Highest-Paying Jobs in Illinois (2025)
Ranking 147 occupations by median salary in Illinois · Source: BLS OES & H-1B filings
Avg. Median Salary (IL)
$104,939
+3.1% vs national avg
National Median
$101,797
across all states
Total Employed
3.1M+
workers tracked in Illinois
Top 25 Highest-Paying Jobs in Illinois
Occupations in Illinois ranked by median annual salary (2025 BLS OES data).
| Rank | Occupation | Median Salary | vs National | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiologist | $517,850 | +5.9% | 340 |
| 2 | Surgeon | $438,010 | +16.0% | 620 |
| 3 | Chief Executive Officer | $331,920 | +56.1% | 5K |
| 4 | Airline Pilot | $293,490 | +36.9% | 6K |
| 5 | Nurse Anesthetist | $286,830 | +17.0% | 1K |
| 6 | Psychiatrist | $258,740 | +0.4% | 870 |
| 7 | Family Medicine Physician | $245,120 | -4.9% | 2K |
| 8 | Obstetrician and Gynecologist | $208,000 | -32.3% | 1K |
| 9 | Pediatrician | $196,760 | -8.7% | 1K |
| 10 | Computer and Information Systems Manager | $171,730 | +5.4% | 32K |
| 11 | Podiatrist | $167,400 | -6.1% | — |
| 12 | Financial Manager | $165,880 | +10.0% | 53K |
| 13 | Engineering Manager | $163,610 | -1.5% | 9K |
| 14 | Marketing Manager | $162,860 | +11.2% | 21K |
| 15 | Lawyer | $160,800 | +19.4% | 34K |
| 16 | Dentist | $156,110 | -11.2% | 7K |
| 17 | Sales Manager | $155,280 | +11.4% | 32K |
| 18 | Purchasing Manager | $153,370 | +9.7% | 4K |
| 19 | Human Resources Manager | $151,370 | +9.3% | 14K |
| 20 | Optometrist | $145,620 | +7.0% | 2K |
| 21 | Database Administrator | $142,500 | +7.5% | 2K |
| 22 | Internal Medicine Physician | $140,680 | -46.0% | 1K |
| 23 | Pharmacist | $139,080 | -2.7% | 12K |
| 24 | Physicist | $137,140 | -10.8% | 2K |
| 25 | Computer and Information Research Scientist | $136,540 | +2.6% | 630 |
Healthcare
Cardiologist
340 employed
$517,850
+5.9% vs national
Surgeon
620 employed
$438,010
+16.0% vs national
Nurse Anesthetist
1K employed
$286,830
+17.0% vs national
Psychiatrist
870 employed
$258,740
+0.4% vs national
Family Medicine Physician
2K employed
$245,120
-4.9% vs national
Obstetrician and Gynecologist
1K employed
$208,000
-32.3% vs national
Pediatrician
1K employed
$196,760
-8.7% vs national
Podiatrist
$167,400
-6.1% vs national
Dentist
7K employed
$156,110
-11.2% vs national
Optometrist
2K employed
$145,620
+7.0% vs national
Internal Medicine Physician
1K employed
$140,680
-46.0% vs national
Pharmacist
12K employed
$139,080
-2.7% vs national
Veterinarian
2K employed
$133,580
+6.9% vs national
Physician Assistant
4K employed
$131,950
-3.0% vs national
Nurse Practitioner
9K employed
$130,680
-2.3% vs national
Nurse Midwife
280 employed
$120,840
-9.0% vs national
Medical and Health Services Manager
22K employed
$117,850
-2.0% vs national
Physical Therapist
10K employed
$105,250
+3.6% vs national
Occupational Therapist
8K employed
$99,700
+1.0% vs national
Dental Hygienist
9K employed
$96,670
-0.2% vs national
Registered Nurse
139K employed
$95,990
+2.0% vs national
Speech-Language Pathologist
9K employed
$95,080
+4.1% vs national
Respiratory Therapist
5K employed
$84,090
+0.2% vs national
Radiologic Technologist
8K employed
$79,930
-1.7% vs national
Licensed Practical Nurse
17K employed
$75,000
+12.4% vs national
Dietitian and Nutritionist
3K employed
$73,520
+0.0% vs national
Mental Health Counselor
20K employed
$60,730
+2.3% vs national
Social Worker
3K employed
$49,960
-12.6% vs national
Rehabilitation Counselor
4K employed
$49,350
+2.5% vs national
Dental Assistant
14K employed
$48,610
-1.0% vs national
Pharmacy Technician
21K employed
$46,650
+2.7% vs national
Medical Assistant
20K employed
$46,090
+3.3% vs national
Nursing Assistant (CNA)
69K employed
$45,960
+9.9% vs national
Home Health and Personal Care Aide
134K employed
$38,060
+8.9% vs national
Management
Chief Executive Officer
5K employed
$331,920
+56.1% vs national
Marketing Manager
21K employed
$162,860
+11.2% vs national
Sales Manager
32K employed
$155,280
+11.4% vs national
Purchasing Manager
4K employed
$153,370
+9.7% vs national
Human Resources Manager
14K employed
$151,370
+9.3% vs national
Public Relations Manager
3K employed
$131,990
+2.0% vs national
Training and Development Manager
2K employed
$130,610
+4.6% vs national
Industrial Production Manager
12K employed
$127,270
+2.3% vs national
Construction Manager
19K employed
$109,160
-4.5% vs national
Administrative Services Manager
12K employed
$106,860
-5.8% vs national
Management Analyst
46K employed
$104,270
+6.7% vs national
General and Operations Manager
171K employed
$103,570
-4.2% vs national
Project Management Specialist
27K employed
$103,470
+4.8% vs national
Human Resources Specialist
35K employed
$76,820
+5.8% vs national
Property and Real Estate Manager
11K employed
$74,980
+9.6% vs national
Skilled Trades
Airline Pilot
6K employed
$293,490
+36.9% vs national
Construction Supervisor
19K employed
$105,750
+27.4% vs national
Plumber
17K employed
$99,950
+45.8% vs national
Electrician
23K employed
$99,560
+43.7% vs national
Construction Laborer
36K employed
$60,690
+23.1% vs national
Maintenance and Repair Worker
67K employed
$56,720
+12.0% vs national
Automotive Service Technician
30K employed
$49,170
-5.8% vs national
Technology
Computer and Information Systems Manager
32K employed
$171,730
+5.4% vs national
Database Administrator
2K employed
$142,500
+7.5% vs national
Computer and Information Research Scientist
630 employed
$136,540
+2.6% vs national
Computer Hardware Engineer
1K employed
$133,220
+2.3% vs national
Computer Network Architect
8K employed
$132,790
+5.0% vs national
Software Developer
56K employed
$132,110
+3.7% vs national
Information Security Analyst
5K employed
$124,180
+6.2% vs national
Statistician
480 employed
$119,760
+21.5% vs national
Data Scientist
11K employed
$106,560
-0.7% vs national
Computer Systems Analyst
21K employed
$101,570
-2.4% vs national
Network Administrator
10K employed
$100,080
+6.8% vs national
Software Engineer
11K employed
$99,360
-6.9% vs national
Operations Research Analyst
5K employed
$89,800
+0.6% vs national
Web and Digital Interface Designer
2K employed
$85,710
-0.2% vs national
Web Developer
4K employed
$84,820
-1.7% vs national
Multimedia Artist and Animator
630 employed
$81,180
+3.0% vs national
Data Analyst
1K employed
$81,090
+5.9% vs national
Computer Programmer
1K employed
$72,540
-24.4% vs national
Computer Network Support Specialist
7K employed
$68,530
-6.5% vs national
Computer User Support Specialist
26K employed
$59,860
-1.5% vs national
Finance
Financial Manager
53K employed
$165,880
+10.0% vs national
Personal Financial Advisor
10K employed
$120,130
+21.2% vs national
Actuary
2K employed
$115,430
-7.5% vs national
Financial Analyst
21K employed
$101,180
+4.1% vs national
Securities Sales Agent
28K employed
$99,840
+37.5% vs national
Budget Analyst
750 employed
$94,880
+7.4% vs national
Financial Examiner
4K employed
$93,150
+4.3% vs national
Credit Analyst
3K employed
$84,990
+4.1% vs national
Tax Examiner
6K employed
$81,180
+0.9% vs national
Compliance Officer
11K employed
$80,550
+2.0% vs national
Accountant
55K employed
$80,230
-2.9% vs national
Loan Officer
11K employed
$79,150
+3.7% vs national
Insurance Sales Agent
16K employed
$64,280
+1.2% vs national
Engineering
Engineering Manager
9K employed
$163,610
-1.5% vs national
Nuclear Engineer
1K employed
$134,510
-4.6% vs national
Materials Engineer
290 employed
$126,620
+16.3% vs national
Chemical Engineer
520 employed
$121,560
+5.1% vs national
Aerospace Engineer
200 employed
$108,940
-16.3% vs national
Environmental Engineer
940 employed
$107,990
+3.8% vs national
Electrical Engineer
5K employed
$107,860
-5.7% vs national
Mechanical Engineer
12K employed
$102,680
-2.6% vs national
Industrial Engineer
19K employed
$100,540
-5.6% vs national
Civil Engineer
14K employed
$99,760
+0.6% vs national
Biomedical Engineer
280 employed
$89,520
-13.5% vs national
Legal
Science
Physicist
2K employed
$137,140
-10.8% vs national
Geoscientist
410 employed
$96,950
+6.9% vs national
Urban and Regional Planner
1K employed
$91,360
+9.0% vs national
Biochemist and Biophysicist
150 employed
$87,010
-12.3% vs national
Chemist
3K employed
$85,230
-7.4% vs national
Psychologist
6K employed
$83,750
-13.8% vs national
Medical Scientist
5K employed
$82,330
-10.7% vs national
Environmental Scientist
2K employed
$81,590
+1.9% vs national
Creative
Protective Services
Business & Operations
Logistician
14K employed
$80,100
-4.0% vs national
Market Research Analyst
41K employed
$79,120
+8.6% vs national
Purchasing Agent
20K employed
$78,470
+2.1% vs national
Public Relations Specialist
6K employed
$76,380
+10.0% vs national
Editor
5K employed
$76,060
+14.1% vs national
Writer and Author
3K employed
$68,220
-3.5% vs national
Training and Development Specialist
15K employed
$67,380
-1.9% vs national
Real Estate Broker
990 employed
$62,540
-10.8% vs national
Real Estate Sales Agent
6K employed
$59,220
+0.4% vs national
Education
Secondary School Teacher
45K employed
$79,990
+13.6% vs national
Middle School Teacher
25K employed
$76,110
+11.0% vs national
Instructional Coordinator
10K employed
$76,050
-0.3% vs national
Elementary School Teacher
62K employed
$75,320
+10.5% vs national
Kindergarten Teacher
5K employed
$64,020
-0.2% vs national
Librarian
5K employed
$62,700
-7.1% vs national
School Counselor
14K employed
$62,420
-3.9% vs national
Tutor
15K employed
$44,230
-0.8% vs national