High paying entry level jobs in Springfield, IL

These occupations in Springfield, 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 Springfield, IL run 7.3% below the national average (2024), so a Springfield, IL salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Springfield, IL

OccupationMedian, Springfield, IL · Employed

1Dentists, General$209,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$111,960 – $309,990120
2Pharmacists$135,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,820 – $174,560300
3Physician Assistants$133,750
Master's degree
$97,440 – $158,31050
4Lawyers$131,400
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,650 – $221,700530
5Nurse Practitioners$130,200
Master's degree
$105,870 – $139,970350
6Computer Systems Analysts$117,590
Bachelor's degree
$79,190 – $141,590820
7Physical Therapists$115,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,030 – $147,390150
8Veterinarians$113,890
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,910 – $280,79040
9Network and Computer Systems Administrators$110,600
Bachelor's degree
$71,990 – $153,590520
10Conservation Scientists$107,990
Bachelor's degree
$63,130 – $139,19040
11Civil Engineers$105,750
Bachelor's degree
$74,880 – $163,470440
12Software Developers$104,550
Bachelor's degree
$66,760 – $163,760660
13Environmental Engineers$103,190
Bachelor's degree
$81,590 – $105,590120
14Occupational Therapists$102,810
Master's degree
$70,370 – $137,350100
15Electrical Engineers$101,940
Bachelor's degree
$62,360 – $137,37070
16Project Management Specialists$100,030
Bachelor's degree
$64,000 – $135,810490
17Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$98,470
Associate's degree
$80,710 – $108,840120
18Computer Occupations, All Other$96,890
Bachelor's degree
$60,280 – $134,820150
19Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$96,800
Bachelor's degree
$61,930 – $124,55050
20Business Operations Specialists, All Other$95,990
Bachelor's degree
$59,710 – $136,7902,170
21Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$93,590
Bachelor's degree
$57,590 – $141,590250
22Mechanical Engineers$92,920
Bachelor's degree
$60,210 – $142,18090
23Data Scientists$92,000
Bachelor's degree
$63,570 – $144,000100
24Industrial Engineers$90,680
Bachelor's degree
$64,530 – $138,010110
25Accountants and Auditors$86,440
Bachelor's degree
$57,590 – $141,5901,600
26Registered Nurses$84,220
Bachelor's degree
$69,170 – $107,1404,110
27Chemists$84,110
Bachelor's degree
$58,880 – $107,99040
28Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$83,990
Associate's degree
$52,830 – $112,790220
29Financial and Investment Analysts$83,490
Bachelor's degree
$62,340 – $129,630130
30Dental Hygienists$83,070
Associate's degree
$78,620 – $98,580280
31English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$82,220
Doctoral or professional degree
$37,950 – $108,51030
32Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$82,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$68,070 – $94,92060
33Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$81,590
Bachelor's degree
$62,390 – $134,39040
34Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$80,640
Associate's degree
$51,860 – $103,86040
35Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$79,190
Bachelor's degree
$64,790 – $136,79040
36Database Administrators$79,150
Bachelor's degree
$55,190 – $125,63080
37Human Resources Specialists$78,840
Bachelor's degree
$51,130 – $110,390950
38Respiratory Therapists$78,340
Associate's degree
$64,480 – $104,040140
39Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,800
Associate's degree
$58,050 – $100,080210
40Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$77,430
Bachelor's degree
$48,730 – $97,950150
41Logisticians$77,090
Bachelor's degree
$53,080 – $123,810130
42Child, Family, and School Social Workers$76,330
Bachelor's degree
$40,890 – $115,190830
43Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$75,570
Bachelor's degree
$49,310 – $99,580540
44Special Education Teachers, Middle School$74,590
Bachelor's degree
$48,790 – $100,310110
45Financial Risk Specialists$74,360
Bachelor's degree
$63,750 – $164,28030
46Credit Analysts$73,950
Bachelor's degree
$50,940 – $154,20040
47Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,510
Bachelor's degree
$49,150 – $99,180750
48Health Education Specialists$71,990
Bachelor's degree
$42,460 – $103,19050
49Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$71,180
Bachelor's degree
$67,780 – $71,18040
50Public Relations Specialists$71,110
Bachelor's degree
$47,270 – $117,590110

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

#	Occupation	MedianSpringfield, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$209,430	$111,960 – $309,990	120
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$135,440	$101,820 – $174,560	300
3	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$133,750	$97,440 – $158,310	50
4	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$131,400	$75,650 – $221,700	530
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,200	$105,870 – $139,970	350
6	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$117,590	$79,190 – $141,590	820
7	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$115,990	$81,030 – $147,390	150
8	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$113,890	$62,910 – $280,790	40
9	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$110,600	$71,990 – $153,590	520
10	Conservation ScientistsBachelor's degree	$107,990	$63,130 – $139,190	40
11	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,750	$74,880 – $163,470	440
12	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$104,550	$66,760 – $163,760	660
13	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$103,190	$81,590 – $105,590	120
14	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,810	$70,370 – $137,350	100
15	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$101,940	$62,360 – $137,370	70
16	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,030	$64,000 – $135,810	490
17	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$98,470	$80,710 – $108,840	120
18	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$96,890	$60,280 – $134,820	150
19	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$96,800	$61,930 – $124,550	50
20	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,990	$59,710 – $136,790	2,170
21	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$93,590	$57,590 – $141,590	250
22	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$92,920	$60,210 – $142,180	90
23	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$92,000	$63,570 – $144,000	100
24	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$90,680	$64,530 – $138,010	110
25	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$86,440	$57,590 – $141,590	1,600
26	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$84,220	$69,170 – $107,140	4,110
27	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$84,110	$58,880 – $107,990	40
28	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$83,990	$52,830 – $112,790	220
29	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,490	$62,340 – $129,630	130
30	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$83,070	$78,620 – $98,580	280
31	English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$82,220	$37,950 – $108,510	30
32	Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsDoctoral or professional degree	$82,160	$68,070 – $94,920	60
33	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,590	$62,390 – $134,390	40
34	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,640	$51,860 – $103,860	40
35	Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersBachelor's degree	$79,190	$64,790 – $136,790	40
36	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$79,150	$55,190 – $125,630	80
37	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$78,840	$51,130 – $110,390	950
38	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,340	$64,480 – $104,040	140
39	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,800	$58,050 – $100,080	210
40	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,430	$48,730 – $97,950	150
41	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$77,090	$53,080 – $123,810	130
42	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$76,330	$40,890 – $115,190	830
43	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$75,570	$49,310 – $99,580	540
44	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$74,590	$48,790 – $100,310	110
45	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,360	$63,750 – $164,280	30
46	Credit AnalystsBachelor's degree	$73,950	$50,940 – $154,200	40
47	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$72,510	$49,150 – $99,180	750
48	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,990	$42,460 – $103,190	50
49	Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language InstructorsBachelor's degree	$71,180	$67,780 – $71,180	40
50	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,110	$47,270 – $117,590	110

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

High paying entry level jobs in Springfield, IL

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