High paying jobs in Decatur, IL that need no experience

Every occupation here pays well in Decatur, IL, requires no bachelor's degree, and requires no prior experience in a related job. That second filter is what separates this from the no-degree list, which is topped by supervisor roles asking five years in the trade before they will look at you. Several of these do involve months of training — but the employer provides it, and pays you during it, which is a feature rather than a barrier. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

Cost of living: prices in Decatur, IL run 11.6% below the national average (2024), so a Decatur, IL salary is worth about 1.13× 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 Decatur, IL

OccupationMedian, Decatur, IL · Employed

1Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$100,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,850 – $116,170100
2Carpenters$87,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,050 – $118,460180
3Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$81,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,450 – $108,120200
4Electricians$81,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,370 – $119,020400
5Dental Hygienists$80,930
Associate's degree
$67,960 – $102,49060
6Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$77,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,770 – $107,54090
7Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$76,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,720 – $116,450180
8Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$75,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,210 – $106,33060
9Industrial Machinery Mechanics$75,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,580 – $106,950160
10Roofers$74,640
No formal educational credential
$48,010 – $100,35060
11Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$73,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,670 – $98,29070
12Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$73,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,120 – $100,14040
13Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$66,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,640 – $79,710220
14Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$65,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,100 – $181,470270
15Physical Therapist Assistants$65,210
Associate's degree
$40,290 – $99,41040
16Structural Iron and Steel Workers$64,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,830 – $99,54040
17Tool and Die Makers$64,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,520 – $76,49040
18Millwrights$63,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,270 – $79,450180
19Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$62,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,050 – $95,450110
20Firefighters$62,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,930 – $73,400120
21Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$62,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,950 – $80,27050
22Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$61,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,720 – $74,8301,350
23Construction Laborers$61,270
No formal educational credential
$46,800 – $97,540940
24Postal Service Mail Carriers$59,880
No formal educational credential
$43,120 – $81,040120
25Paralegals and Legal Assistants$59,690
Associate's degree
$45,280 – $85,05030
26Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$59,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,270 – $109,890290
27Insurance Sales Agents$59,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,420 – $103,37040
28Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$59,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,330 – $61,820160
29Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$59,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,910 – $97,090990
30Food Batchmakers$57,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,460 – $74,660490
31Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$57,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,770 – $62,110420
32Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$57,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,020 – $66,200200
33Machinists$56,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,960 – $64,42060
34Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$56,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $77,83040
35Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$56,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,150 – $83,02050
36Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$56,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $56,69030
37Highway Maintenance Workers$54,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,130 – $100,790120
38Automotive Body and Related Repairers$54,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,400 – $101,36040
39Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$53,990
No formal educational credential
$37,560 – $60,080170
40Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$50,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,710 – $50,730140
41Library Technicians$50,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,200 – $60,90040
42Computer User Support Specialists$50,470
Some college, no degree
$36,950 – $74,33080
43Medical Records Specialists$50,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,410 – $66,19030
44Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$50,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,300 – $57,2401,060
45Community Health Workers$49,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,980 – $57,76070
46Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$49,370
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $56,340150
47Painters, Construction and Maintenance$48,510
No formal educational credential
$45,190 – $60,36050
48Computer Network Support Specialists$48,510
Associate's degree
$38,560 – $78,76040
49Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$48,480
Some college, no degree
$31,200 – $62,870550
50Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$48,200
Some college, no degree
$35,540 – $64,140330

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

#	Occupation	MedianDecatur, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,520	$49,850 – $116,170	100
2	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,220	$50,050 – $118,460	180
3	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,800	$53,450 – $108,120	200
4	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,020	$49,370 – $119,020	400
5	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$80,930	$67,960 – $102,490	60
6	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,770	$47,770 – $107,540	90
7	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,750	$49,720 – $116,450	180
8	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,660	$46,210 – $106,330	60
9	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,380	$53,580 – $106,950	160
10	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$74,640	$48,010 – $100,350	60
11	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,680	$48,670 – $98,290	70
12	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,410	$39,120 – $100,140	40
13	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,750	$54,640 – $79,710	220
14	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,900	$40,100 – $181,470	270
15	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,210	$40,290 – $99,410	40
16	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,830	$64,830 – $99,540	40
17	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,410	$35,520 – $76,490	40
18	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,190	$61,270 – $79,450	180
19	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,790	$47,050 – $95,450	110
20	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,430	$40,930 – $73,400	120
21	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,150	$50,950 – $80,270	50
22	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,380	$43,720 – $74,830	1,350
23	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$61,270	$46,800 – $97,540	940
24	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$59,880	$43,120 – $81,040	120
25	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$59,690	$45,280 – $85,050	30
26	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,550	$39,270 – $109,890	290
27	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,530	$34,420 – $103,370	40
28	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,160	$43,330 – $61,820	160
29	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,100	$34,910 – $97,090	990
30	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,880	$37,460 – $74,660	490
31	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,700	$42,770 – $62,110	420
32	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,670	$47,020 – $66,200	200
33	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,980	$37,960 – $64,420	60
34	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,780	$31,200 – $77,830	40
35	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,740	$39,150 – $83,020	50
36	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,690	$34,670 – $56,690	30
37	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,790	$33,130 – $100,790	120
38	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,500	$36,400 – $101,360	40
39	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$53,990	$37,560 – $60,080	170
40	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,650	$46,710 – $50,730	140
41	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,650	$31,200 – $60,900	40
42	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$50,470	$36,950 – $74,330	80
43	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,070	$37,410 – $66,190	30
44	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,040	$41,300 – $57,240	1,060
45	Community Health WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,630	$31,980 – $57,760	70
46	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$49,370	$31,200 – $56,340	150
47	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$48,510	$45,190 – $60,360	50
48	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$48,510	$38,560 – $78,760	40
49	Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondarySome college, no degree	$48,480	$31,200 – $62,870	550
50	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$48,200	$35,540 – $64,140	330

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

High paying jobs in Decatur, IL that need no experience

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