Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
65 Highest Paying Jobs in Illinois (2026)
The highest-paying job in Illinois is Family Medicine Physician with a state-aggregated median salary of $225,080 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data weighted across the state's 1 BLS-tracked metro. Across all 65 occupations the average median is $113,051, with 42 occupations paying a six-figure ($100K+) median. Illinois's average cost-of-living index is 107, so the average median equates to $105,655 of buying power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
The 65 occupations below are ranked by median wage across Illinois — rolling up wage data across all metropolitan areas in the state. State-level rollups smooth over the substantial intra-state wage variation typical of larger states. For state-level wage comparisons, BLS OEWS state files aggregate across MSAs and non-MSA areas. The aggregation hides legitimate within-state differences: a job in Illinois's primary metro often pays substantially more (and costs substantially more to live near) than the same job in smaller cities.
Use the per-metro pages for the geographic-specific view. The state-level ranking is most useful for comparing Illinois to other states, not for comparing within-state options.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Illinois
Ranked by state-aggregated median (50th percentile) salary, employment-weighted across Illinois's single tracked metro.
State median $225,080 · 1,430 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($225,080)
Family Medicine Physicians in Illinois earn $225,080 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $225,080 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $208,000 · 1,120 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($208,000)
Obstetrician/Gynecologists in Illinois earn $208,000 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $208,000 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $188,340 · 860 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($188,340)
Pediatricians in Illinois earn $188,340 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $188,340 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $173,760 · 24,950 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($173,760)
Computer and Information Systems Managers in Illinois earn $173,760 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $173,760 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $168,810 · 41,590 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($168,810)
Financial Managers in Illinois earn $168,810 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $168,810 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $165,660 · 28,320 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($165,660)
Lawyers in Illinois earn $165,660 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $165,660 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $165,340 · 17,400 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($165,340)
Marketing Managers in Illinois earn $165,340 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $165,340 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $158,690 · 25,390 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($158,690)
Sales Managers in Illinois earn $158,690 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $158,690 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $156,770 · 10,810 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($156,770)
Human Resources Managers in Illinois earn $156,770 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $156,770 median, materially above the state aggregate.
State median $156,100 · 5,910 jobs · top metro: Chicago ($156,100)
Dentists in Illinois earn $156,100 median state-wide. Pay varies meaningfully across the state's metros — the top-paying metro (Chicago) pays $156,100 median, materially above the state aggregate.
Full Ranking: All 65 Tracked Occupations
| Rank | Role | Category | State Median | Top Metro | Top Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $225,080 | Chicago | $225,080 | 1,430 |
| 2 | Obstetrician/Gynecologist | Healthcare | $208,000 | Chicago | $208,000 | 1,120 |
| 3 | Pediatrician | Healthcare | $188,340 | Chicago | $188,340 | 860 |
| 4 | Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $173,760 | Chicago | $173,760 | 24,950 |
| 5 | Financial Manager | Finance | $168,810 | Chicago | $168,810 | 41,590 |
| 6 | Lawyer | Legal | $165,660 | Chicago | $165,660 | 28,320 |
| 7 | Marketing Manager | Management | $165,340 | Chicago | $165,340 | 17,400 |
| 8 | Sales Manager | Management | $158,690 | Chicago | $158,690 | 25,390 |
| 9 | Human Resources Manager | Management | $156,770 | Chicago | $156,770 | 10,810 |
| 10 | Dentist | Healthcare | $156,100 | Chicago | $156,100 | 5,910 |
| 11 | Veterinarian | Healthcare | $148,730 | Chicago | $148,730 | 1,530 |
| 12 | Optometrist | Healthcare | $145,630 | Chicago | $145,630 | 1,160 |
| 13 | Computer Network Architect | Technology | $143,800 | Chicago | $143,800 | 5,400 |
| 14 | Pharmacist | Healthcare | $140,880 | Chicago | $140,880 | 8,930 |
| 15 | Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $135,630 | Chicago | $135,630 | 490 |
| 16 | Software Developer | Technology | $134,380 | Chicago | $134,380 | 40,370 |
| 17 | Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $131,740 | Chicago | $131,740 | 6,530 |
| 18 | Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $127,940 | Chicago | $127,940 | 3,050 |
| 19 | Information Security Analyst | Technology | $125,310 | Chicago | $125,310 | 3,480 |
| 20 | Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $123,090 | Chicago | $123,090 | 16,680 |
| 21 | Statistician | Technology | $122,180 | Chicago | $122,180 | 380 |
| 22 | Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $121,910 | Chicago | $121,910 | 1,570 |
| 23 | Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $113,520 | Chicago | $113,520 | 4,290 |
| 24 | Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $113,210 | Chicago | $113,210 | 8,370 |
| 25 | Database Architect | Technology | $109,680 | Chicago | $109,680 | 1,870 |
| 26 | General and Operations Manager | Management | $109,390 | Chicago | $109,390 | 122,930 |
| 27 | Data Scientist | Technology | $107,640 | Chicago | $107,640 | 7,940 |
| 28 | Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $105,720 | Chicago | $105,720 | 7,880 |
| 29 | Software Quality Assurance Tester | Technology | $105,580 | Chicago | $105,580 | 5,010 |
| 30 | Management Analyst | Management | $105,090 | Chicago | $105,090 | 37,510 |
| 31 | Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $103,490 | Chicago | $103,490 | 14,660 |
| 32 | Plumber | Trades | $103,380 | Chicago | $103,380 | 12,750 |
| 33 | Network Architect | Technology | $103,170 | Chicago | $103,170 | 6,950 |
| 34 | Electrician | Trades | $102,350 | Chicago | $102,350 | 17,720 |
| 35 | Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $102,070 | Chicago | $102,070 | 6,900 |
| 36 | Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $101,760 | Chicago | $101,760 | 12,750 |
| 37 | Financial Analyst | Finance | $101,750 | Chicago | $101,750 | 17,150 |
| 38 | Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $101,660 | Chicago | $101,660 | 7,800 |
| 39 | Audiologist | Healthcare | $100,930 | Chicago | $100,930 | 230 |
| 40 | Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $100,490 | Chicago | $100,490 | 100,240 |
| 41 | Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $100,260 | Chicago | $100,260 | 6,470 |
| 42 | Civil Engineer | Engineering | $100,160 | Chicago | $100,160 | 9,760 |
| 43 | Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $99,860 | Chicago | $99,860 | 5,960 |
| 44 | Computer Programmer | Technology | $99,750 | Chicago | $99,750 | 650 |
| 45 | Secondary School Teacher | Education | $98,970 | Chicago | $98,970 | 32,790 |
| 46 | Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $98,490 | Chicago | $98,490 | 7,150 |
| 47 | Financial Examiner | Finance | $98,470 | Chicago | $98,470 | 3,160 |
| 48 | Web Designer | Technology | $96,870 | Chicago | $96,870 | 2,790 |
| 49 | Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $93,670 | Chicago | $93,670 | 2,450 |
| 50 | Web Developer | Technology | $87,920 | Chicago | $87,920 | 1,470 |
| 51 | Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $86,500 | Chicago | $86,500 | 3,680 |
| 52 | Accountant | Finance | $82,360 | Chicago | $82,360 | 41,360 |
| 53 | Architect | Engineering | $81,790 | Chicago | $81,790 | 4,460 |
| 54 | Carpenter | Trades | $80,440 | Chicago | $80,440 | 14,220 |
| 55 | Market Research Analyst | Management | $80,400 | Chicago | $80,400 | 30,970 |
| 56 | Loan Officer | Finance | $80,040 | Chicago | $80,040 | 7,380 |
| 57 | Elementary School Teacher | Education | $78,390 | Chicago | $78,390 | 45,840 |
| 58 | Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $77,050 | Chicago | $77,050 | 4,920 |
| 59 | Writer/Author | Creative | $75,940 | Chicago | $75,940 | 2,120 |
| 60 | Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $73,960 | Chicago | $73,960 | 7,620 |
| 61 | Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $73,340 | Chicago | $73,340 | 4,740 |
| 62 | Paralegal | Legal | $70,550 | Chicago | $70,550 | 11,590 |
| 63 | Graphic Designer | Creative | $66,490 | Chicago | $66,490 | 6,590 |
| 64 | Automotive Technician | Trades | $55,320 | Chicago | $55,320 | 20,140 |
| 65 | Welder | Trades | $52,650 | Chicago | $52,650 | 9,320 |
Why These Roles Pay the Most in Illinois
Illinois centers on Chicago's diversified economy: finance, professional services, manufacturing, healthcare, and corporate headquarters. Cost of living near the national average makes nominal pay numbers a clean read for actual purchasing power.
$Illinois tracks $1 BLS-published metros covering approximately $927,900 workers across the $65 occupations on this page. State-aggregated medians are employment-weighted across metros, which is the right way to read "state pay" when BLS publishes by metro. The Family Medicine Physician top spot reflects Chicago pulling the upper end of the distribution; smaller metros in Illinois typically pay 10–25% less for the same role.
Metro-by-Metro Detail
For salary data specific to one metro within Illinois, see:
Frequently Asked Questions
The highest paying job in Illinois is Family Medicine Physician with a state median salary of $225,080. The top-paying metro for this role is Chicago at $225,080 median. The role employs roughly 1,430 workers across Illinois.
42 of the 65 BLS-tracked occupations in Illinois have a state-aggregated median salary of $100,000 or higher. That places this state in the upper tier nationally for high-paying occupations.
Across 65 BLS-tracked occupations, the average median salary in Illinois is $113,051. The figure is employment-weighted across 1 metros, so larger occupations and larger metros contribute proportionally more. Cost-of-living-adjusted to a national-average baseline, it equates to $105,655.
BLS OEWS publishes wage data by Metropolitan Statistical Area. For Illinois, this page aggregates Chicago. Some non-MSA areas (small towns, rural counties) are excluded from OEWS metro tables but covered in BLS state-level summaries; we use metro-level data to preserve the percentile granularity.
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. State aggregates are computed by employment-weighting metro-level percentile wages across the BLS-tracked metros in Illinois.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Illinois, using OEWS 2025 data.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.