SOC 21-1012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors — Illinois
Illinois · 8 metro areas compared
The median wage here is $62,420 a year, within a few percent of the national median of $64,330.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage here is $62,420 a year, within a few percent of the national median of $64,330. Half of workers earn between $49,720 and $82,890. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $44,890 and the ninetieth at $110,580.
The area has 13,580 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.98 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Among the 51 states with published data for this occupation, Illinois ranks 26th by median wage. Chicago leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $64,730. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 377th of 747 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,890 | −30.2% |
| 25th | $49,720 | −22.7% |
| Median (50th) | $62,420 | −3.0% |
| 75th | $82,890 | +28.9% |
| 90th | $110,580 | +71.9% |
| Mean | $70,230 | +9.2% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Illinois
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $64,730 | 9,790 | |
| 2 | Rockford | $62,610 | 250 | |
| 3 | Peoria | $59,510 | 280 | |
| 4 | Champaign | $58,230 | 620 | |
| 5 | Springfield | $57,210 | 190 | |
| 6 | Kankakee | $54,860 | 100 | |
| 7 | Bloomington | $51,820 | 290 | |
| 8 | Decatur | $50,290 | 100 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Illinois sit close to the national average, so $62,420 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$62,420as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$62,420US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $62,420 a year, 3.0% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $44,890 to $110,580 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 13,580 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 26th of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Chicago, at $64,730.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in Illinois?
The median annual wage is $62,420, or $30.01 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $64,330, so pay in Illinois is 3.0% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Illinois earns more than $110,580 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $44,890 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Chicago, at $64,730 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 13,580 jobs in this occupation in Illinois. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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