Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Illinois

Each occupation's median wage in Illinois 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 Illinois pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Illinois run 0.0% below the national average (2024), so a Illinois salary is worth about 1.00× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Illinois.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Illinois

OccupationMedian, Illinois · vs. national

1Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$97,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,770 – $123,330+63.3%
2Structural Iron and Steel Workers$101,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,830 – $124,450+62.2%
3Electricians$99,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,240 – $123,660+57.6%
4Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$99,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,250 – $126,430+56.7%
5Chief Executives$331,920
Bachelor's degree
$133,170 – $589,720+55.1%
6Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$75,050
No formal educational credential
$38,790 – $88,640+51.0%
7Brickmasons and Blockmasons$89,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,200 – $109,670+44.8%
8Roofers$77,900
No formal educational credential
$46,600 – $106,530+40.5%
9Sheet Metal Workers$86,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,220 – $117,910+40.2%
10Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$78,170
No formal educational credential
$49,050 – $107,670+37.1%
11First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$105,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$83,990 – $160,790+35.2%
12Correctional Officers and Jailers$79,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,520 – $102,770+34.4%
13First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$105,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,500 – $132,590+32.3%
14Firefighters$78,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,900 – $106,060+32.2%
15First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$123,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$73,690 – $153,820+32.0%
16Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$100,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,420 – $119,560+31.9%
17Carpenters$79,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,890 – $117,660+30.4%
18Construction Laborers$60,690
No formal educational credential
$38,880 – $105,040+28.8%
19First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$135,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,750 – $162,640+27.4%
20Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$99,840
Bachelor's degree
$50,330 – $209,840+26.9%
21Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$77,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,690 – $117,550+26.9%
22Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$293,490
Bachelor's degree
$166,620 – $421,610+26.4%
23Hazardous Materials Removal Workers$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,990 – $98,970+24.0%
24Painters, Construction and Maintenance$61,260
No formal educational credential
$40,820 – $105,350+24.0%
25Highway Maintenance Workers$61,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,680 – $100,790+22.8%
26Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,190
Associate's degree
$49,130 – $119,990+21.9%
27Surgical Assistants$80,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$64,220 – $83,740+20.1%
28Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$77,960
Bachelor's degree
$49,790 – $104,490+19.7%
29Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,110
Bachelor's degree
$47,810 – $105,580+18.2%
30Industrial Machinery Mechanics$76,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,230 – $102,590+18.1%
31Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$75,320
Bachelor's degree
$47,040 – $105,250+17.7%
32Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$77,950
Bachelor's degree
$48,540 – $132,830+17.6%
33Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$99,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,340 – $207,930+17.1%
34Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$75,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,880 – $89,810+16.5%
35Public Safety Telecommunicators$61,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,920 – $94,970+15.5%
36Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$41,050
No formal educational credential
$31,700 – $51,010+15.1%
37Locomotive Engineers$93,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,190 – $152,420+14.6%
38File Clerks$49,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,120 – $73,040+14.5%
39Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$56,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,120 – $80,740+14.4%
40Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$71,950
Bachelor's degree
$44,980 – $99,970+14.3%
41Cargo and Freight Agents$59,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,030 – $80,580+14.3%
42Personal Financial Advisors$120,130
Bachelor's degree
$51,820 – $328,650+14.3%
43Food Processing Workers, All Other$45,340
No formal educational credential
$36,710 – $50,440+14.3%
44Food Batchmakers$48,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,680 – $61,750+13.8%
45Interior Designers$76,290
Bachelor's degree
$44,620 – $131,990+13.5%
46Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$108,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$72,820 – $129,230+13.4%
47Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$55,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,760 – $88,000+13.3%
48Cooks, Fast Food$34,960
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $40,580+13.2%
49Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$67,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,240 – $103,690+13.0%
50Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$74,390
Bachelor's degree
$49,330 – $107,710+12.3%

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

#	Occupation	MedianIllinois	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,740	$49,770 – $123,330	+63.3%
2	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,850	$64,830 – $124,450	+62.2%
3	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,560	$49,240 – $123,660	+57.6%
4	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,950	$50,250 – $126,430	+56.7%
5	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$331,920	$133,170 – $589,720	+55.1%
6	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$75,050	$38,790 – $88,640	+51.0%
7	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,980	$47,200 – $109,670	+44.8%
8	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$77,900	$46,600 – $106,530	+40.5%
9	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,630	$42,220 – $117,910	+40.2%
10	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$78,170	$49,050 – $107,670	+37.1%
11	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,450	$83,990 – $160,790	+35.2%
12	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,190	$50,520 – $102,770	+34.4%
13	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,750	$62,500 – $132,590	+32.3%
14	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,380	$38,900 – $106,060	+32.2%
15	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$123,500	$73,690 – $153,820	+32.0%
16	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,520	$58,420 – $119,560	+31.9%
17	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,000	$39,890 – $117,660	+30.4%
18	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$60,690	$38,880 – $105,040	+28.8%
19	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$135,080	$81,750 – $162,640	+27.4%
20	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$99,840	$50,330 – $209,840	+26.9%
21	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,410	$46,690 – $117,550	+26.9%
22	Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight EngineersBachelor's degree	$293,490	$166,620 – $421,610	+26.4%
23	Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$43,990 – $98,970	+24.0%
24	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$61,260	$40,820 – $105,350	+24.0%
25	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,700	$35,680 – $100,790	+22.8%
26	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,190	$49,130 – $119,990	+21.9%
27	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,210	$64,220 – $83,740	+20.1%
28	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,960	$49,790 – $104,490	+19.7%
29	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$76,110	$47,810 – $105,580	+18.2%
30	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,200	$49,230 – $102,590	+18.1%
31	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$75,320	$47,040 – $105,250	+17.7%
32	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,950	$48,540 – $132,830	+17.6%
33	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$99,060	$47,340 – $207,930	+17.1%
34	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,000	$58,880 – $89,810	+16.5%
35	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,260	$38,920 – $94,970	+15.5%
36	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$41,050	$31,700 – $51,010	+15.1%
37	Locomotive EngineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,320	$76,190 – $152,420	+14.6%
38	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,920	$32,120 – $73,040	+14.5%
39	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,720	$36,120 – $80,740	+14.4%
40	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$71,950	$44,980 – $99,970	+14.3%
41	Cargo and Freight AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,750	$40,030 – $80,580	+14.3%
42	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$120,130	$51,820 – $328,650	+14.3%
43	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$45,340	$36,710 – $50,440	+14.3%
44	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,130	$34,680 – $61,750	+13.8%
45	Interior DesignersBachelor's degree	$76,290	$44,620 – $131,990	+13.5%
46	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,120	$72,820 – $129,230	+13.4%
47	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,780	$38,760 – $88,000	+13.3%
48	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$34,960	$31,200 – $40,580	+13.2%
49	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,810	$42,240 – $103,690	+13.0%
50	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,390	$49,330 – $107,710	+12.3%

More for Illinois

Metro areas in Illinois

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Illinois

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Illinois to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Illinois

More for Illinois

Metro areas in Illinois

By field in Illinois

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state