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Average Salary in Illinois
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Illinois, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 716 occupations in Illinois. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Illinois's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Illinois jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Illinois
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Illinois is cardiologists, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 600.3% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 380 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Illinois pays 10.0% higher for this work. Next on the list are surgeons, all other at a mean of $239,200+ and orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 1,470 people in Illinois, so they describe the top of the Illinois wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | 380 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Surgeons, All Other | 840 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 250 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 5,150 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 560 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 970 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 6,440 | — | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 650 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 580 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 400 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Pediatric Surgeons | 30 | $43.01 | $89,450 | $239,200+ |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,660 | $112.92 | $234,880 | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 1,270 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Neurologists | 290 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 100 | $107.19 | $222,960 | $239,200+ |
Largest occupations in Illinois
The occupation with the most jobs in Illinois is laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, employing an estimated 183,590 people at a median annual wage of $39,840 and a mean of $42,780. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $38,940, so Illinois's typical pay for this work runs 2.3% higher. The next-largest occupations are general and operations managers (170,790 jobs, median $101,430) and registered nurses (139,900 jobs, median $86,410). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Illinois pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 183,590 | $39,840 | $42,780 |
| General and Operations Managers | 170,790 | $101,430 | $132,970 |
| Registered Nurses | 139,900 | $86,410 | $91,130 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 139,090 | $31,900 | $32,900 |
| Retail Salespersons | 132,880 | $34,490 | $38,230 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 125,810 | $37,640 | $39,430 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 119,640 | $36,310 | $36,540 |
| Cashiers | 118,010 | $31,340 | $33,100 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 109,940 | $44,910 | $47,510 |
| Office Clerks, General | 103,580 | $43,830 | $46,730 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 97,440 | $37,010 | $39,440 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 84,550 | $29,120 | $34,700 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 82,000 | $41,160 | $44,840 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 79,440 | $47,890 | $51,170 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 76,650 | $59,790 | $61,230 |
Where Illinois pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Illinois median with its own national median shows where Illinois's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Illinois jobs, the largest premium is for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators: a median of $96,980 in Illinois versus $58,710 nationally, 65.2% higher. The largest discount is for environmental science and protection technicians, including health, at $30,690 in Illinois versus $49,490 nationally, 38.0% lower. In total, 248 of the 451 occupations with 1,000 or more Illinois jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 285 of the 716 occupations published for Illinois have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Illinois's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Illinois median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $96,980 | $58,710 | +65.2% |
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $101,030 | $62,700 | +61.1% |
| Electricians | $96,360 | $62,350 | +54.5% |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $93,570 | $60,850 | +53.8% |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $96,200 | $62,970 | +52.8% |
| Real Estate Brokers | $55,290 | $72,280 | -23.5% |
| Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other | $34,990 | $46,040 | -24.0% |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $40,050 | $54,940 | -27.1% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $107,720 | $155,020 | -30.5% |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $30,690 | $49,490 | -38.0% |
Detailed Illinois occupation guides
Illinois salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Illinois?
By average pay, cardiologists is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Illinois, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Illinois?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Illinois, the largest occupation, laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, paid a median of $39,840 across 183,590 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 716 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Illinois have?
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand is the largest occupation published for Illinois, with an estimated 183,590 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $42,780.
Which occupations pay more in Illinois than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Illinois jobs, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators shows the largest premium: a median of $96,980 in Illinois versus $58,710 nationally, 65.2% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.