10 Fastest Growing Jobs In Illinois

Illinois is, and has been since its founding, a state in change. We’re growing, we’re progressing, we’re constantly on the move, it seems, financially, industrially, technologically, and of course, in the work force.

Some jobs that were popular fifty or sixty years ago are unheard of these days. Jobs that will be popular in fifty or sixty years — we may not even be able to guess.

But today, what we can guess are which jobs are going to be the most beneficial in one year, or even a few. Because we’ve crunched the data, and we’ve come up with a list of the fastest growing jobs in Illinois.

Here are the top 10 fastest growing jobs in Illinois, and below, we’ll show you the top 100:

Okay, so really–this is pretty cool. Who would have thought, even twenty years ago, that operations research analystss and web developerss would be so in demand?

Not only does this mean we’re progressing in some important areas, but it also means you might just be able to snag yourself a more secure job.

We’ll get to the details of said jobs in a moment. First, here’s how we came up with this list.

How we determined the fastest growing jobs in Illinois

Every couple of years each state’s Department of Labor works in conjunction with the Bureau of Labor Statistics to compile projections for job growth by occupation. The government last completed this research in 2014 with projections going out until 2024.

Because this is America and the government never makes it easy, we had to gather the data from all the states individually to develop a master database.

We then identified the occupations in Illinois that are projected to have at least 1,000 workers in 2024 so that the jobs will still be relevant. This left us with data for 421 occupations in Illinois.

Next, we ranked every occupation based on job growth, from 1 to 421.

At the end of the day, the data showed that operations research analystss will be the fastest growing job in Illinois.

Why the fastest growing jobs in Illinois matter

Sure, it’s certainly interesting to see what sort of trends jobs will take over the next decade, because jobs are a great way to see what direction Illinois is heading.

But aside from being merely ‘interesting,’ it’s also good to note which jobs will be more secure, and more readily available now and in the coming years. If you’re looking for something that will last–take a look at this list.

From operations research analystss to web developerss, these jobs aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

And now, here’s a look at the 100 fastest growing jobs in the Prairie State.

Detailed List Of The Fastest Growing Jobs In Illinois

Rank	Job Title	Growth %	Average Wage	Jobs in 2024
1	Operations Analyst	133.2%	$87,020	5,100
2	Web Developer	132.4%	$74,960	6,740
3	Software Developer	126.2%	$97,930	36,990
4	Home Health Aid	125.6%	$23,840	40,840
5	Occupational Therapy Aide	125.0%	$25,880	1,350
6	Veterinary Technician	124.7%	$33,530	4,640
7	Nurse Practitioner	124.5%	$98,300	7,920
8	Business Analyst	124.5%	$89,630	28,010
9	Occupational Therapy Assistant	124.3%	$61,590	1,790
10	Software Engineer	122.8%	$104,310	17,160
11	Pipe Insulator	122.6%	$76,590	1,680
12	Physical Therapist Assistant	122.1%	$56,220	4,590
13	Industrial Mechanic	122.0%	$54,850	14,020
14	Physician Assistant	121.5%	$98,670	3,440
15	Physical Therapy Aide	120.8%	$41,020	4,120
16	Interpreter And Translator	120.3%	$45,350	1,600
17	Physical Therapist	120.2%	$90,370	13,200
18	Substance Abuse Counselor	119.4%	$37,360	3,140
19	Management Consultant	119.3%	$89,770	37,500
20	Personal Care Assistant	119.1%	$22,840	59,340
21	Computer Numerical Controller Supervisor	118.9%	$51,740	1,950
22	Computer Numerical Controller Machinist	118.8%	$40,860	8,070
23	Miner	118.1%	$73,430	4,700
24	Marketing Internship	118.0%	$62,920	20,280
25	Phlebotomist	117.9%	$35,490	5,610
26	Nurse Anesthetist	117.2%	$128,080	2,180
27	Hardware Engineer	116.9%	$95,270	2,420
28	Information Security Analyst	116.8%	$93,800	3,330
29	Gas Station Attendant	116.7%	$25,990	4,060
30	Diagnostic Medical Sonographer	116.5%	$74,770	2,690
31	Information Technology Manager	116.4%	$134,760	15,950
32	Actuarial Internship	116.4%	$103,490	1,420
33	Massage Therapist	116.4%	$43,590	6,180
34	Optician	116.2%	$35,800	3,650
35	Crew Member	116.1%	$20,600	128,890
36	Cargo Agent	116.1%	$39,950	6,430
37	Environmental Engineer	115.8%	$81,570	1,610
38	Millwright	115.8%	$54,630	1,760
39	Cardiovascular Technician	115.7%	$58,850	2,280
40	Bartender	115.6%	$24,160	33,300
41	Hvac Technician	115.5%	$57,250	8,890
42	Dental Laboratory Technician	115.4%	$40,030	1,350
43	Computer Technician	115.2%	$54,710	25,610
44	Mechanic	115.1%	$49,050	11,130
45	Electrician	115.0%	$73,160	28,090
46	Instructor	115.0%	$36,400	12,730
47	Taxi Driver	114.9%	$27,180	9,310
48	Computer Scientist	114.8%	$103,350	1,320
49	Occupational Therapist	114.7%	$82,450	5,150
50	Network Technician	114.7%	$70,300	7,200
51	Network Engineer	114.5%	$109,110	5,360
52	Transportation Assistant	114.4%	$24,130	2,140
53	Front Desk Clerk	114.2%	$22,510	8,200
54	Assistant Manager	114.1%	$33,270	34,720
55	Preschool Teacher	113.9%	$32,950	21,160
56	Roofer	113.9%	$54,130	5,990
57	Environmental Scientist	113.8%	$83,920	2,230
58	Education Director	113.6%	$59,480	2,840
59	Captain	113.4%	$64,560	1,100
60	Music Therapist	113.4%	$56,820	2,120
61	Executive Chef	113.3%	$47,110	5,360
62	Security Technician	113.2%	$46,540	1,800
63	Database Administrator	113.2%	$88,670	5,150
64	Concierge	113.1%	$32,000	1,120
65	Optometrist	113.0%	$104,430	2,350
66	Audio Visual Technician	112.7%	$42,950	3,200
67	Accountant	112.6%	$76,950	58,280
68	Recreation Therapist	112.6%	$45,710	1,070
69	Veterinary Technician Assistant	112.5%	$27,280	1,980
70	Certified Nursing Assistant	112.5%	$26,830	71,090
71	Mental Health Counselor	112.5%	$43,380	5,420
72	Plastic Technician	112.4%	$48,350	6,170
73	Plumber	112.3%	$75,530	19,210
74	Insurance Agent	112.2%	$65,720	42,400
75	Veterinarian	112.2%	$89,560	3,310
76	Sales Assistant	112.1%	$40,280	5,380
77	Medical Assistant	112.0%	$32,920	21,390
78	Contact Lens Technician	111.9%	$48,200	1,970
79	Cement Mason	111.7%	$62,780	5,930
80	Volunteer	111.7%	$33,300	13,220
81	Detailer	111.7%	$27,420	16,390
82	Residential Advisor	111.5%	$28,300	2,910
83	Advertising Manager	111.4%	$92,540	3,520
84	Food Runner	111.2%	$22,890	12,840
85	Sales Representative	111.0%	$65,330	34,840
86	Dental Hygienist	111.0%	$73,290	8,480
87	Ophthalmic Technician	110.9%	$36,670	1,220
88	Dental Assistant	110.8%	$37,860	14,520
89	Food Preparer	110.7%	$22,690	50,140
90	Physicist	110.6%	$125,000	1,250
91	Dietitian	110.6%	$56,390	2,710
92	Esthetician	110.5%	$34,520	3,250
93	Machinist	110.5%	$39,500	33,650
94	Registered Nurse	110.5%	$70,890	128,590
95	Community Health Representative	110.4%	$36,980	3,280
96	Mental Health Worker	110.4%	$53,240	4,240
97	Baker	110.3%	$26,890	9,950
98	Producer	110.3%	$80,230	3,210
99	Crane Operator	110.3%	$46,290	1,500
100	Guest Lecturer	110.1%	$28,010	1,420

If you’re interested, you can read more about the Illinois job scene here:

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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