Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Peoria, IL

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

Cost of living: prices in Peoria, IL run 8.8% below the national average (2024), so a Peoria, IL salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Peoria, IL

OccupationMedian, Peoria, IL · vs. national

1Production Workers, All Other$63,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,930 – $106,980+59.0%
2Operations Research Analysts$129,300
Bachelor's degree
$62,830 – $170,620+45.4%
3Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$86,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,100 – $102,680+44.4%
4Sheet Metal Workers$87,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,660 – $110,260+41.0%
5Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$88,380
Bachelor's degree
$46,620 – $94,740+38.5%
6Roofers$76,610
No formal educational credential
$45,200 – $97,730+38.2%
7Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$102,610
Associate's degree
$62,890 – $124,110+37.7%
8Construction Laborers$62,960
No formal educational credential
$39,130 – $97,740+33.6%
9Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$85,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,790 – $117,300+33.4%
10Nurse Anesthetists$310,930
Master's degree
$96,600 – $313,110+31.4%
11Painters, Construction and Maintenance$64,450
No formal educational credential
$39,370 – $94,150+30.5%
12Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$78,710
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,100 – $105,450+29.0%
13Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$56,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,670 – $56,720+27.9%
14Structural Iron and Steel Workers$80,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,470 – $98,320+27.5%
15Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$72,670
No formal educational credential
$46,730 – $98,220+27.4%
16Electricians$80,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,030 – $108,490+27.3%
17Chief Executives$270,090
Bachelor's degree
$116,330 – $516,830+26.2%
18Buyers and Purchasing Agents$96,880
Bachelor's degree
$50,810 – $164,100+24.7%
19Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$62,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,480 – $74,990+24.5%
20Firefighters$73,670
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,150 – $102,960+24.3%
21Carpenters$75,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,440 – $105,440+24.3%
22Architectural and Engineering Managers$212,820
Bachelor's degree
$126,620 – $267,690+24.3%
23Mechanical Engineers$128,710
Bachelor's degree
$99,880 – $166,620+23.6%
24First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$98,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,460 – $121,390+23.5%
25Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$75,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,980 – $100,370+23.3%
26Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,480
Associate's degree
$47,660 – $103,190+22.4%
27Highway Maintenance Workers$61,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,040 – $100,790+22.2%
28Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$128,040
Bachelor's degree
$71,030 – $181,770+22.0%
29Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$59,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,420 – $59,500+21.4%
30Project Management Specialists$123,730
Bachelor's degree
$67,570 – $171,040+20.9%
31Medical Transcriptionists$48,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,470 – $54,040+19.2%
32Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$59,070
No formal educational credential
$36,300 – $75,680+18.9%
33Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents$92,920
Bachelor's degree
$47,230 – $195,270+18.1%
34Purchasing Managers$174,430
Bachelor's degree
$117,360 – $276,550+17.8%
35Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$56,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,000 – $81,630+16.9%
36Industrial Machinery Mechanics$74,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,610 – $97,270+15.9%
37Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$56,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,840 – $58,190+15.8%
38Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians$45,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,560 – $55,230+15.6%
39Industrial Engineers$117,180
Bachelor's degree
$78,080 – $166,660+14.4%
40Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$56,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,100 – $81,330+14.2%
41Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$57,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,880 – $57,330+13.3%
42Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$74,410
Bachelor's degree
$51,590 – $107,990+12.3%
43Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$72,270
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,040 – $78,870+12.2%
44Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$120,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,590 – $219,310+12.1%
45Directors, Religious Activities and Education$58,300
Bachelor's degree
$39,210 – $95,660+11.9%
46Training and Development Specialists$76,880
Bachelor's degree
$42,470 – $128,950+11.0%
47Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$49,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,000 – $77,940+10.7%
48Food Batchmakers$46,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,520 – $50,630+10.6%
49Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$58,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,480 – $79,930+9.7%
50Medical Equipment Repairers$67,600
Associate's degree
$39,540 – $98,340+9.6%

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

#	Occupation	MedianPeoria, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,780	$32,930 – $106,980	+59.0%
2	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$129,300	$62,830 – $170,620	+45.4%
3	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,440	$46,100 – $102,680	+44.4%
4	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,120	$45,660 – $110,260	+41.0%
5	Career/Technical Education Teachers, PostsecondaryBachelor's degree	$88,380	$46,620 – $94,740	+38.5%
6	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$76,610	$45,200 – $97,730	+38.2%
7	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$102,610	$62,890 – $124,110	+37.7%
8	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$62,960	$39,130 – $97,740	+33.6%
9	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,090	$47,790 – $117,300	+33.4%
10	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$310,930	$96,600 – $313,110	+31.4%
11	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$64,450	$39,370 – $94,150	+30.5%
12	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,710	$47,100 – $105,450	+29.0%
13	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,720	$36,670 – $56,720	+27.9%
14	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,060	$63,470 – $98,320	+27.5%
15	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$72,670	$46,730 – $98,220	+27.4%
16	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,460	$46,030 – $108,490	+27.3%
17	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$270,090	$116,330 – $516,830	+26.2%
18	Buyers and Purchasing AgentsBachelor's degree	$96,880	$50,810 – $164,100	+24.7%
19	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,080	$35,480 – $74,990	+24.5%
20	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,670	$36,150 – $102,960	+24.3%
21	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,280	$42,440 – $105,440	+24.3%
22	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$212,820	$126,620 – $267,690	+24.3%
23	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$128,710	$99,880 – $166,620	+23.6%
24	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,680	$63,460 – $121,390	+23.5%
25	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,900	$48,980 – $100,370	+23.3%
26	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,480	$47,660 – $103,190	+22.4%
27	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,410	$33,040 – $100,790	+22.2%
28	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$128,040	$71,030 – $181,770	+22.0%
29	Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,160	$51,420 – $59,500	+21.4%
30	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$123,730	$67,570 – $171,040	+20.9%
31	Medical TranscriptionistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,160	$35,470 – $54,040	+19.2%
32	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$59,070	$36,300 – $75,680	+18.9%
33	Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales AgentsBachelor's degree	$92,920	$47,230 – $195,270	+18.1%
34	Purchasing ManagersBachelor's degree	$174,430	$117,360 – $276,550	+17.8%
35	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,770	$39,000 – $81,630	+16.9%
36	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,780	$48,610 – $97,270	+15.9%
37	Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,840	$56,840 – $58,190	+15.8%
38	Ophthalmic Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,620	$34,560 – $55,230	+15.6%
39	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,180	$78,080 – $166,660	+14.4%
40	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,230	$39,100 – $81,330	+14.2%
41	Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,330	$50,880 – $57,330	+13.3%
42	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$74,410	$51,590 – $107,990	+12.3%
43	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,270	$58,040 – $78,870	+12.2%
44	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,250	$70,590 – $219,310	+12.1%
45	Directors, Religious Activities and EducationBachelor's degree	$58,300	$39,210 – $95,660	+11.9%
46	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$76,880	$42,470 – $128,950	+11.0%
47	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,410	$35,000 – $77,940	+10.7%
48	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,770	$37,520 – $50,630	+10.6%
49	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,960	$46,480 – $79,930	+9.7%
50	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$67,600	$39,540 – $98,340	+9.6%

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