Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Champaign-Urbana, IL

Each occupation's median wage in Champaign-Urbana, IL compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Champaign-Urbana, IL pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Champaign-Urbana, IL run 7.3% below the national average (2024), so a Champaign-Urbana, 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 Champaign-Urbana, IL

OccupationMedian, Champaign-Urbana, IL · vs. national

1Painters, Construction and Maintenance$84,370
No formal educational credential
$42,210 – $95,590+70.8%
2Physicians, All Other$423,260
Doctoral or professional degree
$148,500 – $474,560+59.2%
3Electricians$100,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,970 – $105,710+58.8%
4Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$92,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,690 – $113,480+55.2%
5Sheet Metal Workers$92,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,440 – $100,530+50.0%
6Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$95,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,680 – $112,850+49.7%
7Chief Executives$310,740
Bachelor's degree
$129,320 – $929,520+45.2%
8Coaches and Scouts$66,150
Bachelor's degree
$33,170 – $629,710+39.8%
9Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$48,390
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $55,010+35.7%
10Brickmasons and Blockmasons$83,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,840 – $105,820+34.0%
11Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$74,660
No formal educational credential
$46,900 – $85,610+30.9%
12Highway Maintenance Workers$65,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,350 – $100,790+30.8%
13Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$139,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$77,570 – $211,290+30.3%
14Agricultural Technicians$63,080
Associate's degree
$45,620 – $64,670+27.1%
15Construction Laborers$59,460
No formal educational credential
$37,990 – $97,820+26.2%
16Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$74,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,590 – $111,660+22.7%
17Residential Advisors$51,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,890 – $57,240+21.7%
18First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$96,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,310 – $125,060+21.3%
19Library Technicians$53,680
Postsecondary nondegree award
$33,300 – $63,170+20.4%
20Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,750
Associate's degree
$48,880 – $102,110+18.2%
21First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$57,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,050 – $73,420+17.7%
22Production Workers, All Other$47,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,070 – $60,320+17.4%
23Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary$50,110
Bachelor's degree
$31,850 – $81,280+16.8%
24Advertising Sales Agents$75,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $163,180+16.3%
25Family Medicine Physicians$282,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$65,340 – $322,430+15.7%
26Industrial Machinery Mechanics$74,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,000 – $109,810+15.3%
27Audio and Video Technicians$66,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,600 – $98,200+15.2%
28Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$68,300
Master's degree
$41,830 – $116,620+15.1%
29Agricultural Equipment Operators$47,060
No formal educational credential
$37,650 – $63,120+12.8%
30Helpers--Production Workers$43,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,110 – $48,100+12.6%
31Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$53,110
Associate's degree
$41,900 – $64,460+12.1%
32Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$56,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,330 – $82,660+12.0%
33Biological Technicians$64,270
Bachelor's degree
$41,940 – $79,050+11.8%
34Surgical Assistants$74,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,640 – $102,410+11.5%
35Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$55,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,070 – $77,640+11.4%
36Carpenters$66,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,960 – $100,040+10.6%
37Database Administrators$114,630
Bachelor's degree
$65,910 – $144,110+9.6%
38First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$64,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $94,300+9.5%
39Skincare Specialists$49,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,850 – $107,790+9.1%
40Roofers$60,150
No formal educational credential
$40,100 – $80,190+8.5%
41Office Clerks, General$48,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,360 – $63,340+8.4%
42Parts Salespersons$41,560
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $64,330+7.6%
43Rehabilitation Counselors$50,390
Master's degree
$41,150 – $105,590+7.6%
44Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation$49,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,640 – $71,350+7.3%
45Light Truck Drivers$47,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,670 – $91,360+6.8%
46Bill and Account Collectors$50,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,950 – $66,540+6.4%
47Cooks, Fast Food$32,840
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $38,270+6.3%
48Personal Financial Advisors$111,540
Bachelor's degree
$54,390 – $225,890+6.2%
49Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$59,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,630 – $91,330+6.0%
50Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$39,000
No formal educational credential
$31,230 – $51,480+5.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianChampaign-Urbana, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$84,370	$42,210 – $95,590	+70.8%
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$423,260	$148,500 – $474,560	+59.2%
3	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,320	$47,970 – $105,710	+58.8%
4	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,900	$57,690 – $113,480	+55.2%
5	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,710	$44,440 – $100,530	+50.0%
6	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,530	$50,680 – $112,850	+49.7%
7	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$310,740	$129,320 – $929,520	+45.2%
8	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$66,150	$33,170 – $629,710	+39.8%
9	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$48,390	$31,200 – $55,010	+35.7%
10	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,250	$44,840 – $105,820	+34.0%
11	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$74,660	$46,900 – $85,610	+30.9%
12	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,730	$34,350 – $100,790	+30.8%
13	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$139,810	$77,570 – $211,290	+30.3%
14	Agricultural TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,080	$45,620 – $64,670	+27.1%
15	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$59,460	$37,990 – $97,820	+26.2%
16	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,880	$47,590 – $111,660	+22.7%
17	Residential AdvisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,400	$36,890 – $57,240	+21.7%
18	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,940	$63,310 – $125,060	+21.3%
19	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,680	$33,300 – $63,170	+20.4%
20	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,750	$48,880 – $102,110	+18.2%
21	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,180	$36,050 – $73,420	+17.7%
22	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,090	$36,070 – $60,320	+17.4%
23	Teaching Assistants, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$50,110	$31,850 – $81,280	+16.8%
24	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,410	$31,200 – $163,180	+16.3%
25	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$282,430	$65,340 – $322,430	+15.7%
26	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,420	$53,000 – $109,810	+15.3%
27	Audio and Video TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,930	$39,600 – $98,200	+15.2%
28	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$68,300	$41,830 – $116,620	+15.1%
29	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$47,060	$37,650 – $63,120	+12.8%
30	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,980	$38,110 – $48,100	+12.6%
31	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$53,110	$41,900 – $64,460	+12.1%
32	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,360	$32,330 – $82,660	+12.0%
33	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$64,270	$41,940 – $79,050	+11.8%
34	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,490	$59,640 – $102,410	+11.5%
35	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,260	$36,070 – $77,640	+11.4%
36	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,980	$42,960 – $100,040	+10.6%
37	Database AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$114,630	$65,910 – $144,110	+9.6%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,970	$31,200 – $94,300	+9.5%
39	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,440	$31,850 – $107,790	+9.1%
40	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$60,150	$40,100 – $80,190	+8.5%
41	Office Clerks, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,800	$33,360 – $63,340	+8.4%
42	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$41,560	$31,200 – $64,330	+7.6%
43	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$50,390	$41,150 – $105,590	+7.6%
44	Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, VegetationHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,740	$42,640 – $71,350	+7.3%
45	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,910	$33,670 – $91,360	+6.8%
46	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,040	$34,950 – $66,540	+6.4%
47	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$32,840	$31,200 – $38,270	+6.3%
48	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$111,540	$54,390 – $225,890	+6.2%
49	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,960	$42,630 – $91,330	+6.0%
50	Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$39,000	$31,230 – $51,480	+5.9%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Champaign-Urbana, IL

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