Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Kankakee, IL

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

Cost of living: prices in Kankakee, IL run 3.6% below the national average (2024), so a Kankakee, IL salary is worth about 1.04× 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 Kankakee, IL

OccupationMedian, Kankakee, IL · vs. national

1Electricians$105,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,390 – $111,490+67.0%
2Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$94,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,520 – $122,720+57.5%
3Carpenters$95,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,730 – $98,880+57.3%
4Physicians, All Other$400,280
Doctoral or professional degree
$67,820 – $439,900+50.5%
5Highway Maintenance Workers$73,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,130 – $100,790+45.4%
6Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$81,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,510 – $120,290+27.9%
7First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$100,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,270 – $124,440+25.9%
8Production Workers, All Other$47,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,560 – $79,470+19.4%
9Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$58,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,860 – $77,460+17.8%
10Construction Laborers$54,830
No formal educational credential
$34,620 – $96,340+16.4%
11Public Safety Telecommunicators$61,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,160 – $78,890+15.0%
12Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$65,130
No formal educational credential
$46,100 – $104,840+14.2%
13Rehabilitation Counselors$53,060
Master's degree
$39,850 – $79,880+13.3%
14Medical Records Specialists$56,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,020 – $80,290+10.4%
15Bakers$39,570
No formal educational credential
$31,310 – $46,830+6.5%
16Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,730 – $57,560+5.2%
17Home Health and Personal Care Aides$37,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $44,140+4.4%
18Coaches and Scouts$49,240
Bachelor's degree
$31,200 – $87,730+4.1%
19Automotive Body and Related Repairers$56,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,140 – $91,980+3.6%
20Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$78,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,040 – $106,010+3.5%
21Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$65,950
Bachelor's degree
$39,830 – $151,330+3.3%
22Cooks, Fast Food$31,900
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $34,080+3.3%
23Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,440 – $75,230+3.3%
24Respiratory Therapists$84,490
Associate's degree
$67,270 – $101,450+2.7%
25Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$62,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,130 – $97,870+2.6%
26Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,830 – $80,630+2.3%
27Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,350 – $67,070+1.3%
28Firefighters$59,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,730 – $95,390+1.0%
29Butchers and Meat Cutters$40,480
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $53,680+0.8%
30Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,780 – $67,790+0.6%
31Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$107,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,710 – $197,150+0.6%
32Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$59,440
Master's degree
$37,990 – $94,700+0.2%
33Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,220
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $35,400+0.1%
34Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$31,200
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $36,8600.0%
35Pharmacists$140,960
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,990 – $163,1500.0%
36Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,660 – $60,590-0.1%
37Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$59,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,120 – $79,610-0.2%
38Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,320
No formal educational credential
$36,340 – $50,070-0.2%
39Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,030
Associate's degree
$33,500 – $57,500-0.3%
40First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,560 – $99,810-0.3%
41Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$34,610
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $35,880-0.8%
42Recreation Workers$36,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $59,340-0.8%
43Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$49,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,760 – $71,710-1.6%
44Industrial Production Managers$124,070
Bachelor's degree
$81,340 – $183,540-1.6%
45First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$91,720
Postsecondary nondegree award
$78,850 – $129,040-1.9%
46Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,000
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $50,720-2.3%
47Child, Family, and School Social Workers$58,180
Bachelor's degree
$35,710 – $93,590-2.3%
48Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$61,200
Bachelor's degree
$37,950 – $95,800-2.7%
49Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$34,510
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $40,160-2.8%
50Physical Therapists$99,770
Doctoral or professional degree
$74,860 – $129,770-2.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianKankakee, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,500	$59,390 – $111,490	+67.0%
2	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,270	$60,520 – $122,720	+57.5%
3	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,280	$47,730 – $98,880	+57.3%
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$400,280	$67,820 – $439,900	+50.5%
5	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,080	$39,130 – $100,790	+45.4%
6	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,620	$38,510 – $120,290	+27.9%
7	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,640	$57,270 – $124,440	+25.9%
8	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,890	$35,560 – $79,470	+19.4%
9	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,400	$35,860 – $77,460	+17.8%
10	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$54,830	$34,620 – $96,340	+16.4%
11	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,010	$48,160 – $78,890	+15.0%
12	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$65,130	$46,100 – $104,840	+14.2%
13	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$53,060	$39,850 – $79,880	+13.3%
14	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,450	$37,020 – $80,290	+10.4%
15	BakersNo formal educational credential	$39,570	$31,310 – $46,830	+6.5%
16	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,480	$37,730 – $57,560	+5.2%
17	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,380	$31,200 – $44,140	+4.4%
18	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$49,240	$31,200 – $87,730	+4.1%
19	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,870	$46,140 – $91,980	+3.6%
20	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,840	$49,040 – $106,010	+3.5%
21	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$65,950	$39,830 – $151,330	+3.3%
22	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$31,900	$31,200 – $34,080	+3.3%
23	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,280	$37,440 – $75,230	+3.3%
24	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$84,490	$67,270 – $101,450	+2.7%
25	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,570	$46,130 – $97,870	+2.6%
26	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,910	$52,830 – $80,630	+2.3%
27	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,940	$37,350 – $67,070	+1.3%
28	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,850	$34,730 – $95,390	+1.0%
29	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$40,480	$31,200 – $53,680	+0.8%
30	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,880	$37,780 – $67,790	+0.6%
31	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,910	$59,710 – $197,150	+0.6%
32	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$59,440	$37,990 – $94,700	+0.2%
33	Fast Food and Counter WorkersNo formal educational credential	$31,220	$31,200 – $35,400	+0.1%
34	Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee ShopNo formal educational credential	$31,200	$31,200 – $36,860	0.0%
35	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$140,960	$110,990 – $163,150	0.0%
36	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,930	$38,660 – $60,590	-0.1%
37	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,870	$36,120 – $79,610	-0.2%
38	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$46,320	$36,340 – $50,070	-0.2%
39	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$38,030	$33,500 – $57,500	-0.3%
40	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,240	$50,560 – $99,810	-0.3%
41	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$34,610	$31,200 – $35,880	-0.8%
42	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,270	$31,200 – $59,340	-0.8%
43	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,860	$38,760 – $71,710	-1.6%
44	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,070	$81,340 – $183,540	-1.6%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$91,720	$78,850 – $129,040	-1.9%
46	Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$36,000	$31,200 – $50,720	-2.3%
47	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$58,180	$35,710 – $93,590	-2.3%
48	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$61,200	$37,950 – $95,800	-2.7%
49	Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNo formal educational credential	$34,510	$31,200 – $40,160	-2.8%
50	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$99,770	$74,860 – $129,770	-2.9%

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