Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Illinois employs 396,920 Production professionals across 85 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Production industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Production in Illinois, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Production industry in Illinois, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | $123,980 | $124,850 | 410 | $59/hr |
| 2 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $115,780 | $106,410 | 1,680 | $55/hr |
| 3 | Power Plant Operators | $104,440 | $103,620 | 1,160 | $50/hr |
| 4 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $102,890 | $103,080 | 1,070 | $49/hr |
| 5 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $101,470 | $94,840 | 330 | $48/hr |
| 6 | Gas Plant Operators | $97,810 | $90,040 | 530 | $47/hr |
| 7 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $75,200 | $76,340 | 29,640 | $36/hr |
| 8 | Model Makers, Metal and Plastic | $68,890 | $60,260 | N/A | $33/hr |
| 9 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $68,830 | $71,690 | 1,070 | $33/hr |
| 10 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $67,810 | $71,820 | 3,500 | $32/hr |
| 11 | Chemical Plant and System Operators | $65,710 | $68,240 | 160 | $31/hr |
| 12 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $63,360 | $59,380 | 570 | $30/hr |
| 13 | Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | $62,870 | $59,960 | 230 | $30/hr |
| 14 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $61,940 | $64,120 | 5,580 | $29/hr |
| 15 | Tool and Die Makers | $61,170 | $61,060 | 5,220 | $29/hr |
| 16 | Tire Builders | $59,830 | $60,220 | N/A | $28/hr |
| 17 | Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $58,840 | $61,020 | 180 | $28/hr |
| 18 | Machinists | $58,520 | $58,920 | 16,520 | $28/hr |
| 19 | Pourers and Casters, Metal | $57,200 | $65,210 | 330 | $27/hr |
| 20 | Foundry Mold and Coremakers | $57,110 | $54,530 | 390 | $27/hr |
| 21 | Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $56,720 | $51,120 | 390 | $27/hr |
| 22 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $56,400 | $54,030 | 5,360 | $27/hr |
| 23 | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | $55,380 | $55,050 | 1,910 | $26/hr |
| 24 | Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers | $54,990 | $55,790 | 610 | $26/hr |
| 25 | Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $54,930 | $51,750 | 1,260 | $26/hr |
| 26 | Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $54,180 | $53,580 | 550 | $26/hr |
| 27 | Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $53,560 | $56,920 | 10,240 | $25/hr |
| 28 | Dental Laboratory Technicians | $51,380 | $53,070 | 2,030 | $24/hr |
| 29 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $51,320 | $55,930 | 16,260 | $24/hr |
| 30 | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | $51,020 | $52,660 | 590 | $24/hr |
| 31 | Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $50,160 | $53,650 | 2,350 | $24/hr |
| 32 | Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $49,750 | $51,970 | 230 | $23/hr |
| 33 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $49,740 | $52,770 | 1,770 | $23/hr |
| 34 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | $49,630 | $50,420 | 650 | $23/hr |
| 35 | Prepress Technicians and Workers | $49,450 | $54,520 | 680 | $23/hr |
| 36 | Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders | $49,200 | $56,220 | 60 | $23/hr |
| 37 | Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,990 | $51,740 | 8,060 | $23/hr |
| 38 | Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $48,520 | $50,450 | 2,750 | $23/hr |
| 39 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,440 | $50,730 | 780 | $23/hr |
| 40 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $48,420 | $51,990 | 8,170 | $23/hr |
| 41 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,290 | $49,410 | 710 | $23/hr |
| 42 | Food Batchmakers | $48,130 | $48,720 | 12,320 | $23/hr |
| 43 | Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,000 | $52,330 | 6,390 | $23/hr |
| 44 | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $47,920 | $52,070 | 31,700 | $23/hr |
| 45 | Print Binding and Finishing Workers | $47,880 | $46,640 | 1,540 | $23/hr |
| 46 | Furniture Finishers | $47,600 | $47,040 | 170 | $22/hr |
| 47 | Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $47,370 | $51,860 | 1,690 | $22/hr |
| 48 | Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $47,180 | $48,150 | 1,230 | $22/hr |
| 49 | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $46,530 | $50,480 | 470 | $22/hr |
| 50 | Medical Appliance Technicians | $46,370 | $50,110 | 790 | $22/hr |
| 51 | Printing Press Operators | $46,260 | $48,590 | 9,550 | $22/hr |
| 52 | Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $46,180 | $48,750 | 4,100 | $22/hr |
| 53 | Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $45,500 | $46,710 | 10,680 | $21/hr |
| 54 | Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $45,340 | $48,160 | 850 | $21/hr |
| 55 | Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $45,020 | $46,980 | 760 | $21/hr |
| 56 | Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $44,950 | $43,430 | 3,360 | $21/hr |
| 57 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $44,350 | $45,540 | 6,090 | $21/hr |
| 58 | Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,140 | $46,180 | 76,460 | $21/hr |
| 59 | Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | $43,740 | $43,810 | 70 | $21/hr |
| 60 | Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | $43,730 | $45,470 | 200 | $21/hr |
| 61 | Etchers and Engravers | $43,450 | $45,620 | 330 | $20/hr |
| 62 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,150 | $44,740 | 29,400 | $20/hr |
| 63 | Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $42,950 | $43,010 | 70 | $20/hr |
| 64 | Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | $42,670 | $42,590 | 2,460 | $20/hr |
| 65 | Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $42,470 | $45,270 | 13,550 | $20/hr |
| 66 | Upholsterers | $42,450 | $43,140 | 250 | $20/hr |
| 67 | Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $42,330 | $45,350 | 320 | $20/hr |
| 68 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | $41,960 | $44,760 | 180 | $20/hr |
| 69 | Helpers--Production Workers | $41,480 | $44,570 | 5,210 | $19/hr |
| 70 | Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | $41,360 | $43,300 | 1,820 | $19/hr |
| 71 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $40,690 | $41,440 | 4,040 | $19/hr |
| 72 | Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | $40,230 | $46,170 | N/A | $19/hr |
| 73 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | $39,240 | $41,980 | 7,710 | $18/hr |
| 74 | Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $38,620 | $41,990 | 2,380 | $18/hr |
| 75 | Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,600 | $39,080 | 230 | $18/hr |
| 76 | Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $38,230 | $41,620 | 440 | $18/hr |
| 77 | Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators | $37,940 | $43,480 | N/A | $18/hr |
| 78 | Bakers | $37,030 | $38,960 | 12,420 | $17/hr |
| 79 | Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $36,950 | $40,640 | 180 | $17/hr |
| 80 | Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | $36,840 | $39,850 | 830 | $17/hr |
| 81 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | $36,590 | $36,910 | 60 | $17/hr |
| 82 | Sewers, Hand | $36,480 | $40,240 | N/A | $17/hr |
| 83 | Sewing Machine Operators | $36,220 | $38,600 | 4,060 | $17/hr |
| 84 | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand | $35,360 | $39,380 | 30 | $17/hr |
| 85 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $35,220 | $35,630 | 8,550 | $16/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Illinois:
Illinois has 85 Production occupations with 396,920 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Production occupation in Illinois is Nuclear Power Reactor Operators with a median salary of $123,980/year.
The average median salary across 85 Production occupations in Illinois is $52,692/year.
Salaries in Production in Illinois range from $31,200 (entry-level) to $133,950 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Production occupations use SOC prefix 51. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 51* in Illinois. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources