Kenishirotie //Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Mathematicians
- Median annual wage: $127,290
- Median hourly wage: $61.20
- Total employment: 60 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Chicago
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Chicago. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $129,360
- Median hourly wage: $62.19
- Total employment: 1,470 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Compensation and benefits managers
- Median annual wage: $129,400
- Median hourly wage: $62.21
- Total employment: 440 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $129,530
- Median hourly wage: $62.27
- Total employment: 1,310 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $130,030
- Median hourly wage: $62.51
- Total employment: 41,320 people (9.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Lobanov // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Nuclear engineers
- Median annual wage: $130,160
- Median hourly wage: $62.58
- Total employment: 750 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
H_Ko // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Materials scientists
- Median annual wage: $130,440
- Median hourly wage: $62.71
- Total employment: 360 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Physicists
- Median annual wage: $131,260
- Median hourly wage: $63.11
- Total employment: 1,580 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $131,690
- Median hourly wage: $63.31
- Total employment: 6,930 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $134,430
- Median hourly wage: $64.63
- Total employment: 2,070 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Aodaodaodaod // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Sociologists
- Median annual wage: $134,730
- Median hourly wage: $64.78
- Total employment: Not available
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $134,900
- Median hourly wage: $64.86
- Total employment: 1,260 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Computer and information research scientists
- Median annual wage: $135,120
- Median hourly wage: $64.96
- Total employment: 230 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $136,440
- Median hourly wage: $65.60
- Total employment: 4,190 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $137,040
- Median hourly wage: $65.89
- Total employment: Not available
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $137,610
- Median hourly wage: $66.16
- Total employment: 9,630 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $137,760
- Median hourly wage: $66.23
- Total employment: 10,990 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $138,510
- Median hourly wage: $66.59
- Total employment: 1,280 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $140,730
- Median hourly wage: $67.66
- Total employment: 3,250 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $140,760
- Median hourly wage: $67.67
- Total employment: 4,880 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $141,380
- Median hourly wage: $67.97
- Total employment: 720 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sebastian Duda // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Median annual wage: $141,740
- Median hourly wage: $68.15
- Total employment: 90 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $147,940
- Median hourly wage: $71.12
- Total employment: 24,390 people (5.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Mark_Kostich // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Medical dosimetrists
- Median annual wage: $150,870
- Median hourly wage: $72.53
- Total employment: 70 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $158,800
- Median hourly wage: $76.35
- Total employment: 17,970 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $159,110
- Median hourly wage: $76.50
- Total employment: 6,560 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $160,780
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 640 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VE.Studio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $161,340
- Median hourly wage: $77.57
- Total employment: 2,460 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $164,470
- Median hourly wage: $79.07
- Total employment: 41,170 people (9.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $166,090
- Median hourly wage: $79.85
- Total employment: 28,380 people (6.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $168,230
- Median hourly wage: $80.88
- Total employment: 21,760 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $175,140
- Median hourly wage: $84.20
- Total employment: 3,980 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Family medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $182,830
- Median hourly wage: $87.90
- Total employment: 1,200 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Burben // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $184,930
- Median hourly wage: $88.91
- Total employment: 840 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Pediatricians, general
- Median annual wage: $198,440
- Median hourly wage: $95.40
- Total employment: 1,120 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Physicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $215,680
- Median hourly wage: $103.69
- Total employment: 14,850 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dentists, all other specialists
- Median annual wage: $221,790
- Median hourly wage: $106.63
- Total employment: 80 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. General internal medicine physicians
- Median annual wage: $234,440
- Median hourly wage: $112.71
- Total employment: 1,420 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
39 / 50#1. Chief executives (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 3,920 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV // Shutterstock
40 / 50#1. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 6,410 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#1. Anesthesiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,020 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
create jobs 51 // Shutterstock
42 / 50#1. Neurologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 250 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Djols // Shutterstock
43 / 50#1. Emergency medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,390 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
44 / 50#1. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 490 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
45 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 510 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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LightField Studios // Shutterstock
46 / 50#1. Nurse anesthetists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 700 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Obstetricians and gynecologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 560 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Komsan Loonprom // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Cardiologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
Photoroyalty // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Surgeons, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 640 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Dermatologists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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