High paying jobs in Illinois

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Illinois. 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 Illinois run 0.0% below the national average (2024), so a Illinois salary is worth about 1.00× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Illinois.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Illinois

OccupationMedian, Illinois · Employed

1Chief Executives$331,920
Bachelor's degree
$133,170 – $589,7204,620
2Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$293,490
Bachelor's degree
$166,620 – $421,6106,460
3Family Medicine Physicians$245,120
Doctoral or professional degree
$95,260 – $321,9801,960
4Computer and Information Systems Managers$171,730
Bachelor's degree
$105,350 – $273,50031,680
5Financial Managers$165,880
Bachelor's degree
$100,070 – $313,11052,720
6Architectural and Engineering Managers$163,610
Bachelor's degree
$112,090 – $231,8808,900
7Marketing Managers$162,860
Bachelor's degree
$95,990 – $276,34021,140
8Lawyers$160,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,160 – $330,20033,590
9Natural Sciences Managers$159,670
Bachelor's degree
$85,210 – $281,6602,810
10Dentists, General$156,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$123,920 – $291,5306,940
11Sales Managers$155,280
Bachelor's degree
$78,760 – $282,89032,240
12Purchasing Managers$153,370
Bachelor's degree
$100,990 – $225,4504,160
13Human Resources Managers$151,370
Bachelor's degree
$90,820 – $267,52013,520
14Managers, All Other$140,240
Bachelor's degree
$82,230 – $235,26031,680
15Pharmacists$139,080
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,970 – $169,43012,070
16First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$135,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,750 – $162,6404,900
17Veterinarians$133,580
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,840 – $280,3802,330
18Computer Network Architects$132,790
Bachelor's degree
$81,630 – $201,1907,810
19Physicians, All Other$132,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,830 – $452,20020,790
20Software Developers$132,110
Bachelor's degree
$80,980 – $194,74056,310
21Public Relations Managers$131,990
Bachelor's degree
$75,730 – $221,4402,770
22Physician Assistants$131,950
Master's degree
$105,160 – $162,3303,790
23Nurse Practitioners$130,680
Master's degree
$102,440 – $161,4709,270
24Industrial Production Managers$127,270
Bachelor's degree
$82,900 – $205,31011,570
25Information Security Analysts$124,180
Bachelor's degree
$78,760 – $172,8305,260
26First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$123,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$73,690 – $153,8203,240
27Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$120,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,310 – $207,57011,030
28Personal Financial Advisors$120,130
Bachelor's degree
$51,820 – $328,6509,760
29Medical and Health Services Managers$117,850
Bachelor's degree
$75,920 – $227,18022,460
30Actuaries$115,430
Bachelor's degree
$77,790 – $202,1602,280
31Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$113,360
Master's degree
$78,070 – $169,40014,850
32Engineers, All Other$111,930
Bachelor's degree
$58,920 – $168,7702,520
33Construction Managers$109,160
Bachelor's degree
$58,170 – $172,41019,160
34Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$108,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,820 – $129,2303,090
35Electrical Engineers$107,860
Bachelor's degree
$75,470 – $164,2905,460
36Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$107,570
Bachelor's degree
$52,920 – $180,3607,350
37Facilities Managers$106,980
Bachelor's degree
$62,700 – $165,4009,180
38Administrative Services Managers$106,860
Bachelor's degree
$55,410 – $175,69012,040
39Data Scientists$106,560
Bachelor's degree
$68,810 – $168,88010,520
40Fundraising Managers$106,290
Bachelor's degree
$67,700 – $173,3902,860
41First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$105,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,500 – $132,59019,340
42First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$105,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$83,990 – $160,7902,860
43Physical Therapists$105,250
Doctoral or professional degree
$83,000 – $140,4109,800
44Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$104,910
Bachelor's degree
$65,480 – $150,6206,530
45Database Administrators$104,650
Bachelor's degree
$59,990 – $163,9702,340
46Financial Risk Specialists$104,300
Bachelor's degree
$65,260 – $202,2602,920
47Management Analysts$104,270
Bachelor's degree
$57,610 – $175,36045,820
48Labor Relations Specialists$104,180
Bachelor's degree
$63,150 – $144,2003,670
49General and Operations Managers$103,570
Bachelor's degree
$53,240 – $269,320171,300
50Art Directors$103,550
Bachelor's degree
$69,200 – $172,0502,960

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

#	Occupation	MedianIllinois	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$331,920	$133,170 – $589,720	4,620
2	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$293,490	$166,620 – $421,610	6,460
3	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$245,120	$95,260 – $321,980	1,960
4	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$171,730	$105,350 – $273,500	31,680
5	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,880	$100,070 – $313,110	52,720
6	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,610	$112,090 – $231,880	8,900
7	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$162,860	$95,990 – $276,340	21,140
8	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$160,800	$82,160 – $330,200	33,590
9	Natural Sciences ManagersBachelor's degree	$159,670	$85,210 – $281,660	2,810
10	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$156,110	$123,920 – $291,530	6,940
11	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$155,280	$78,760 – $282,890	32,240
12	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$153,370	$100,990 – $225,450	4,160
13	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$151,370	$90,820 – $267,520	13,520
14	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$140,240	$82,230 – $235,260	31,680
15	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$139,080	$98,970 – $169,430	12,070
16	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$135,080	$81,750 – $162,640	4,900
17	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$133,580	$74,840 – $280,380	2,330
18	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$132,790	$81,630 – $201,190	7,810
19	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$132,540	$71,830 – $452,200	20,790
20	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$132,110	$80,980 – $194,740	56,310
21	Public Relations ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,990	$75,730 – $221,440	2,770
22	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$131,950	$105,160 – $162,330	3,790
23	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,680	$102,440 – $161,470	9,270
24	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$127,270	$82,900 – $205,310	11,570
25	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$124,180	$78,760 – $172,830	5,260
26	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$123,500	$73,690 – $153,820	3,240
27	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,250	$68,310 – $207,570	11,030
28	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$120,130	$51,820 – $328,650	9,760
29	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$117,850	$75,920 – $227,180	22,460
30	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$115,430	$77,790 – $202,160	2,280
31	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$113,360	$78,070 – $169,400	14,850
32	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$111,930	$58,920 – $168,770	2,520
33	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$109,160	$58,170 – $172,410	19,160
34	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,120	$72,820 – $129,230	3,090
35	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$107,860	$75,470 – $164,290	5,460
36	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$107,570	$52,920 – $180,360	7,350
37	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,980	$62,700 – $165,400	9,180
38	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,860	$55,410 – $175,690	12,040
39	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$106,560	$68,810 – $168,880	10,520
40	Fundraising ManagersBachelor's degree	$106,290	$67,700 – $173,390	2,860
41	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,750	$62,500 – $132,590	19,340
42	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,450	$83,990 – $160,790	2,860
43	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$105,250	$83,000 – $140,410	9,800
44	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$104,910	$65,480 – $150,620	6,530
45	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$104,650	$59,990 – $163,970	2,340
46	Financial Risk SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,300	$65,260 – $202,260	2,920
47	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$104,270	$57,610 – $175,360	45,820
48	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,180	$63,150 – $144,200	3,670
49	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,570	$53,240 – $269,320	171,300
50	Art DirectorsBachelor's degree	$103,550	$69,200 – $172,050	2,960

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Illinois. 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.

More for Illinois

Metro areas in Illinois

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Illinois

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Illinois to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Illinois

More for Illinois

Metro areas in Illinois

By field in Illinois

Without a degree

By state