Average Salaries in Illinois
Explore salaries across 759 occupations in Illinois. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $74.9K, +13.9% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 759 occupations and 6,059,240 total jobs in Illinois.
How the state compares
Illinois pays modestly above the national average. Most occupations here earn more than their national equivalents, but the gap is smaller than in top-tier markets.
Illinois has a large and diverse labor market, with meaningful employment across most occupations.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Cardiologists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Illinois
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Illinois
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $517.9K | 340 |
| Surgeons, All Other | $438K | 620 |
| Dermatologists | $435.8K | N/A |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $426.6K | 170 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $381.8K | N/A |
| Orthodontists | $343.1K | N/A |
| Chief Executives | $331.9K | 4,620 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers | $293.5K | 6,460 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $286.8K | 1,140 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $284.6K | 620 |
Largest occupations in Illinois
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 195,390 | $40.6K |
| General And Operations Managers | 171,300 | $103.6K |
| Cashiers | 139,630 | $34.5K |
| Registered Nurses | 138,910 | $96K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 134,100 | $38.1K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 127,590 | $33.9K |
| Retail Salespersons | 126,610 | $35.4K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 109,240 | $37.7K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 100,970 | $46.1K |
| Office Clerks, General | 95,980 | $45.7K |
What Illinois specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Illinois than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Illinois
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | 9.05 | $81.1K |
| Hoist And Winch Operators | 3.10 | $118.2K |
| Nuclear Technicians | 3.08 | $110.4K |
| Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 2.77 | $80.8K |
| Mixing And Blending Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders | 2.75 | $53.6K |
| Surgical Assistants | 2.63 | $80.2K |
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | 2.62 | $63.5K |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, And Switch Operators And Locomotive Firers | 2.48 | $76.3K |
| Bridge And Lock Tenders | 2.45 | $70.9K |
| Tool And Die Makers | 2.34 | $61.2K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Illinois
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Illinois
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $77.1K | 4,486,130 |
| Peoria, IL | $67.5K | 158,880 |
| Rockford, IL | $64.7K | 132,100 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $66.9K | 94,930 |
| Springfield, IL | $70.3K | 94,180 |
| Bloomington, IL | $66.1K | 71,330 |
| Decatur, IL | $65.8K | 36,880 |
| Kankakee, IL | $61.5K | 36,760 |
Common salary questions for Illinois
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.