High paying jobs in Springfield, IL that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Springfield, IL and typically require less than a bachelor's degree to enter — a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or an associate's degree. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

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

1Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$117,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,740 – $158,39060
2First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$115,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$70,140 – $149,93040
3First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$110,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$80,280 – $160,450170
4Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$106,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$89,560 – $116,33080
5Power Plant Operators$102,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,340 – $123,53040
6Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,170 – $178,68080
7Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$98,470
Associate's degree
$80,710 – $108,840120
8First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$97,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,940 – $126,840320
9Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$95,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,150 – $102,570210
10Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$94,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,400 – $121,250220
11Sheet Metal Workers$90,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,970 – $112,45040
12Detectives and Criminal Investigators$88,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,910 – $136,610120
13Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$85,060
Associate's degree
$69,240 – $101,240100
14Electricians$84,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,840 – $116,560330
15Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$83,990
Associate's degree
$52,830 – $112,790220
16Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$83,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,950 – $92,06070
17Dental Hygienists$83,070
Associate's degree
$78,620 – $98,580280
18Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$82,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,550 – $98,380420
19Structural Iron and Steel Workers$81,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,390 – $83,09040
20Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$80,640
Associate's degree
$51,860 – $103,86040
21First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$78,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,860 – $118,87090
22Respiratory Therapists$78,340
Associate's degree
$64,480 – $104,040140
23Roofers$77,900
No formal educational credential
$46,430 – $99,180270
24Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,800
Associate's degree
$58,050 – $100,080210
25First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$77,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,990 – $124,010310
26Carpenters$76,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,660 – $97,940290
27Medical Equipment Repairers$75,220
Associate's degree
$45,380 – $100,65040
28Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$73,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,320 – $103,190830
29Industrial Machinery Mechanics$73,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,440 – $115,09070
30First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$72,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,990 – $112,500220
31Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$71,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,810 – $108,07050
32Highway Maintenance Workers$71,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,090 – $102,730180
33Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$70,730
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,690 – $101,000110
34Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$70,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,950 – $150,310510
35Occupational Therapy Assistants$67,140
Associate's degree
$50,410 – $84,15040
36Physical Therapist Assistants$66,390
Associate's degree
$49,140 – $97,59070
37Firefighters$65,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,830 – $94,850240
38Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$65,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,100 – $103,380220
39Computer Network Support Specialists$64,670
Associate's degree
$49,550 – $102,630120
40Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$64,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,530 – $98,760110
41Painters, Construction and Maintenance$63,930
No formal educational credential
$42,330 – $98,290110
42Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$63,310
No formal educational credential
$47,680 – $86,190100
43First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$63,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,300 – $96,490620
44Surgical Technologists$62,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,300 – $78,890130
45Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$62,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,090 – $98,830130
46Construction Laborers$61,400
No formal educational credential
$37,750 – $97,130510
47Massage Therapists$61,280
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,040 – $81,200100
48Postal Service Clerks$61,050
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,03050
49Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$60,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,110 – $85,070130
50Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$60,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,820 – $90,17060

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	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,590	$62,740 – $158,390	60
2	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$115,820	$70,140 – $149,930	40
3	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,080	$80,280 – $160,450	170
4	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,630	$89,560 – $116,330	80
5	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,130	$64,340 – $123,530	40
6	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,940	$58,170 – $178,680	80
7	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$98,470	$80,710 – $108,840	120
8	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,140	$65,940 – $126,840	320
9	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,310	$45,150 – $102,570	210
10	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,370	$48,400 – $121,250	220
11	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,330	$45,970 – $112,450	40
12	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,790	$62,910 – $136,610	120
13	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$85,060	$69,240 – $101,240	100
14	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,780	$46,840 – $116,560	330
15	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$83,990	$52,830 – $112,790	220
16	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,990	$45,950 – $92,060	70
17	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$83,070	$78,620 – $98,580	280
18	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,740	$49,550 – $98,380	420
19	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,750	$51,390 – $83,090	40
20	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,640	$51,860 – $103,860	40
21	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,360	$49,860 – $118,870	90
22	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,340	$64,480 – $104,040	140
23	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$77,900	$46,430 – $99,180	270
24	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,800	$58,050 – $100,080	210
25	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,310	$51,990 – $124,010	310
26	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,970	$43,660 – $97,940	290
27	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$75,220	$45,380 – $100,650	40
28	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,510	$54,320 – $103,190	830
29	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,000	$48,440 – $115,090	70
30	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,730	$44,990 – $112,500	220
31	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,670	$53,810 – $108,070	50
32	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,320	$38,090 – $102,730	180
33	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$70,730	$47,690 – $101,000	110
34	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,680	$39,950 – $150,310	510
35	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$67,140	$50,410 – $84,150	40
36	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,390	$49,140 – $97,590	70
37	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,330	$35,830 – $94,850	240
38	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,000	$38,100 – $103,380	220
39	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$64,670	$49,550 – $102,630	120
40	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,410	$38,530 – $98,760	110
41	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$63,930	$42,330 – $98,290	110
42	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$63,310	$47,680 – $86,190	100
43	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,250	$41,300 – $96,490	620
44	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,590	$50,300 – $78,890	130
45	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,000	$40,090 – $98,830	130
46	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$61,400	$37,750 – $97,130	510
47	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,280	$37,040 – $81,200	100
48	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$61,050	$42,600 – $75,030	50
49	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,900	$40,110 – $85,070	130
50	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,860	$45,820 – $90,170	60

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 jobs in Springfield, IL that need no degree

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