High paying entry level jobs in Rockford, IL

These occupations in Rockford, 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 Rockford, IL run 7.8% below the national average (2024), so a Rockford, IL salary is worth about 1.09× 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 Rockford, IL

OccupationMedian, Rockford, IL · Employed

1Dentists, General$214,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$115,610 – $309,100130
2Pharmacists$134,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,060 – $163,400300
3Veterinarians$132,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,890 – $378,36050
4Physician Assistants$127,800
Master's degree
$106,480 – $158,27060
5Nurse Practitioners$127,720
Master's degree
$98,420 – $149,490240
6Electrical Engineers$112,350
Bachelor's degree
$75,290 – $136,030180
7Software Developers$107,640
Bachelor's degree
$69,020 – $165,040380
8Lawyers$103,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,720 – $225,630340
9Physical Therapists$101,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,950 – $127,810190
10Mechanical Engineers$99,150
Bachelor's degree
$70,750 – $141,620640
11Occupational Therapists$96,620
Master's degree
$65,170 – $125,330130
12Financial and Investment Analysts$96,160
Bachelor's degree
$66,110 – $139,970170
13Computer Systems Analysts$95,430
Bachelor's degree
$65,370 – $127,100210
14Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$95,020
Associate's degree
$78,190 – $109,130110
15Civil Engineers$94,850
Bachelor's degree
$58,160 – $138,910160
16Project Management Specialists$94,690
Bachelor's degree
$61,200 – $144,060390
17Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$94,450
Bachelor's degree
$57,800 – $129,40060
18Industrial Engineers$93,980
Bachelor's degree
$69,020 – $132,710860
19Data Scientists$92,990
Bachelor's degree
$62,400 – $137,710100
20Network and Computer Systems Administrators$92,260
Bachelor's degree
$60,120 – $133,810170
21Urban and Regional Planners$88,160
Master's degree
$50,630 – $120,63050
22Dental Hygienists$86,120
Associate's degree
$78,410 – $97,590370
23Computer Occupations, All Other$84,190
Bachelor's degree
$47,440 – $152,26060
24Registered Nurses$80,930
Bachelor's degree
$66,320 – $112,7904,620
25Logisticians$78,560
Bachelor's degree
$45,540 – $132,360220
26Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,500
Bachelor's degree
$47,860 – $104,000880
27Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$78,070
Bachelor's degree
$46,420 – $100,570220
28Respiratory Therapists$77,640
Associate's degree
$62,680 – $98,970160
29Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,920
Bachelor's degree
$47,550 – $103,390750
30Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$76,380
Bachelor's degree
$46,950 – $99,610230
31Special Education Teachers, Middle School$75,540
Bachelor's degree
$47,190 – $105,040140
32Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,500
Associate's degree
$49,340 – $98,420260
33Accountants and Auditors$75,260
Bachelor's degree
$47,960 – $115,990850
34Chiropractors$74,190
Doctoral or professional degree
$32,010 – $148,88070
35Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$72,910
Bachelor's degree
$47,700 – $91,680300
36Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$71,190
Associate's degree
$46,370 – $88,07070
37Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$70,090
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,170 – $82,460440
38Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,190
Associate's degree
$49,020 – $95,31050
39Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,910
Associate's degree
$56,230 – $86,66090
40Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$66,450
Associate's degree
$36,930 – $102,380110
41Human Resources Specialists$65,490
Bachelor's degree
$46,830 – $94,930650
42Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$65,310
Bachelor's degree
$44,990 – $103,050100
43Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$64,200
Bachelor's degree
$47,020 – $97,7701,530
44Business Operations Specialists, All Other$64,060
Bachelor's degree
$39,450 – $127,190380
45Physical Therapist Assistants$64,040
Associate's degree
$40,340 – $78,19090
46Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,440
Associate's degree
$47,080 – $110,18060
47Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$62,610
Master's degree
$34,800 – $94,220250
48Public Relations Specialists$62,500
Bachelor's degree
$40,660 – $104,70070
49Child, Family, and School Social Workers$61,940
Bachelor's degree
$36,530 – $94,030450
50Fundraisers$61,900
Bachelor's degree
$45,840 – $80,78080

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

#	Occupation	MedianRockford, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$214,670	$115,610 – $309,100	130
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,190	$105,060 – $163,400	300
3	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$132,720	$62,890 – $378,360	50
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,800	$106,480 – $158,270	60
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$127,720	$98,420 – $149,490	240
6	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$112,350	$75,290 – $136,030	180
7	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$107,640	$69,020 – $165,040	380
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$103,190	$73,720 – $225,630	340
9	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$101,340	$75,950 – $127,810	190
10	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,150	$70,750 – $141,620	640
11	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$96,620	$65,170 – $125,330	130
12	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$96,160	$66,110 – $139,970	170
13	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,430	$65,370 – $127,100	210
14	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$95,020	$78,190 – $109,130	110
15	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$94,850	$58,160 – $138,910	160
16	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,690	$61,200 – $144,060	390
17	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,450	$57,800 – $129,400	60
18	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$93,980	$69,020 – $132,710	860
19	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$92,990	$62,400 – $137,710	100
20	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$92,260	$60,120 – $133,810	170
21	Urban and Regional PlannersMaster's degree	$88,160	$50,630 – $120,630	50
22	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$86,120	$78,410 – $97,590	370
23	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,190	$47,440 – $152,260	60
24	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$80,930	$66,320 – $112,790	4,620
25	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$78,560	$45,540 – $132,360	220
26	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,500	$47,860 – $104,000	880
27	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,070	$46,420 – $100,570	220
28	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$77,640	$62,680 – $98,970	160
29	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$76,920	$47,550 – $103,390	750
30	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$76,380	$46,950 – $99,610	230
31	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$75,540	$47,190 – $105,040	140
32	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,500	$49,340 – $98,420	260
33	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$75,260	$47,960 – $115,990	850
34	ChiropractorsDoctoral or professional degree	$74,190	$32,010 – $148,880	70
35	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$72,910	$47,700 – $91,680	300
36	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$71,190	$46,370 – $88,070	70
37	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$70,090	$52,170 – $82,460	440
38	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,190	$49,020 – $95,310	50
39	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,910	$56,230 – $86,660	90
40	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,450	$36,930 – $102,380	110
41	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,490	$46,830 – $94,930	650
42	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$65,310	$44,990 – $103,050	100
43	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$64,200	$47,020 – $97,770	1,530
44	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$64,060	$39,450 – $127,190	380
45	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,040	$40,340 – $78,190	90
46	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,440	$47,080 – $110,180	60
47	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$62,610	$34,800 – $94,220	250
48	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$62,500	$40,660 – $104,700	70
49	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$61,940	$36,530 – $94,030	450
50	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$61,900	$45,840 – $80,780	80

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

High paying entry level jobs in Rockford, IL

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