Stacker collected information on the highest-paying jobs in Rockford, IL, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2019.
In Rockford, the annual mean wage is $47,060 or 12.0% lower than national mean of $53,490, while the highest-paying occupation makes $277,390. Read on to see which jobs make the list.
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#50. Architects, except landscape and naval
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $77,600
– #122 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40
National
– Annual mean salary: $89,560
– Employment: 105,850
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salinas, CA ($123,770)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,550)
— Lubbock, TX ($116,720)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
#49. Diagnostic medical sonographers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $78,320
– #73 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120
National
– Annual mean salary: $75,780
– Employment: 72,790
– Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salinas, CA ($126,850)
— Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,880)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($115,280)
Hulton Archive // Getty Images
#48. Electricians
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $79,470
– #8 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 600
National
– Annual mean salary: $60,370
– Employment: 688,620
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($100,400)
— Trenton, NJ ($84,950)
— Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($84,810)
KSai23 // Shutterstock
#47. Chiropractors
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $80,170
– #75 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80
National
– Annual mean salary: $85,010
– Employment: 35,010
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Toledo, OH ($160,330)
— Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN ($149,580)
— Reno, NV ($140,260)
Canva
#46. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $80,870
– #32 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40
National
– Annual mean salary: $74,270
– Employment: 37,900
– Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($124,950)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($104,870)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($99,920)
U.S. Air Force
#45. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $81,520
– #71 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70
National
– Annual mean salary: $82,010
– Employment: 69,590
– Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($180,200)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($179,350)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($170,570)
Canva
#44. Materials engineers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $81,610
– #93 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $97,890
– Employment: 26,820
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($127,690)
— Boulder, CO ($127,260)
— Albuquerque, NM ($126,970)
Canva
#43. Mechanical engineers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $82,530
– #216 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 560
National
– Annual mean salary: $93,540
– Employment: 306,990
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($125,640)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($123,270)
— Lake Charles, LA ($120,950)
IBM Research // Flickr
#42. Computer network architects
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $83,410
– #201 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140
National
– Annual mean salary: $115,110
– Employment: 152,420
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($152,400)
— Dover-Durham, NH-ME ($151,650)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($142,100)
sculpies // Shutterstock
#41. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $83,570
– #22 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260
National
– Annual mean salary: $71,440
– Employment: 626,180
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($108,140)
— Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ($104,640)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($99,580)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
#40. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $84,100
– #7 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 510
National
– Annual mean salary: $59,800
– Employment: 442,870
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($89,470)
— Kankakee, IL ($88,790)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,230)
USACE NY // Flickr
#39. Construction managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $84,840
– #275 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260
National
– Annual mean salary: $105,000
– Employment: 293,380
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($160,500)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($148,140)
— Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($146,820)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#38. Industrial engineers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $85,110
– #186 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 560
National
– Annual mean salary: $92,660
– Employment: 291,710
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($131,850)
— Billings, MT ($124,350)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,940)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
#37. Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $85,560
– #254 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 380
National
– Annual mean salary: $111,620
– Employment: 1,406,870
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($145,730)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($145,250)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($134,090)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
#36. Network and computer systems administrators
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $85,920
– #66 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170
National
– Annual mean salary: $88,410
– Employment: 354,450
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,440)
— Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($112,910)
— California-Lexington Park, MD ($109,790)
Unsplash
#35. Structural iron and steel workers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $86,870
– #3 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $59,170
– Employment: 76,570
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Trenton, NJ ($92,750)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($90,150)
— Rockford, IL ($86,870)
David Bibo // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $88,090
– #221 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 330
National
– Annual mean salary: $100,340
– Employment: 271,020
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Modesto, CA ($150,080)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($143,890)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,820)
PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock
#33. Computer programmers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $88,190
– #67 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 100
National
– Annual mean salary: $92,610
– Employment: 199,540
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,400)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($113,990)
— Charlottesville, VA ($113,760)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
#32. Occupational therapists
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $89,440
– #90 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80
National
– Annual mean salary: $86,210
– Employment: 133,570
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— The Villages, FL ($115,090)
— Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($108,870)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($107,450)
Geraldshields11 // Wikimedia Commons
#31. Labor relations specialists
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $89,640
– #11 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $71,870
– Employment: 75,580
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Spartanburg, SC ($111,160)
— Olympia-Tumwater, WA ($106,620)
— Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($106,380)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
#30. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $90,480
– #1 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80
National
– Annual mean salary: $59,670
– Employment: 120,900
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Rockford, IL ($90,480)
— Fresno, CA ($89,820)
— Redding, CA ($88,850)
TaLaNoVa // Shutterstock
#29. Sales engineers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $90,490
– #109 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $112,780
– Employment: 63,550
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($158,150)
— Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($156,600)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($153,860)
Canva
#28. Electrical engineers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $90,900
– #187 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 120
National
– Annual mean salary: $103,480
– Employment: 185,570
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,450)
— Salinas, CA ($129,850)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($128,080)
Prath // Shutterstock
#27. Detectives and criminal investigators
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $91,480
– #51 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40
National
– Annual mean salary: $86,030
– Employment: 105,620
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($125,850)
— Anchorage, AK ($122,370)
— Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($122,130)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
#26. Physical therapists
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $92,820
– #103 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290
National
– Annual mean salary: $90,170
– Employment: 233,350
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Yuba City, CA ($116,360)
— Bakersfield, CA ($116,120)
— Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($113,950)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#25. Database administrators and architects
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $92,830
– #66 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40
National
– Annual mean salary: $96,110
– Employment: 125,460
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($140,580)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($116,780)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($114,960)
Canva
#24. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $95,360
– #91 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140
National
– Annual mean salary: $94,950
– Employment: 121,340
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($189,800)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($180,940)
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($178,670)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
#23. Purchasing managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $96,630
– #182 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 80
National
– Annual mean salary: $128,400
– Employment: 72,100
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($171,560)
— Morgantown, WV ($163,830)
— Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($160,620)
Kelly Ogden // Wikimedia Commons
#22. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $97,100
– #138 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140
National
– Annual mean salary: $103,320
– Employment: 132,040
– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($151,260)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($144,220)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($139,860)
Pixabay
#21. General and operations managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $98,620
– #242 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 2,890
National
– Annual mean salary: $123,030
– Employment: 2,400,280
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($189,060)
— Trenton, NJ ($173,050)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($167,160)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
#20. Industrial production managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $98,680
– #287 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 580
National
– Annual mean salary: $115,110
– Employment: 185,790
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Florence, SC ($158,000)
— Boulder, CO ($149,990)
— Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($149,500)
TopRank Online Marketing // Flickr
#19. Marketing managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $100,340
– #231 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160
National
– Annual mean salary: $149,200
– Employment: 263,680
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($199,710)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($188,810)
— Boulder, CO ($183,460)
Financial Times // Wikimedia Commons
#18. Personal financial advisors
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $102,860
– #123 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160
National
– Annual mean salary: $119,290
– Employment: 210,190
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Montgomery, AL ($178,100)
— Santa Fe, NM ($173,970)
— San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($171,370)
Canva
#17. Financial managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $103,990
– #305 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 520
National
– Annual mean salary: $147,530
– Employment: 654,790
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($208,770)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($203,430)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($182,190)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#16. Human resources managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $106,420
– #197 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 200
National
– Annual mean salary: $129,570
– Employment: 154,800
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($196,900)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($174,390)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($170,070)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#15. Medical and health services managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $108,100
– #160 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 320
National
– Annual mean salary: $115,160
– Employment: 394,910
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($163,280)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($159,190)
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,570)
Rappaport Center // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Lawyers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $109,770
– #185 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 310
National
– Annual mean salary: $145,300
– Employment: 657,170
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($218,420)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,910)
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($179,590)
Almonroth // Wikimedia Commons
#13. Computer and information systems managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $110,980
– #268 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 180
National
– Annual mean salary: $156,390
– Employment: 433,960
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($215,090)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($201,960)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($196,290)
Canva
#12. Sales managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $112,480
– #264 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 520
National
– Annual mean salary: $141,690
– Employment: 402,600
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($195,220)
— Trenton, NJ ($178,020)
— Portsmouth, NH-ME ($175,500)
Pixabay
#11. Architectural and engineering managers
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $114,970
– #269 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 190
National
– Annual mean salary: $152,930
– Employment: 194,250
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($203,310)
— Amarillo, TX ($198,010)
— Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($188,210)
Ohiodominican // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Physician assistants
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $118,910
– #72 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110
National
– Annual mean salary: $112,410
– Employment: 120,090
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Salinas, CA ($161,370)
— Leominster-Gardner, MA ($156,250)
— Waterbury, CT ($154,550)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#9. Nurse practitioners
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $119,450
– #70 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290
National
– Annual mean salary: $111,840
– Employment: 200,600
– Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($175,060)
— Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($160,110)
— San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($157,150)
Grace Nichols // U.S. Air Force
#8. Pharmacists
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $136,620
– #58 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240
National
– Annual mean salary: $125,510
– Employment: 311,200
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Tyler, TX ($161,790)
— Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($158,250)
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($157,850)
Austin Community College // Flickr
#7. Veterinarians
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $155,570
– #5 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40
National
– Annual mean salary: $104,820
– Employment: 74,540
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Sherman-Denison, TX ($210,960)
— Lubbock, TX ($176,730)
— Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($161,230)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
#6. Psychiatrists
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $186,290
– #85 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $220,430
– Employment: 25,530
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($282,400)
— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($280,270)
— Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($280,200)
Maurizio Pesce // flickr
#5. Chief executives
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $203,380
– #92 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220
National
– Annual mean salary: $193,850
– Employment: 205,890
– Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($270,040)
— Sioux Falls, SD ($264,330)
— Midland, TX ($258,760)
Canva
#4. Dentists, general
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $235,480
– #20 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 150
National
– Annual mean salary: $178,260
– Employment: 110,730
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Burlington, NC ($278,360)
— Burlington-South Burlington, VT ($275,430)
— Longview, TX ($272,440)
Canva
#3. General internal medicine physicians
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $257,700
– #17 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $201,440
– Employment: 44,610
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Sioux Falls, SD ($282,610)
— Rapid City, SD ($280,990)
— Barnstable Town, MA ($280,500)
Canva
#2. Family medicine physicians
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $276,590
– #4 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290
National
– Annual mean salary: $213,270
– Employment: 109,370
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Racine, WI ($286,030)
— Jacksonville, NC ($282,580)
— Gadsden, AL ($281,430)
Canva
#1. Pediatricians, general
Rockford, IL– Annual mean salary: $277,390
– #1 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50
National
– Annual mean salary: $184,410
– Employment: 29,740
– Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Rockford, IL ($277,390)
— Killeen-Temple, TX ($273,770)
— Chico, CA ($270,550)
