StateRates

Champaign-Urbana salaries

The median worker in the Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area earned $48,600 a year in 2024, about $23.36 an hour. That ranks #113 of the 391 metro areas published here, 1.8% below the national median.

Illinois

Median pay $48,600 $23.36 per hour
Vs national -1.8% U.S. $49,500
Workers 104,620 wage and salary
Metro rank #113 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Champaign-Urbana pays 2.8% less than Illinois as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors 2.49× 580 $54,040
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education 2.04× 620 $36,250
Bartenders 2× 1,010 $29,550
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria 1.84× 560 $37,650
Registered Nurses 1.68× 3,740 $81,960
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1.59× 2,370 $37,440
Nursing Assistants 1.57× 1,480 $43,720
Childcare Workers 1.43× 500 $30,980
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 1.39× 1,370 $38,900
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1.35× 1,400 $51,980
Office Clerks, General 1.31× 2,230 $46,600
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 1.29× 540 $58,710

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Champaign-Urbana
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Physicians, All Other $213,580 $102.69 410
Business Teachers, Postsecondary $169,800 n/a 380
Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary $140,320 n/a 250
Pharmacists $134,830 $64.82 220
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary $132,180 n/a 470
Computer and Information Systems Managers $129,160 $62.10 400
Sales Managers $127,080 $61.10 290
Nurse Practitioners $124,740 $59.97 230
Financial Managers $121,770 $58.54 630
Managers, All Other $118,070 $56.76 310
Medical and Health Services Managers $111,860 $53.78 450
Lawyers $107,600 $51.73 240
Facilities Managers $104,400 $50.19 200
Marketing Managers $102,330 $49.20 220
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $101,680 n/a 290
Software Developers $101,110 $48.61 600
Construction Managers $100,240 $48.19 220
Physical Therapists $97,800 $47.02 210
Management Analysts $96,100 $46.20 260
Civil Engineers $94,990 $45.67 220
General and Operations Managers $93,830 $45.11 2,140
Industrial Engineers $93,420 $44.92 240
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $92,470 $44.46 390
Electricians $91,390 $43.94 450
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $87,670 $42.15 350
Computer Systems Analysts $83,940 $40.36 270
Project Management Specialists $82,620 $39.72 290
Registered Nurses $81,960 $39.40 3,740
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary $81,300 n/a 330
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary $80,640 n/a 210
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $77,100 $37.07 380
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $75,730 $36.41 330
Loan Officers $75,370 $36.24 200
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians $74,420 $35.78 240
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants $70,890 $34.08 230
Buyers and Purchasing Agents $70,130 $33.71 340
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $68,660 $33.01 520
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers $66,480 $31.96 220
Human Resources Specialists $65,440 $31.46 500
Carpenters $65,270 $31.38 380
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity $65,160 $31.33 260
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $64,760 $31.14 700
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $64,740 $31.13 220
Accountants and Auditors $64,620 $31.07 680
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $64,270 $30.90 510
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $64,250 $30.89 210
Computer Network Support Specialists $64,160 $30.84 330
Training and Development Specialists $63,980 $30.76 350
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $63,960 $30.75 330
Public Relations Specialists $63,900 $30.72 200
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $63,180 $30.38 320
Instructional Coordinators $63,070 $30.32 460
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $62,600 $30.10 220
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $62,220 $29.91 510
Food Service Managers $62,160 $29.88 330
Firefighters $61,340 $29.49 290
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary $61,220 n/a 240
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $60,430 $29.05 520
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $59,630 n/a 710
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $59,110 $28.42 350

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Champaign-Urbana by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Registered Nurses 3,740 $81,960 $39.40
Fast Food and Counter Workers 2,780 $30,270 $14.55
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 2,370 $37,440 $18.00
Retail Salespersons 2,240 $32,350 $15.55
Office Clerks, General 2,230 $46,600 $22.40
Stockers and Order Fillers 2,170 $35,000 $16.83
General and Operations Managers 2,140 $93,830 $45.11
Cashiers 2,090 $30,020 $14.43
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 2,070 $38,830 $18.67
Waiters and Waitresses 1,640 $29,120 $14.00
Customer Service Representatives 1,510 $39,330 $18.91
Nursing Assistants 1,480 $43,720 $21.02
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1,400 $51,980 $24.99
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 1,370 $38,900 $18.70
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1,250 $47,980 $23.07
Cooks, Restaurant 1,130 $34,490 $16.58
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,050 $51,190 $24.61
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education 1,040 $58,760 n/a
Bartenders 1,010 $29,550 $14.21
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 980 $29,600 n/a

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Illinois metro areas

Champaign-Urbana pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Champaign-Urbana?

The median across all occupations is $48,600, or $23.36 an hour, covering 104,620 wage and salary workers. The mean is $63,530, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Champaign-Urbana pay more than the rest of Illinois?

No. The metro median of $48,600 is 2.8% below the Illinois median of $50,000. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Champaign-Urbana?

Physicians, All Other ($213,580), Business Teachers, Postsecondary ($169,800), Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary ($140,320). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Champaign-Urbana unusually full of?

Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, at 2.49× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.