Illinois
Highest-Paying Occupations in Illinois
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Illinois
Figures describe the state of Illinois as a whole. Occupations are ranked by published median annual wage; occupations where BLS suppressed the annual median or publishes only hourly wages are not ranked (12 such occupations here).
Top 25 of 747 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiologists | $517,850 | $248.97 | 340 |
| 2 | Surgeons, All Other | $438,010 | $210.58 | 620 |
| 3 | Dermatologists | $435,750 | $209.49 | Not published |
| 4 | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $426,580 | $205.09 | 170 |
| 5 | Physicians, Pathologists | $381,770 | $183.55 | Not published |
| 6 | Orthodontists | $343,100 | $164.95 | Not published |
| 7 | Chief Executives | $331,920 | $159.58 | 4,620 |
| 8 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $293,490 | Not published | 6,460 |
| 9 | Nurse Anesthetists | $286,830 | $137.90 | 1,140 |
| 10 | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $284,630 | $136.84 | 620 |
| 11 | Psychiatrists | $258,740 | $124.40 | 870 |
| 12 | Dentists, All Other Specialists | $250,880 | $120.62 | 230 |
| 13 | Family Medicine Physicians | $245,120 | $117.84 | 1,960 |
| 14 | Emergency Medicine Physicians | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | 1,220 |
| 15 | Radiologists | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | Not published |
| 16 | Neurologists | $237,080 | $113.98 | 240 |
| 17 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists | $208,000 | $100.00 | 1,290 |
| 18 | Pediatricians, General | $196,760 | $94.60 | 1,180 |
| 19 | Air Traffic Controllers | $181,560 | $87.29 | 990 |
| 20 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $171,730 | $82.56 | 31,680 |
| 21 | Podiatrists | $167,400 | $80.48 | Not published |
| 22 | Advertising and Promotions Managers | $167,330 | $80.45 | 160 |
| 23 | Financial Managers | $165,880 | $79.75 | 52,720 |
| 24 | Medical Dosimetrists | $163,860 | $78.78 | 140 |
| 25 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $163,610 | $78.66 | 8,900 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the Illinois overview.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.