Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

Each occupation's median wage in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-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 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL run 10.9% below the national average (2024), so a Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL salary is worth about 1.12× 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 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

OccupationMedian, Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL · vs. national

1Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$75,440
No formal educational credential
$49,850 – $75,440+51.8%
2First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$110,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$74,390 – $155,990+41.6%
3Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$60,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,620 – $74,290+36.3%
4Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$65,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,660 – $72,220+28.3%
5Structural Iron and Steel Workers$79,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,810 – $105,170+26.0%
6Cargo and Freight Agents$64,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,520 – $71,960+23.6%
7Logisticians$100,710
Bachelor's degree
$61,140 – $139,170+22.3%
8Electricians$76,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,640 – $102,480+21.8%
9Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$65,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,990 – $81,590+21.7%
10Driver/Sales Workers$46,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,750 – $73,610+21.1%
11Family Medicine Physicians$293,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$161,700 – $488,750+20.2%
12Slaughterers and Meat Packers$48,120
No formal educational credential
$34,900 – $48,120+19.9%
13Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$76,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,560 – $100,930+19.6%
14Helpers--Production Workers$46,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,850 – $55,990+19.6%
15Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$42,630
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $51,390+19.5%
16Personal Financial Advisors$124,540
Bachelor's degree
$61,770 – $475,570+18.5%
17Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,860
Associate's degree
$49,660 – $93,980+18.3%
18Sheet Metal Workers$72,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,510 – $85,490+17.1%
19Painters, Construction and Maintenance$57,870
No formal educational credential
$37,050 – $78,670+17.1%
20Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,160
Associate's degree
$44,100 – $97,640+16.7%
21Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$48,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,180 – $48,600+16.5%
22Construction Laborers$54,380
No formal educational credential
$38,040 – $78,940+15.4%
23Parts Salespersons$44,480
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $61,020+15.1%
24Business Operations Specialists, All Other$95,140
Bachelor's degree
$50,700 – $132,040+14.6%
25Industrial Machinery Mechanics$72,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,960 – $94,470+12.8%
26Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$51,850
No formal educational credential
$37,780 – $59,290+11.7%
27Budget Analysts$102,020
Bachelor's degree
$62,070 – $128,460+11.3%
28Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$82,220
Associate's degree
$45,190 – $82,220+10.3%
29Tax Preparers$60,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,030 – $87,990+9.8%
30Highway Maintenance Workers$55,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,440 – $100,790+9.5%
31Fence Erectors$52,510
No formal educational credential
$37,550 – $61,100+9.4%
32Public Safety Telecommunicators$57,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,260 – $74,460+9.1%
33Buyers and Purchasing Agents$84,730
Bachelor's degree
$52,000 – $126,120+9.0%
34Agricultural Equipment Operators$45,310
No formal educational credential
$36,990 – $56,960+8.6%
35Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$85,110
Associate's degree
$62,150 – $108,040+8.6%
36Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$64,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,910 – $97,050+8.4%
37Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$61,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,190 – $81,940+7.9%
38Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$80,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,720 – $98,890+7.9%
39Food Batchmakers$45,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,820 – $58,920+7.8%
40First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$86,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,680 – $113,550+7.8%
41Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$49,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,780 – $58,850+7.0%
42Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$65,190
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,790 – $100,270+6.9%
43Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$42,980
No formal educational credential
$32,960 – $56,670+6.8%
44Massage Therapists$62,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,960 – $76,390+6.8%
45Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,480 – $73,270+6.7%
46Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,050 – $59,640+6.4%
47Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$60,680
No formal educational credential
$44,890 – $79,200+6.4%
48Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$87,270
Bachelor's degree
$56,210 – $132,720+6.1%
49Correctional Officers and Jailers$62,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,560 – $100,790+5.9%
50Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,770 – $61,280+5.7%

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

#	Occupation	MedianDavenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$75,440	$49,850 – $75,440	+51.8%
2	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,390	$74,390 – $155,990	+41.6%
3	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,430	$38,620 – $74,290	+36.3%
4	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,850	$46,660 – $72,220	+28.3%
5	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,090	$58,810 – $105,170	+26.0%
6	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,580	$38,520 – $71,960	+23.6%
7	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$100,710	$61,140 – $139,170	+22.3%
8	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,950	$40,640 – $102,480	+21.8%
9	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,980	$47,990 – $81,590	+21.7%
10	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,940	$27,750 – $73,610	+21.1%
11	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$293,440	$161,700 – $488,750	+20.2%
12	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$48,120	$34,900 – $48,120	+19.9%
13	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,310	$46,560 – $100,930	+19.6%
14	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,710	$34,850 – $55,990	+19.6%
15	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$42,630	$31,200 – $51,390	+19.5%
16	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$124,540	$61,770 – $475,570	+18.5%
17	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,860	$49,660 – $93,980	+18.3%
18	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,380	$50,510 – $85,490	+17.1%
19	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$57,870	$37,050 – $78,670	+17.1%
20	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,160	$44,100 – $97,640	+16.7%
21	Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,460	$38,180 – $48,600	+16.5%
22	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$54,380	$38,040 – $78,940	+15.4%
23	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$44,480	$31,200 – $61,020	+15.1%
24	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$95,140	$50,700 – $132,040	+14.6%
25	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,790	$49,960 – $94,470	+12.8%
26	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$51,850	$37,780 – $59,290	+11.7%
27	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,020	$62,070 – $128,460	+11.3%
28	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,220	$45,190 – $82,220	+10.3%
29	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,280	$33,030 – $87,990	+9.8%
30	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,030	$33,440 – $100,790	+9.5%
31	Fence ErectorsNo formal educational credential	$52,510	$37,550 – $61,100	+9.4%
32	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,860	$38,260 – $74,460	+9.1%
33	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$84,730	$52,000 – $126,120	+9.0%
34	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$45,310	$36,990 – $56,960	+8.6%
35	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$85,110	$62,150 – $108,040	+8.6%
36	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,850	$42,910 – $97,050	+8.4%
37	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,990	$47,190 – $81,940	+7.9%
38	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,200	$51,720 – $98,890	+7.9%
39	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,600	$31,820 – $58,920	+7.8%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,180	$56,680 – $113,550	+7.8%
41	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,050	$37,780 – $58,850	+7.0%
42	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,190	$45,790 – $100,270	+6.9%
43	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,980	$32,960 – $56,670	+6.8%
44	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,400	$32,960 – $76,390	+6.8%
45	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,430	$38,480 – $73,270	+6.7%
46	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,000	$35,050 – $59,640	+6.4%
47	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$60,680	$44,890 – $79,200	+6.4%
48	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$87,270	$56,210 – $132,720	+6.1%
49	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,390	$48,560 – $100,790	+5.9%
50	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,760	$35,770 – $61,280	+5.7%

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL

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