Medical Professionals Top List of Highest-Paid Jobs in Chicago

Medical professions featured prominently on a new list of Chicago's highest-paying jobs.Medical professions featured prominently on a new list of Chicago's highest-paying jobs.

A medical degree may be worth all the time and money after all. A new report from Zippia, a San Francisco-based online resource for career advice, lists Chicago’s 100 highest-paying jobs. Of the top 10, eight are professions in the medical field.

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Surgeons top the list with average annual earnings of $252,780. Related professions in the top 10 include obstetricians and gynecologists ($194,950), physicians ($172,180), anesthesiologists ($171,290), podiatrists ($162,980), internists ($155,820), family and general practitioners ($145,130), and dentists ($130,360).

Chief executives are listed as the third-highest earners citywide, with an average salary of $178,780. Other notable non-medical fields on the list include architectural managers, lawyers, computer and information systems managers, and airline pilots.

Zippia analyzed 850 job classifications in Chicago from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to create the list.

Nick Johnson, spokesperson for Zippia, said there were no major revelations.

“It’s not really a surprise the medical-related field or lawyers were near the top,” he said. “In most states or cities, about 90 percent of the same jobs appear on our lists.”

While Zippia has yet to publish a report on Chicago’s lowest-paying jobs, the company has studied the state’s bottom earners. According to its listings, fast food cooks are the lowest-paid workers in Illinois, with an average salary of $19,650. 

The Top 25 Highest-Paying Jobs in Chicago:

1. Surgeons — $252,780

2. Obstetricians and Gynecologists — $194,950

3. Chief Executives — $178,780

4. Physicians and Surgeons, All Other — $172,180

5. Anesthesiologists — $171,290

6. Podiatrists — $162,980

7. Internists, General — $155,820

8. Family and General Practitioners — $145,130

9. Financial Managers — $130,930

10. Dentists, General — $130,360

11. Pediatricians, General — $128,340

12. Architectural and Engineering Managers — $127,990

13. Lawyers — $126,400

14. Orthodontists — $125,500

15. Computer and Information Systems Managers — $125,440

16. Psychiatrists — $124,960

17. Sales Managers — $124,570

18. Marketing Managers — $123,380

19. Advertising and Promotions Managers — $120,780

20. Nurse Anesthetists — $120,700

21. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers — $120,530

22. Natural Sciences Managers — $115,710

23. Law Teachers, Postsecondary — $115,510

24. Pharmacists — $114,840

25. Physical Scientists, All Other — $114,090

Follow Reuben Unrau on Twitter: @reubenunrau


More business stories

Tribune Tower Sold for $240 Million to Owners of Block 37

Aug 31: The owner of Block 37 is buying the landmark Tribune Tower. We have details from the pages of Crain's Chicago Business.


Making Sense of Illinois’ Changing Health Care Landscape

Aug. 18: A growing number of health insurance companies are pulling out of Obamacare. Checking out the latest on the Affordable Care Act.  


New Study Finds Teacher Pay Gap Larger Than Ever

Aug. 12: With a growing need for educators and a dwindling pool of qualified workers, teachers have seen their wages diverge significantly from their fellow college-educated professionals, according to a new report.


Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Tags: