Illinois Is Among The Highest-Paying States For These 6 Professions

You might be able to earn more money depending on where you live.

Stacker, a data-driven journalism hub, released an analysis of 50 occupations in varying industries, determining the highest-paying state for each job. Stacker used 2019 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and considered average annual wage data to rank the Top 5 states for each position, the publication explains.

Illinois is the highest-paying state for air traffic controllers, Stacker found.

Illinois snagged the No. 1 spot with an average annual wage of $136,700 and employment of 930.

The Top 5 list for that profession follows with:

• Georgia
• Texas
• California
• Minnesota

Although Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the busiest one in the U.S., it’s followed by Chicago O’Hare International Airport, according to Stacker.

Illinois also ranked in the Top 5 in five other professions:

• Carpenters: No. 3, with an average annual wage of $66,720 and employment of 26,550.
• Electricians: No. 3, with an average annual wage of $78,790 and employment of 25,400.
• Food scientists and technologists: No. 3, with an average annual wage of $95,500 and employment of 890.
• Highway maintenance workers: No. 3, with an average annual wage of $53,650 and employment of 7,920.
• Lawyers: No. 5, with an average annual wage of $157,010 and employment of 31,270.

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