High paying entry level jobs in Kankakee, IL

These occupations in Kankakee, 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 Kankakee, IL run 3.6% below the national average (2024), so a Kankakee, IL salary is worth about 1.04× 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 Kankakee, IL

OccupationMedian, Kankakee, IL · Employed

1Pharmacists$140,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,990 – $163,15090
2Dentists, General$137,390
Doctoral or professional degree
$106,790 – $290,09040
3Nurse Practitioners$128,320
Master's degree
$96,500 – $154,290100
4Software Developers$116,550
Bachelor's degree
$62,200 – $168,22060
5Lawyers$107,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,020 – $242,89050
6Physical Therapists$99,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,860 – $129,77060
7Project Management Specialists$95,790
Bachelor's degree
$60,870 – $136,54070
8Industrial Engineers$94,690
Bachelor's degree
$59,680 – $124,60080
9Registered Nurses$86,220
Bachelor's degree
$66,020 – $108,7201,390
10Respiratory Therapists$84,490
Associate's degree
$67,270 – $101,45060
11Financial and Investment Analysts$84,370
Bachelor's degree
$62,440 – $117,23040
12Mechanical Engineers$81,840
Bachelor's degree
$56,130 – $130,19040
13Computer Systems Analysts$80,190
Bachelor's degree
$62,450 – $134,39080
14Business Operations Specialists, All Other$80,020
Bachelor's degree
$45,080 – $122,390130
15Occupational Therapists$79,620
Master's degree
$56,370 – $118,24040
16Network and Computer Systems Administrators$79,310
Bachelor's degree
$58,750 – $125,85050
17Dental Hygienists$78,430
Associate's degree
$60,570 – $97,33050
18Logisticians$77,460
Bachelor's degree
$49,250 – $108,74050
19Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,620
Associate's degree
$51,850 – $100,30070
20Accountants and Auditors$71,610
Bachelor's degree
$48,970 – $116,600210
21Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,830 – $80,630240
22Physical Therapist Assistants$64,960
Associate's degree
$57,970 – $80,63040
23Human Resources Specialists$63,720
Bachelor's degree
$44,440 – $99,630160
24Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$62,610
Bachelor's degree
$44,320 – $78,680100
25Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$61,420
Bachelor's degree
$48,290 – $75,870110
26Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$61,200
Bachelor's degree
$37,950 – $95,800820
27Surgical Technologists$59,940
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,900 – $69,94040
28Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$59,800
Bachelor's degree
$46,510 – $75,410280
29Child, Family, and School Social Workers$58,180
Bachelor's degree
$35,710 – $93,590140
30Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$57,980
Bachelor's degree
$45,470 – $77,410360
31Special Education Teachers, Middle School$57,620
Bachelor's degree
$45,110 – $73,99050
32Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$56,960
Bachelor's degree
$44,580 – $78,84040
33Medical Records Specialists$56,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,020 – $80,29040
34Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$56,110
Bachelor's degree
$34,580 – $92,280100
35Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$56,090
Master's degree
$40,220 – $72,65050
36Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$54,860
Master's degree
$38,330 – $82,670100
37Rehabilitation Counselors$53,060
Master's degree
$39,850 – $79,88060
38Coaches and Scouts$49,240
Bachelor's degree
$31,200 – $87,730100
39Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$48,500
Bachelor's degree
$38,000 – $78,400420
40Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$47,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,040 – $83,08070
41Dental Assistants$45,610
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,690 – $56,70060
42Phlebotomists$40,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,170 – $47,960540
43Medical Assistants$38,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,730 – $45,000210
44Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,030
Associate's degree
$33,500 – $57,500190
45Nursing Assistants$37,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,750 – $49,760860
46Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$36,700
Bachelor's degree
$31,200 – $48,530200
47Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$35,430
Some college, no degree
$31,200 – $44,580590
48Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$31,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,200 – $54,39040

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

#	Occupation	MedianKankakee, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,960	$110,990 – $163,150	90
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$137,390	$106,790 – $290,090	40
3	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,320	$96,500 – $154,290	100
4	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$116,550	$62,200 – $168,220	60
5	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$107,030	$80,020 – $242,890	50
6	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,770	$74,860 – $129,770	60
7	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$95,790	$60,870 – $136,540	70
8	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,690	$59,680 – $124,600	80
9	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$86,220	$66,020 – $108,720	1,390
10	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$84,490	$67,270 – $101,450	60
11	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,370	$62,440 – $117,230	40
12	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$81,840	$56,130 – $130,190	40
13	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,190	$62,450 – $134,390	80
14	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,020	$45,080 – $122,390	130
15	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$79,620	$56,370 – $118,240	40
16	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$79,310	$58,750 – $125,850	50
17	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$78,430	$60,570 – $97,330	50
18	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$77,460	$49,250 – $108,740	50
19	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,620	$51,850 – $100,300	70
20	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$71,610	$48,970 – $116,600	210
21	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,910	$52,830 – $80,630	240
22	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,960	$57,970 – $80,630	40
23	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,720	$44,440 – $99,630	160
24	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,610	$44,320 – $78,680	100
25	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$61,420	$48,290 – $75,870	110
26	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$61,200	$37,950 – $95,800	820
27	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,940	$40,900 – $69,940	40
28	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$59,800	$46,510 – $75,410	280
29	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$58,180	$35,710 – $93,590	140
30	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$57,980	$45,470 – $77,410	360
31	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$57,620	$45,110 – $73,990	50
32	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$56,960	$44,580 – $78,840	40
33	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,450	$37,020 – $80,290	40
34	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$56,110	$34,580 – $92,280	100
35	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$56,090	$40,220 – $72,650	50
36	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$54,860	$38,330 – $82,670	100
37	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$53,060	$39,850 – $79,880	60
38	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$49,240	$31,200 – $87,730	100
39	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$48,500	$38,000 – $78,400	420
40	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$47,450	$37,040 – $83,080	70
41	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,610	$36,690 – $56,700	60
42	PhlebotomistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$40,230	$38,170 – $47,960	540
43	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$38,440	$36,730 – $45,000	210
44	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$38,030	$33,500 – $57,500	190
45	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$37,900	$32,750 – $49,760	860
46	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$36,700	$31,200 – $48,530	200
47	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$35,430	$31,200 – $44,580	590
48	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$31,200	$31,200 – $54,390	40

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

High paying entry level jobs in Kankakee, IL

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