High paying entry level jobs in Illinois

These occupations in Illinois 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 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 · Employed

1Lawyers$160,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,160 – $330,20033,590
2Dentists, General$156,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,920 – $291,5306,940
3Pharmacists$139,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,970 – $169,43012,070
4Veterinarians$133,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,840 – $280,3802,330
5Software Developers$132,110
Bachelor's degree
$80,980 – $194,74056,310
6Physician Assistants$131,950
Master's degree
$105,160 – $162,3303,790
7Nurse Practitioners$130,680
Master's degree
$102,440 – $161,4709,270
8Engineers, All Other$111,930
Bachelor's degree
$58,920 – $168,7702,520
9Electrical Engineers$107,860
Bachelor's degree
$75,470 – $164,2905,460
10Data Scientists$106,560
Bachelor's degree
$68,810 – $168,88010,520
11Physical Therapists$105,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,000 – $140,4109,800
12Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$104,910
Bachelor's degree
$65,480 – $150,6206,530
13Database Administrators$104,650
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $163,9702,340
14Financial Risk Specialists$104,300
Bachelor's degree
$65,260 – $202,2602,920
15Project Management Specialists$103,470
Bachelor's degree
$65,300 – $163,91027,180
16Mechanical Engineers$102,680
Bachelor's degree
$72,150 – $160,16011,790
17Computer Systems Analysts$101,570
Bachelor's degree
$60,770 – $144,79020,610
18Financial and Investment Analysts$101,180
Bachelor's degree
$64,700 – $166,09020,520
19Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,660
Associate's degree
$78,350 – $122,6803,270
20Industrial Engineers$100,540
Bachelor's degree
$73,780 – $155,65018,640
21Network and Computer Systems Administrators$100,080
Bachelor's degree
$65,650 – $157,8009,820
22Civil Engineers$99,760
Bachelor's degree
$69,590 – $157,41013,910
23Occupational Therapists$99,700
Master's degree
$73,360 – $132,1807,710
24Computer Occupations, All Other$99,360
Bachelor's degree
$53,590 – $167,08011,160
25Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$99,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,340 – $207,9302,340
26Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$98,270
Bachelor's degree
$61,160 – $137,0002,900
27Dental Hygienists$96,670
Associate's degree
$74,280 – $118,4108,970
28Registered Nurses$95,990
Bachelor's degree
$69,170 – $118,190138,910
29Business Teachers, Postsecondary$94,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,590 – $215,8003,580
30Operations Research Analysts$89,800
Bachelor's degree
$62,500 – $164,9905,180
31Web and Digital Interface Designers$85,710
Bachelor's degree
$58,090 – $157,6702,050
32Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,510
Associate's degree
$56,960 – $120,9001,980
33Chemists$85,230
Bachelor's degree
$60,740 – $141,3103,040
34Credit Analysts$84,990
Bachelor's degree
$58,400 – $172,1803,130
35Web Developers$84,820
Bachelor's degree
$70,650 – $128,7004,310
36Respiratory Therapists$84,090
Associate's degree
$64,480 – $100,1004,880
37Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$82,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,550 – $143,8904,700
38Business Operations Specialists, All Other$82,070
Bachelor's degree
$46,360 – $137,10032,940
39Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$81,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,460 – $130,9503,370
40Financial Specialists, All Other$81,180
Bachelor's degree
$50,240 – $147,2305,850
41Accountants and Auditors$80,230
Bachelor's degree
$54,510 – $131,99054,930
42Surgical Assistants$80,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$64,220 – $83,7402,300
43Logisticians$80,100
Bachelor's degree
$48,020 – $128,07014,170
44Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$79,990
Bachelor's degree
$49,020 – $135,96044,670
45Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,930
Associate's degree
$59,350 – $104,2107,650
46Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$79,890
Bachelor's degree
$49,920 – $129,2609,490
47Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,190
Associate's degree
$49,130 – $119,9904,190
48Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$79,120
Bachelor's degree
$46,970 – $139,11040,560
49Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$77,960
Bachelor's degree
$49,790 – $104,49014,040
50Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$77,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,930 – $130,9502,260

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	Employed
1	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$160,800	$82,160 – $330,200	33,590
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$156,110	$123,920 – $291,530	6,940
3	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,080	$98,970 – $169,430	12,070
4	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$133,580	$74,840 – $280,380	2,330
5	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$132,110	$80,980 – $194,740	56,310
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,950	$105,160 – $162,330	3,790
7	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,680	$102,440 – $161,470	9,270
8	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$111,930	$58,920 – $168,770	2,520
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,860	$75,470 – $164,290	5,460
10	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$106,560	$68,810 – $168,880	10,520
11	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$105,250	$83,000 – $140,410	9,800
12	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$104,910	$65,480 – $150,620	6,530
13	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$104,650	$59,990 – $163,970	2,340
14	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,300	$65,260 – $202,260	2,920
15	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$103,470	$65,300 – $163,910	27,180
16	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$102,680	$72,150 – $160,160	11,790
17	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,570	$60,770 – $144,790	20,610
18	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,180	$64,700 – $166,090	20,520
19	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,660	$78,350 – $122,680	3,270
20	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,540	$73,780 – $155,650	18,640
21	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$100,080	$65,650 – $157,800	9,820
22	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,760	$69,590 – $157,410	13,910
23	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$99,700	$73,360 – $132,180	7,710
24	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,360	$53,590 – $167,080	11,160
25	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$99,060	$47,340 – $207,930	2,340
26	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$98,270	$61,160 – $137,000	2,900
27	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$96,670	$74,280 – $118,410	8,970
28	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$95,990	$69,170 – $118,190	138,910
29	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$94,770	$37,590 – $215,800	3,580
30	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$89,800	$62,500 – $164,990	5,180
31	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$85,710	$58,090 – $157,670	2,050
32	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,510	$56,960 – $120,900	1,980
33	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$85,230	$60,740 – $141,310	3,040
34	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,990	$58,400 – $172,180	3,130
35	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$84,820	$70,650 – $128,700	4,310
36	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$84,090	$64,480 – $100,100	4,880
37	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$82,330	$59,550 – $143,890	4,700
38	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$82,070	$46,360 – $137,100	32,940
39	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,680	$46,460 – $130,950	3,370
40	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$81,180	$50,240 – $147,230	5,850
41	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$80,230	$54,510 – $131,990	54,930
42	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,210	$64,220 – $83,740	2,300
43	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$80,100	$48,020 – $128,070	14,170
44	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$79,990	$49,020 – $135,960	44,670
45	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,930	$59,350 – $104,210	7,650
46	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,890	$49,920 – $129,260	9,490
47	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,190	$49,130 – $119,990	4,190
48	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,120	$46,970 – $139,110	40,560
49	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,960	$49,790 – $104,490	14,040
50	Psychology Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$77,860	$37,930 – $130,950	2,260

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Illinois. 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.

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.

High paying entry level jobs in Illinois

More for Illinois

Metro areas in Illinois

By field in Illinois

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state