High paying jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN run 3.6% above the national average (2024), so a Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN salary is worth about 0.97× 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

OccupationMedian, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · Employed

1Chief Executives$344,960
Bachelor's degree
$142,940 – $599,5203,610
2Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$293,490
Bachelor's degree
$179,840 – $429,0406,360
3Computer and Information Systems Managers$173,760
Bachelor's degree
$112,980 – $280,06024,950
4Financial Managers$168,810
Bachelor's degree
$103,490 – $321,20041,590
5Natural Sciences Managers$167,040
Bachelor's degree
$87,010 – $293,2702,270
6Lawyers$165,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$87,070 – $331,14028,320
7Marketing Managers$165,340
Bachelor's degree
$98,400 – $277,22017,400
8Architectural and Engineering Managers$163,430
Bachelor's degree
$112,440 – $235,2406,670
9Sales Managers$158,690
Bachelor's degree
$80,060 – $288,43025,390
10Human Resources Managers$156,770
Bachelor's degree
$93,230 – $270,15010,810
11Dentists, General$156,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,920 – $290,8505,910
12Purchasing Managers$155,080
Bachelor's degree
$102,690 – $225,4503,250
13Veterinarians$148,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,770 – $289,3101,530
14Managers, All Other$145,370
Bachelor's degree
$83,320 – $239,34026,170
15Computer Network Architects$143,800
Bachelor's degree
$95,930 – $205,3405,400
16Pharmacists$140,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,950 – $171,7108,930
17Physicists$137,140
Doctoral or professional degree
$81,830 – $221,3801,510
18First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$135,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$106,430 – $162,6403,800
19Software Developers$134,380
Bachelor's degree
$83,820 – $203,41040,370
20Training and Development Managers$133,800
Bachelor's degree
$76,690 – $225,0001,440
21Public Relations Managers$133,210
Bachelor's degree
$77,680 – $221,4402,190
22Nurse Practitioners$131,740
Master's degree
$106,260 – $164,7506,530
23Industrial Production Managers$129,840
Bachelor's degree
$86,490 – $216,7208,850
24Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$128,780
Master's degree
$79,680 – $171,54011,050
25Physician Assistants$127,940
Master's degree
$105,160 – $164,2003,050
26First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$126,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$75,340 – $159,9402,600
27Information Security Analysts$125,310
Bachelor's degree
$79,460 – $174,4503,480
28Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$124,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,540 – $210,9108,570
29Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$123,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,820 – $131,7601,830
30Medical and Health Services Managers$123,090
Bachelor's degree
$77,120 – $226,08016,680
31Engineers, All Other$121,910
Bachelor's degree
$61,860 – $172,2601,570
32Construction Managers$117,280
Bachelor's degree
$55,500 – $178,14013,850
33Actuaries$113,730
Bachelor's degree
$79,640 – $209,2601,560
34Electrical Engineers$113,520
Bachelor's degree
$76,660 – $165,8904,290
35Personal Financial Advisors$113,210
Bachelor's degree
$51,050 – $322,4408,370
36Facilities Managers$113,150
Bachelor's degree
$69,110 – $174,5406,790
37Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$112,150
Bachelor's degree
$56,220 – $196,9505,510
38First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$111,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,450 – $135,24013,420
39Fundraising Managers$109,720
Bachelor's degree
$70,490 – $181,2502,310
40Database Administrators$109,680
Bachelor's degree
$60,150 – $164,0501,870
41General and Operations Managers$109,390
Bachelor's degree
$58,000 – $298,090122,930
42Administrative Services Managers$108,940
Bachelor's degree
$55,850 – $191,7708,600
43Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$107,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,450 – $123,13022,680
44Data Scientists$107,640
Bachelor's degree
$70,740 – $168,8807,940
45Physical Therapists$105,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$85,220 – $142,3207,880
46Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$105,580
Bachelor's degree
$67,010 – $152,9005,010
47Financial Risk Specialists$105,370
Bachelor's degree
$65,860 – $205,1402,360
48Project Management Specialists$105,320
Bachelor's degree
$67,350 – $165,78021,040
49Management Analysts$105,090
Bachelor's degree
$60,760 – $177,77037,510
50Art Directors$104,570
Bachelor's degree
$73,800 – $172,7502,560

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

#	Occupation	MedianChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$344,960	$142,940 – $599,520	3,610
2	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$293,490	$179,840 – $429,040	6,360
3	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$173,760	$112,980 – $280,060	24,950
4	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$168,810	$103,490 – $321,200	41,590
5	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$167,040	$87,010 – $293,270	2,270
6	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$165,660	$87,070 – $331,140	28,320
7	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,340	$98,400 – $277,220	17,400
8	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,430	$112,440 – $235,240	6,670
9	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$158,690	$80,060 – $288,430	25,390
10	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$156,770	$93,230 – $270,150	10,810
11	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$156,100	$123,920 – $290,850	5,910
12	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$155,080	$102,690 – $225,450	3,250
13	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$148,730	$80,770 – $289,310	1,530
14	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$145,370	$83,320 – $239,340	26,170
15	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$143,800	$95,930 – $205,340	5,400
16	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,880	$84,950 – $171,710	8,930
17	PhysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$137,140	$81,830 – $221,380	1,510
18	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$135,080	$106,430 – $162,640	3,800
19	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$134,380	$83,820 – $203,410	40,370
20	Training and Development ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,800	$76,690 – $225,000	1,440
21	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,210	$77,680 – $221,440	2,190
22	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$131,740	$106,260 – $164,750	6,530
23	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$129,840	$86,490 – $216,720	8,850
24	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$128,780	$79,680 – $171,540	11,050
25	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,940	$105,160 – $164,200	3,050
26	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$126,200	$75,340 – $159,940	2,600
27	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$125,310	$79,460 – $174,450	3,480
28	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$124,120	$73,540 – $210,910	8,570
29	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$123,430	$72,820 – $131,760	1,830
30	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,090	$77,120 – $226,080	16,680
31	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$121,910	$61,860 – $172,260	1,570
32	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,280	$55,500 – $178,140	13,850
33	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$113,730	$79,640 – $209,260	1,560
34	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$113,520	$76,660 – $165,890	4,290
35	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$113,210	$51,050 – $322,440	8,370
36	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$113,150	$69,110 – $174,540	6,790
37	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$112,150	$56,220 – $196,950	5,510
38	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$111,260	$66,450 – $135,240	13,420
39	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$109,720	$70,490 – $181,250	2,310
40	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$109,680	$60,150 – $164,050	1,870
41	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$109,390	$58,000 – $298,090	122,930
42	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,940	$55,850 – $191,770	8,600
43	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,810	$63,450 – $123,130	22,680
44	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$107,640	$70,740 – $168,880	7,940
45	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$105,720	$85,220 – $142,320	7,880
46	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$105,580	$67,010 – $152,900	5,010
47	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$105,370	$65,860 – $205,140	2,360
48	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$105,320	$67,350 – $165,780	21,040
49	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$105,090	$60,760 – $177,770	37,510
50	Art DirectorsBachelor's degree	$104,570	$73,800 – $172,750	2,560

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

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