Top 100 highest-paying jobs in South Illinois nonmetropolitan area

Table 1 compares the top 100 highest-paying jobs in South Illinois nonmetropolitan area, ranked by annual average salary. For each job, the table displays the number of employees with that job, as well as the job's entry-level salary. (The entry-level salary is calculated based on the 10% of paid workers with the lowest salaries.)

Based on the table, we see that the highest-paying jobs in South Illinois nonmetropolitan area are those of all other physicians, with an average annual salary of $224,630. The second highest-paying jobs are those of general dentist, with an average salary of $165,920.

All of the shown salary and employment information for South Illinois nonmetropolitan area has been computed using data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in April 2023. Notably, the highest-paying occupations change from year to year. Tables 2, 3, and 4 show the top 10 highest-paying occupations in South Illinois nonmetropolitan area in 2021, 2020, and 2019.

Table 1. Top 100 highest-paying jobs in South Illinois nonmetropolitan area (2022 survey)

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	No. of Empl i
1	All Other Physicians	$224,630	$30,240	140
2	General Dentists	$165,920	$52,020	50
3	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$133,480	$82,970	100
4	Computer Network Architects	$130,590	$96,370	60
5	Pharmacists	$128,570	$85,140	190
6	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$123,000	$76,810	100
7	Physician Assistants	$121,120	$96,630	50
8	Chief Executives	$121,050	$87,880	50
9	Software Developers	$120,270	$61,440	230
10	Nurse Practitioners	$118,390	$99,470	130
11	Sales Managers	$108,680	$54,310	160
12	Information Security Analysts	$106,250	$69,540	40
13	Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	$105,240	$92,560	40
14	Electrical Engineers	$103,810	$70,290	120
15	Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	$102,340	$78,640	180
16	Industrial Production Managers	$101,680	$77,560	160
17	Financial Managers	$98,370	$59,140	360
18	Human Resources Managers	$97,890	$58,660	70
19	Civil Engineers	$97,300	$50,750	70
20	Physical Therapists	$97,100	$67,820	120
21	Power Plant Operators	$96,020	$60,390	60
22	Computer Systems Analysts	$93,660	$62,560	70
23	Lawyers	$92,930	$46,850	140
24	Veterinarians	$91,390	$46,060	50
25	First-Line Supervisors of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers	$90,030	$66,870	40
26	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$89,270	$53,460	90
27	Computer Occupations, All Other	$85,130	$49,460	50
28	All Other Managers	$84,320	$58,970	170
29	Financial Examiners	$84,260	$54,570	30
30	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists	$84,030	$48,690	100
31	Medical and Health Services Managers	$83,240	$60,980	290
32	Other Business Operations Specialists	$83,030	$33,540	350
33	Construction Managers	$81,640	$49,980	90
34	Elementary and Secondary School Education Administrators	$80,780	$49,590	280
35	Industrial Engineers	$80,740	$62,880	270
36	Conservation Scientists	$80,370	$46,220	50
37	Postmasters and Mail Superintendents	$80,240	$75,070	40
38	Project Management Specialists	$80,000	$42,650	130
39	Marketing Managers	$79,940	$46,490	90
40	Administrative Services Managers	$79,390	$45,440	60
41	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	$79,350	$69,530	500
42	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers	$78,740	$53,800	90
43	Personal Financial Advisors	$77,980	$36,800	100
44	Financial Analysts	$77,910	$53,230	40
45	Mechanical Engineers	$77,510	$61,120	70
46	Electricians	$76,030	$41,080	330
47	Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$75,610	$47,530	50
48	Facilities Managers	$75,600	$49,160	50
49	Credit Analysts	$75,200	$45,900	50
50	Management Analysts	$75,090	$31,270	60
51	Other Teachers and Instructors	$74,610	$46,940	60
52	Network and Computer Systems Administrators	$74,570	$44,990	40
53	First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$74,450	$52,000	140
54	Compliance Officers	$74,170	$43,280	80
55	General and Operations Managers	$72,810	$36,310	2,150
56	Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers	$71,700	$35,480	50
57	Dental Hygienists	$71,640	$46,490	90
58	Loan Officers	$68,410	$39,500	260
59	Cost Estimators	$68,290	$35,360	60
60	Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists	$66,970	$52,590	50
61	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers	$66,820	$38,500	310
62	Computer Network Support Specialists	$66,670	$40,580	120
63	Registered Nurses	$66,280	$51,690	2,090
64	Continuous Mining Machine Operators	$66,150	$38,280	170
65	Postsecondary Art, Drama, and Music Teachers	$65,090	$47,900	50
66	Speech-Language Pathologists	$64,840	$48,380	160
67	Postsecondary Education Administrators	$63,940	$48,660	60
68	Gas Plant Operators	$63,330	$51,720	30
69	Postsecondary Health Specialties Teachers	$63,130	$43,530	30
70	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators	$62,160	$48,520	60
71	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers	$62,020	$41,600	380
72	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	$61,800	$37,260	70
73	Accountants and Auditors	$60,670	$41,380	370
74	Correctional Officers and Jailers	$60,300	$51,580	1,530
75	Respiratory Therapists	$60,070	$49,130	130
76	Child, Family, and School Social Workers	$59,990	$37,110	400
77	Secondary School Special Education Teachers	$59,880	$44,160	120
78	Physical Therapist Assistants	$59,860	$45,550	120
79	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers	$59,570	$43,640	560
80	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel	$58,530	$31,240	270
81	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$58,490	$38,170	1,250
82	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	$58,340	$46,940	130
83	School Psychologists	$58,310	$47,890	40
84	Human Resources Specialists	$58,240	$41,630	230
85	Buyers and Purchasing Agents	$58,160	$35,540	170
86	Kindergarten and Elementary School Special Education Teachers	$58,020	$46,400	190
87	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers	$57,730	$38,680	150
88	Training and Development Specialists	$57,350	$40,730	100
89	Social and Community Service Managers	$56,360	$41,380	100
90	Advertising Sales Agents	$56,050	$27,730	50
91	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants	$55,980	$37,480	200
92	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators	$55,920	$38,960	400
93	Logisticians	$55,830	$41,590	50
94	Occupational Therapy Assistants	$55,620	$33,930	60
95	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School	$55,240	$39,570	60
96	Public Relations Specialists	$54,990	$35,370	40
97	Carpenters	$54,150	$33,810	290
98	Industrial Machinery Mechanics	$54,120	$45,570	220
99	Legislators	$54,000	$24,960	180
100	Computer User Support Specialists	$53,180	$34,320	160

Table 2. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in South Illinois nonmetropolitan area – 2021 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	General Dentists	$163,880
2	Chief Executives	$139,970
3	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$127,140
4	Pharmacists	$124,450
5	Physician Assistants	$121,070
6	Sales Managers	$120,790
7	Nurse Practitioners	$116,850
8	Industrial Production Managers	$102,110
9	Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	$99,990
10	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$99,480

Table 3. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in South Illinois nonmetropolitan area – 2020 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	General Dentists	$138,420
2	Pharmacists	$135,310
3	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$127,840
4	Sales Managers	$110,040
5	Physician Assistants	$106,970
6	Nurse Practitioners	$103,560
7	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$99,160
8	Industrial Production Managers	$95,690
9	All Other Personal Service Managers, Entertainment Managers, Except Gambling; and Managers	$95,520
10	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$94,030

Table 4. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in South Illinois nonmetropolitan area – 2019 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	Pharmacists	$131,580
2	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$125,830
3	Mining and Geological Engineers	$103,480
4	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$98,270
5	Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	$97,360
6	Nurse Practitioners	$96,990
7	Physician Assistants	$95,590
8	Electrical Engineers	$94,180
9	Industrial Production Managers	$92,400
10	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$91,910

Also see The most popular jobs in South Illinois nonmetropolitan area.

Also see The most popular jobs in Illinois, The top paying jobs in Illinois.