Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Rockford, IL

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

Cost of living: prices in Rockford, IL run 7.8% below the national average (2024), so a Rockford, IL salary is worth about 1.09× 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 Rockford, IL

OccupationMedian, Rockford, IL · vs. national

1Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$97,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,670 – $117,050+62.5%
2Structural Iron and Steel Workers$100,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,200 – $114,730+59.7%
3Chief Executives$323,030
Bachelor's degree
$127,000 – $601,760+51.0%
4Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$75,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,630 – $91,560+50.4%
5Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$94,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,930 – $120,140+47.7%
6Electricians$93,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,690 – $125,090+47.6%
7Painters, Construction and Maintenance$72,700
No formal educational credential
$42,220 – $98,740+47.2%
8Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$75,320
No formal educational credential
$47,830 – $104,210+32.1%
9Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$60,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,220 – $63,770+30.5%
10Firefighters$77,150
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,430 – $88,910+30.1%
11Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$77,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,580 – $89,640+29.7%
12First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$102,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,580 – $126,620+27.8%
13Sheet Metal Workers$78,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,700 – $109,010+27.2%
14Dentists, General$214,670
Doctoral or professional degree
$115,610 – $309,100+25.6%
15Food Batchmakers$52,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,320 – $58,070+24.1%
16Construction Laborers$58,390
No formal educational credential
$38,950 – $97,350+23.9%
17Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$75,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,960 – $117,550+23.0%
18Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$46,730
Associate's degree
$35,480 – $76,400+22.5%
19Physicians, All Other$323,660
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,010 – $465,450+21.7%
20Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$76,380
Bachelor's degree
$46,950 – $99,610+21.4%
21Carpenters$72,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,470 – $104,360+20.1%
22Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,920
Bachelor's degree
$47,550 – $103,390+19.5%
23Roofers$65,100
No formal educational credential
$42,790 – $105,680+17.4%
24Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$57,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,680 – $86,870+16.2%
25File Clerks$49,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,280 – $68,100+14.4%
26Special Education Teachers, Middle School$75,540
Bachelor's degree
$47,190 – $105,040+13.1%
27Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$56,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,350 – $61,110+13.0%
28Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$73,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,570 – $101,600+12.9%
29Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$72,910
Bachelor's degree
$47,700 – $91,680+12.0%
30Industrial Machinery Mechanics$72,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,830 – $99,500+11.6%
31Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$73,830
Bachelor's degree
$49,900 – $99,390+11.4%
32Detectives and Criminal Investigators$104,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,190 – $157,060+11.0%
33Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$59,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,350 – $88,790+10.7%
34Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$44,200
No formal educational credential
$33,420 – $50,410+9.8%
35Rehabilitation Counselors$51,240
Master's degree
$35,310 – $68,800+9.4%
36Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,500
Bachelor's degree
$47,860 – $104,000+9.0%
37Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$70,090
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,170 – $82,460+8.8%
38Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$53,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,900 – $78,850+8.1%
39Cooks, Fast Food$33,380
No formal educational credential
$31,200 – $36,150+8.1%
40Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$71,190
Associate's degree
$46,370 – $88,070+7.7%
41Light Truck Drivers$48,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,680 – $85,790+7.5%
42Helpers--Production Workers$41,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,010 – $60,130+5.6%
43Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$48,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,350 – $70,310+5.6%
44Personal Financial Advisors$110,850
Bachelor's degree
$53,100 – $339,960+5.5%
45Labor Relations Specialists$100,480
Bachelor's degree
$63,260 – $136,100+5.3%
46Automotive Body and Related Repairers$57,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,030 – $77,360+5.3%
47Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$78,070
Bachelor's degree
$46,420 – $100,570+5.1%
48Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,190
Associate's degree
$49,020 – $95,310+5.0%
49Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,550 – $61,340+4.9%
50Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$94,450
Bachelor's degree
$57,800 – $129,400+4.8%

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

#	Occupation	MedianRockford, IL	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,250	$57,670 – $117,050	+62.5%
2	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,290	$60,200 – $114,730	+59.7%
3	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$323,030	$127,000 – $601,760	+51.0%
4	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,010	$38,630 – $91,560	+50.4%
5	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,230	$50,930 – $120,140	+47.7%
6	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,280	$58,690 – $125,090	+47.6%
7	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$72,700	$42,220 – $98,740	+47.2%
8	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$75,320	$47,830 – $104,210	+32.1%
9	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,900	$36,220 – $63,770	+30.5%
10	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,150	$34,430 – $88,910	+30.1%
11	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,830	$53,580 – $89,640	+29.7%
12	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,140	$58,580 – $126,620	+27.8%
13	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,640	$44,700 – $109,010	+27.2%
14	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$214,670	$115,610 – $309,100	+25.6%
15	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,500	$34,320 – $58,070	+24.1%
16	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$58,390	$38,950 – $97,350	+23.9%
17	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,070	$46,960 – $117,550	+23.0%
18	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$46,730	$35,480 – $76,400	+22.5%
19	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$323,660	$71,010 – $465,450	+21.7%
20	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechniciansBachelor's degree	$76,380	$46,950 – $99,610	+21.4%
21	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,770	$46,470 – $104,360	+20.1%
22	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$76,920	$47,550 – $103,390	+19.5%
23	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$65,100	$42,790 – $105,680	+17.4%
24	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,200	$36,680 – $86,870	+16.2%
25	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,870	$31,280 – $68,100	+14.4%
26	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$75,540	$47,190 – $105,040	+13.1%
27	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,800	$36,350 – $61,110	+13.0%
28	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,960	$44,570 – $101,600	+12.9%
29	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$72,910	$47,700 – $91,680	+12.0%
30	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,000	$49,830 – $99,500	+11.6%
31	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$73,830	$49,900 – $99,390	+11.4%
32	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,150	$55,190 – $157,060	+11.0%
33	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,990	$48,350 – $88,790	+10.7%
34	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$44,200	$33,420 – $50,410	+9.8%
35	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$51,240	$35,310 – $68,800	+9.4%
36	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,500	$47,860 – $104,000	+9.0%
37	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$70,090	$52,170 – $82,460	+8.8%
38	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,610	$35,900 – $78,850	+8.1%
39	Cooks, Fast FoodNo formal educational credential	$33,380	$31,200 – $36,150	+8.1%
40	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$71,190	$46,370 – $88,070	+7.7%
41	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,240	$32,680 – $85,790	+7.5%
42	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,240	$32,010 – $60,130	+5.6%
43	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,440	$34,350 – $70,310	+5.6%
44	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$110,850	$53,100 – $339,960	+5.5%
45	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$100,480	$63,260 – $136,100	+5.3%
46	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,780	$36,030 – $77,360	+5.3%
47	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,070	$46,420 – $100,570	+5.1%
48	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,190	$49,020 – $95,310	+5.0%
49	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,400	$36,550 – $61,340	+4.9%
50	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$94,450	$57,800 – $129,400	+4.8%

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