Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Each occupation's median wage in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$103,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,060 – $124,160+72.3%
2Structural Iron and Steel Workers$102,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,620 – $124,530+63.0%
3Electricians$102,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,890 – $124,070+62.0%
4Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$103,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,960 – $127,200+62.0%
5Chief Executives$344,960
Bachelor's degree
$142,940 – $599,520+61.2%
6Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$77,470
No formal educational credential
$39,780 – $89,090+55.9%
7Sheet Metal Workers$95,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,220 – $122,330+54.2%
8Highway Maintenance Workers$76,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,110 – $102,530+51.7%
9Roofers$82,090
No formal educational credential
$48,770 – $106,780+48.1%
10Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$98,170
Bachelor's degree
$55,860 – $148,210+48.1%
11Brickmasons and Blockmasons$89,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,960 – $109,870+44.8%
12Correctional Officers and Jailers$84,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,000 – $95,990+43.5%
13Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$81,020
No formal educational credential
$50,730 – $108,890+42.1%
14Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$107,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,450 – $123,130+41.5%
15Firefighters$82,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,080 – $112,930+39.7%
16First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$111,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,450 – $135,240+39.2%
17Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$98,970
Bachelor's degree
$60,380 – $140,600+37.4%
18First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$126,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$75,340 – $159,940+34.9%
19File Clerks$58,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,990 – $74,300+33.8%
20Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$68,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,020 – $68,580+33.0%
21Carpenters$80,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,220 – $118,450+32.8%
22Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$79,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,690 – $110,830+32.1%
23Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$123,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,820 – $131,760+29.5%
24Construction Laborers$60,890
No formal educational credential
$39,100 – $105,500+29.2%
25Paramedics$77,670
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,000 – $106,810+28.2%
26Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$100,760
Bachelor's degree
$50,980 – $211,260+28.1%
27Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$77,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,460 – $117,940+27.8%
28First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$135,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$106,430 – $162,640+27.4%
29Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$293,490
Bachelor's degree
$179,840 – $429,040+26.4%
30Public Safety Telecommunicators$66,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,170 – $98,710+26.3%
31Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$100,610
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,060 – $130,950+26.0%
32Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$81,360
Associate's degree
$51,940 – $126,520+25.3%
33Painters, Construction and Maintenance$61,740
No formal educational credential
$44,560 – $109,820+25.0%
34Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,330 – $97,160+24.0%
35Insurance Underwriters$99,840
Bachelor's degree
$64,360 – $164,440+22.7%
36Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$78,390
Bachelor's degree
$48,960 – $105,250+22.5%
37Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$79,690
Bachelor's degree
$53,010 – $104,490+22.4%
38Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$128,780
Master's degree
$79,680 – $171,540+21.6%
39Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$78,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,200 – $96,530+21.2%
40Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,000
Bachelor's degree
$50,530 – $120,620+21.2%
41Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$101,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,340 – $208,960+20.5%
42Surgical Assistants$80,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$64,220 – $80,210+20.1%
43Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$73,960
Bachelor's degree
$44,580 – $100,820+17.5%
44Industrial Machinery Mechanics$75,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,250 – $102,590+17.5%
45Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$59,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,800 – $63,330+17.4%
46Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$58,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,870 – $82,320+17.0%
47Real Estate Sales Agents$61,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,490 – $73,970+17.0%
48Advertising Sales Agents$75,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $161,410+16.6%
49Special Education Teachers, Middle School$77,840
Bachelor's degree
$56,020 – $105,180+16.5%
50Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$124,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,540 – $210,910+15.8%

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	vs. national
1	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,100	$58,060 – $124,160	+72.3%
2	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,350	$64,620 – $124,530	+63.0%
3	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,350	$49,890 – $124,070	+62.0%
4	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,380	$53,960 – $127,200	+62.0%
5	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$344,960	$142,940 – $599,520	+61.2%
6	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$77,470	$39,780 – $89,090	+55.9%
7	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,310	$42,220 – $122,330	+54.2%
8	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,220	$42,110 – $102,530	+51.7%
9	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$82,090	$48,770 – $106,780	+48.1%
10	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$98,170	$55,860 – $148,210	+48.1%
11	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,980	$46,960 – $109,870	+44.8%
12	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,550	$61,000 – $95,990	+43.5%
13	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$81,020	$50,730 – $108,890	+42.1%
14	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,810	$63,450 – $123,130	+41.5%
15	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,820	$42,080 – $112,930	+39.7%
16	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$111,260	$66,450 – $135,240	+39.2%
17	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$98,970	$60,380 – $140,600	+37.4%
18	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$126,200	$75,340 – $159,940	+34.9%
19	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,320	$35,990 – $74,300	+33.8%
20	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,280	$46,020 – $68,580	+33.0%
21	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,440	$41,220 – $118,450	+32.8%
22	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,290	$50,690 – $110,830	+32.1%
23	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$123,430	$72,820 – $131,760	+29.5%
24	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$60,890	$39,100 – $105,500	+29.2%
25	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,670	$50,000 – $106,810	+28.2%
26	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$100,760	$50,980 – $211,260	+28.1%
27	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,960	$47,460 – $117,940	+27.8%
28	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$135,080	$106,430 – $162,640	+27.4%
29	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$293,490	$179,840 – $429,040	+26.4%
30	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,980	$39,170 – $98,710	+26.3%
31	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$100,610	$50,060 – $130,950	+26.0%
32	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$81,360	$51,940 – $126,520	+25.3%
33	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$61,740	$44,560 – $109,820	+25.0%
34	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$45,330 – $97,160	+24.0%
35	Insurance UnderwritersBachelor's degree	$99,840	$64,360 – $164,440	+22.7%
36	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,390	$48,960 – $105,250	+22.5%
37	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$79,690	$53,010 – $104,490	+22.4%
38	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$128,780	$79,680 – $171,540	+21.6%
39	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,070	$62,200 – $96,530	+21.2%
40	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,000	$50,530 – $120,620	+21.2%
41	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,960	$47,340 – $208,960	+20.5%
42	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,210	$64,220 – $80,210	+20.1%
43	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$73,960	$44,580 – $100,820	+17.5%
44	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,800	$49,250 – $102,590	+17.5%
45	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,020	$39,800 – $63,330	+17.4%
46	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,020	$36,870 – $82,320	+17.0%
47	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,790	$37,490 – $73,970	+17.0%
48	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,590	$31,200 – $161,410	+16.6%
49	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,840	$56,020 – $105,180	+16.5%
50	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$124,120	$73,540 – $210,910	+15.8%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

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