,620
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,200 – $53,84070

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

#	Occupation	MedianDecatur, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$145,960	$106,180 – $167,290	60
2	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$125,600	$85,580 – $147,630	40
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$110,820	$105,450 – $141,070	80
4	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$110,300	$67,930 – $157,260	70
5	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,030	$76,740 – $162,770	50
6	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,870	$62,850 – $151,100	60
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$100,790	$74,710 – $211,610	70
8	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,170	$64,520 – $156,110	100
9	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$94,700	$63,090 – $141,910	50
10	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$87,170	$71,910 – $104,930	790
11	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$81,760	$49,780 – $125,830	110
12	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$80,930	$67,960 – $102,490	60
13	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,410	$61,070 – $116,160	60
14	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,880	$65,060 – $134,630	60
15	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$76,720	$51,890 – $114,000	260
16	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,080	$41,440 – $136,410	140
17	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$72,620	$55,710 – $108,250	30
18	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$68,080	$38,760 – $116,060	140
19	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,750	$54,640 – $79,710	220
20	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$65,390	$47,140 – $77,860	40
21	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,210	$40,290 – $99,410	40
22	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,700	$44,440 – $96,090	140
23	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$63,530	$45,470 – $75,370	40
24	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$63,520	$48,520 – $83,280	50
25	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,980	$51,520 – $91,910	100
26	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,400	$40,170 – $89,560	50
27	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$62,000	$46,870 – $123,980	310
28	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$59,840	$37,460 – $99,300	30
29	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$59,690	$39,740 – $76,110	180
30	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$59,690	$45,280 – $85,050	30
31	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$59,050	$45,710 – $76,750	370
32	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$58,550	$41,490 – $80,450	40
33	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$57,270	$46,640 – $93,590	160
34	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,650	$31,200 – $60,900	40
35	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$50,290	$43,370 – $75,910	100
36	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,070	$37,410 – $66,190	30
37	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$48,480	$31,200 – $62,870	550
38	Graphic DesignersBachelor's degree	$48,100	$34,320 – $82,030	40
39	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,770	$37,670 – $59,290	60
40	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,720	$36,550 – $50,290	60
41	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$46,260	$39,970 – $76,790	40
42	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$43,060	$38,170 – $49,030	130
43	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$42,740	$36,860 – $59,220	130
44	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$41,990	$36,390 – $51,290	600
45	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$41,470	$33,050 – $48,190	30
46	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$39,000	$34,820 – $56,160	160
47	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$38,870	$31,200 – $78,260	60
48	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$32,620	$31,200 – $53,840	70

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Decatur, 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 Decatur, IL to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Decatur, IL

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