Illinois Average Salary 2026
Average pay, top-paying occupations, and cost of living across Illinois.
The average salary in Illinois is $113,051 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2025 data aggregated across 1 metropolitan areas (Chicago). The highest-paying tracked occupation in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $225,080 median; 42 occupations pay six-figure ($100K+) medians. Adjusted for the state's average cost-of-living index of 107, the average median equates to $105,655 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro.
Illinois has 1 metropolitan areas in our BLS OEWS coverage. Wages within the state vary substantially by metro — large coastal cities typically pay materially more than smaller inland ones, though the cost-of-living gap closes a lot of the apparent difference. BLS OEWS data captures every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) above a population threshold. Cities below that threshold roll up to non-metropolitan areas, which are not represented in the per-metro view but are captured in state-level rollups.
For workers comparing Illinois job markets, the per-metro pages give the role-specific breakdown that headline state averages obscure. The role-specific ranking pages — which list the highest-paying cities for a single occupation — are particularly useful when geographic flexibility is real and the role is the constraint.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in Illinois
Family Medicine Physician
Healthcare · 1,430 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($225,080)
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Healthcare · 1,120 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($208,000)
Pediatrician
Healthcare · 860 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($188,340)
Computer and Information Systems Manager
Technology · 24,950 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($173,760)
Financial Manager
Finance · 41,590 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($168,810)
Lawyer
Legal · 28,320 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($165,660)
Marketing Manager
Management · 17,400 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($165,340)
Sales Manager
Management · 25,390 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($158,690)
Human Resources Manager
Management · 10,810 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($156,770)
Dentist
Healthcare · 5,910 jobs in state · top metro: Chicago ($156,100)
Cities in Illinois
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary in Illinois is $113,051 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release aggregated across 1 BLS-tracked metros. The figure is employment-weighted, so larger occupations contribute proportionally more to the average. The top-paying role in the state is Family Medicine Physician at $225,080 median.
The top five highest-paying occupations in Illinois, ranked by employment-weighted median across all tracked metros, are Family Medicine Physician ($225,080), Obstetrician/Gynecologist ($208,000), Pediatrician ($188,340), Computer and Information Systems Manager ($173,760), Financial Manager ($168,810). See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/state/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.
Chicago, IL leads Illinois with an average median salary of $113,051 across 65 BLS-tracked occupations.
The average cost-of-living index across Illinois's tracked metros is 107 (national avg = 100). The state average median of $113,051 translates to $105,655 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. COL is roughly in line with the national average.
State aggregates are employment-weighted across the BLS-tracked metros in Illinois, using the OEWS 2025 reference period.
65 data points · BLS OEWS 2025 · last refreshed 2026-05-21
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.