High paying entry level jobs in Peoria, IL

These occupations in Peoria, 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 Peoria, IL run 8.8% below the national average (2024), so a Peoria, IL salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Peoria, IL

OccupationMedian, Peoria, IL · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$310,930
Master's degree
$96,600 – $313,110100
2Dentists, General$168,780
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,470 – $345,680110
3Lawyers$161,150
Doctoral or professional degree
$79,260 – $293,940560
4Pharmacists$139,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$109,910 – $162,390340
5Veterinarians$135,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,980 – $269,70070
6Physician Assistants$133,170
Master's degree
$106,730 – $156,690110
7Software Developers$130,590
Bachelor's degree
$89,350 – $166,6801,650
8Operations Research Analysts$129,300
Bachelor's degree
$62,830 – $170,620130
9Nurse Practitioners$128,920
Master's degree
$99,590 – $157,670320
10Mechanical Engineers$128,710
Bachelor's degree
$99,880 – $166,6202,120
11Project Management Specialists$123,730
Bachelor's degree
$67,570 – $171,040730
12Data Scientists$120,000
Bachelor's degree
$74,290 – $157,260340
13Financial Risk Specialists$119,580
Bachelor's degree
$74,320 – $156,83060
14Industrial Engineers$117,180
Bachelor's degree
$78,080 – $166,6601,500
15Engineers, All Other$114,820
Bachelor's degree
$62,140 – $157,580120
16Computer Systems Analysts$103,440
Bachelor's degree
$75,300 – $140,710770
17Network and Computer Systems Administrators$102,630
Bachelor's degree
$64,010 – $169,890330
18Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$102,610
Associate's degree
$62,890 – $124,110100
19Electrical Engineers$101,500
Bachelor's degree
$75,670 – $161,200160
20Physical Therapists$98,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,400 – $135,420300
21Occupational Therapists$96,920
Master's degree
$65,930 – $127,190190
22Computer Occupations, All Other$96,890
Bachelor's degree
$55,680 – $173,660140
23Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$96,700
Bachelor's degree
$64,070 – $129,17080
24Civil Engineers$95,140
Bachelor's degree
$62,580 – $155,190430
25Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$94,520
Bachelor's degree
$53,560 – $133,590120
26Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$92,090
Associate's degree
$77,810 – $113,460170
27Logisticians$85,930
Bachelor's degree
$44,830 – $155,820570
28Financial and Investment Analysts$83,500
Bachelor's degree
$49,010 – $132,580420
29Registered Nurses$81,010
Bachelor's degree
$68,980 – $100,3305,460
30Accountants and Auditors$79,540
Bachelor's degree
$52,910 – $130,6601,350
31Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,480
Associate's degree
$47,660 – $103,190220
32Financial Specialists, All Other$78,900
Bachelor's degree
$48,750 – $99,480100
33Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$78,700
Bachelor's degree
$42,960 – $138,2001,080
34Dental Hygienists$77,870
Associate's degree
$65,530 – $95,820270
35Respiratory Therapists$77,660
Associate's degree
$64,370 – $91,480210
36Business Operations Specialists, All Other$76,490
Bachelor's degree
$42,220 – $124,100740
37Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$76,490
Associate's degree
$57,720 – $94,630310
38Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$76,420
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,380 – $128,24060
39Public Relations Specialists$76,150
Bachelor's degree
$44,500 – $133,06090
40Human Resources Specialists$74,020
Bachelor's degree
$48,290 – $123,300890
41Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$72,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,040 – $78,870630
42Chiropractors$70,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$31,720 – $139,40080
43Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$66,560
Bachelor's degree
$46,780 – $94,450300
44Fundraisers$63,280
Bachelor's degree
$40,250 – $114,75090
45Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,620
Bachelor's degree
$47,440 – $79,1801,230
46Special Education Teachers, Middle School$61,260
Bachelor's degree
$46,230 – $82,380150
47Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$61,220
Bachelor's degree
$45,180 – $80,940920
48Paralegals and Legal Assistants$61,220
Associate's degree
$42,920 – $98,230370
49Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$61,200
Bachelor's degree
$47,810 – $80,670290
50Physical Therapist Assistants$61,120
Associate's degree
$44,930 – $81,530160

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

#	Occupation	MedianPeoria, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$310,930	$96,600 – $313,110	100
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$168,780	$75,470 – $345,680	110
3	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$161,150	$79,260 – $293,940	560
4	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,900	$109,910 – $162,390	340
5	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$135,860	$61,980 – $269,700	70
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,170	$106,730 – $156,690	110
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$130,590	$89,350 – $166,680	1,650
8	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$129,300	$62,830 – $170,620	130
9	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,920	$99,590 – $157,670	320
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,710	$99,880 – $166,620	2,120
11	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$123,730	$67,570 – $171,040	730
12	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$120,000	$74,290 – $157,260	340
13	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$119,580	$74,320 – $156,830	60
14	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,180	$78,080 – $166,660	1,500
15	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$114,820	$62,140 – $157,580	120
16	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$103,440	$75,300 – $140,710	770
17	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$102,630	$64,010 – $169,890	330
18	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$102,610	$62,890 – $124,110	100
19	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,500	$75,670 – $161,200	160
20	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,860	$78,400 – $135,420	300
21	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$96,920	$65,930 – $127,190	190
22	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,890	$55,680 – $173,660	140
23	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$96,700	$64,070 – $129,170	80
24	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$95,140	$62,580 – $155,190	430
25	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,520	$53,560 – $133,590	120
26	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$92,090	$77,810 – $113,460	170
27	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$85,930	$44,830 – $155,820	570
28	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,500	$49,010 – $132,580	420
29	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,010	$68,980 – $100,330	5,460
30	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$79,540	$52,910 – $130,660	1,350
31	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,480	$47,660 – $103,190	220
32	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,900	$48,750 – $99,480	100
33	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,700	$42,960 – $138,200	1,080
34	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$77,870	$65,530 – $95,820	270
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$77,660	$64,370 – $91,480	210
36	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$76,490	$42,220 – $124,100	740
37	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,490	$57,720 – $94,630	310
38	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$76,420	$60,380 – $128,240	60
39	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,150	$44,500 – $133,060	90
40	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,020	$48,290 – $123,300	890
41	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,270	$58,040 – $78,870	630
42	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$70,460	$31,720 – $139,400	80
43	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$66,560	$46,780 – $94,450	300
44	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$63,280	$40,250 – $114,750	90
45	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,620	$47,440 – $79,180	1,230
46	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$61,260	$46,230 – $82,380	150
47	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$61,220	$45,180 – $80,940	920
48	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,220	$42,920 – $98,230	370
49	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$61,200	$47,810 – $80,670	290
50	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,120	$44,930 – $81,530	160

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

High paying entry level jobs in Peoria, IL

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