Comprehensive salary overview for Illinois based on 5,962,720 workers across 732 occupations tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
These are the highest paying occupations in Illinois based on median annual salary from BLS data.
| # | Occupation | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $234,880 | $255,550 | 1,660 |
| 2 | Dentists, All Other Specialists | $222,960 | $240,740 | 100 |
| 3 | Family Medicine Physicians | $220,260 | $206,010 | 1,540 |
| 4 | Physicians, All Other | $218,880 | $239,870 | 18,680 |
| 5 | Pediatricians, General | $207,740 | $216,290 | 1,340 |
| 6 | Dentists, General | $180,420 | $184,490 | 4,820 |
| 7 | Air Traffic Controllers | $175,090 | $156,590 | 1,000 |
| 8 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $165,720 | $168,630 | 27,550 |
| 9 | Financial Manager | $159,990 | $177,310 | 53,400 |
| 10 | Natural Sciences Managers | $158,690 | $166,910 | 3,100 |
| 11 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $157,480 | $161,530 | 9,030 |
| 12 | Lawyer | $157,320 | $177,740 | 33,430 |
| 13 | Marketing Manager | $154,480 | $158,900 | 21,670 |
| 14 | Sales Manager | $142,170 | $163,650 | 31,160 |
| 15 | Medical Dosimetrists | $140,780 | $144,140 | 100 |
| 16 | Purchasing Managers | $139,330 | $150,340 | 4,130 |
| 17 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $136,440 | $123,850 | 5,550 |
| 18 | Optometrists | $136,200 | $134,250 | 1,670 |
| 19 | Pharmacist | $135,880 | $136,050 | 12,450 |
| 20 | Computer and Information Research Scientists | $135,120 | $129,370 | 350 |
| 21 | Managers, All Other | $134,810 | $150,260 | N/A |
| 22 | Sociologists | $134,730 | $138,640 | N/A |
| 23 | Database Architects | $134,490 | $136,370 | 1,460 |
| 24 | Human Resources Manager | $134,320 | $151,940 | 13,700 |
| 25 | Computer Network Architects | $132,310 | $137,110 | 6,450 |
The 10 lowest paying occupations in Illinois by median annual salary.
| Occupation | Median Salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Bartenders | $29,120 | 40,520 |
| Passenger Attendants | $29,120 | 950 |
| Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators | $29,120 | N/A |
| Taxi Drivers | $29,120 | 170 |
| Telemarketers | $29,120 | 2,050 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $29,120 | 84,550 |
| Shampooers | $29,280 | 490 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $29,490 | 20,510 |
| Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers | $29,910 | 4,120 |
| Gambling Dealers | $30,230 | 2,200 |
The most common jobs in Illinois by total number of workers.
| Occupation | Workers | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 183,590 | $39,840 |
| General and Operations Managers | 170,790 | $101,430 |
| Registered Nurse | 139,900 | $86,410 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 139,090 | $31,900 |
| Retail Salespersons | 132,880 | $34,490 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 125,810 | $37,640 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 119,640 | $36,310 |
| Cashiers | 118,010 | $31,340 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 109,940 | $44,910 |
| Office Clerks, General | 103,580 | $43,830 |
See how average salaries in Illinois compare to other states across the country.
All salary data on this page comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 estimates. The average salary shown is the mean across all tracked occupations weighted by employment. For methodology details, see our Methodology page.