Top Employers in Illinois: Where the Jobs Are

Illinois has a diverse economy with opportunities across industries. Here's the employment landscape.

Major Employers by Region

Chicago Metro

Healthcare

• Northwestern Medicine (35,000+ employees)

• Advocate Health Care (Illinois arm of Advocate Health, one of the country's largest systems)

• University of Chicago Medicine

• Rush University Medical Center

• Lurie Children's Hospital

Finance

• JPMorgan Chase (major hub)

• Northern Trust

• BMO (formerly BMO Harris)

• Discover (now part of Capital One)

• Morningstar

Technology

• Salesforce (growing presence)

• Google (downtown office)

• Groupon (HQ)

• Grubhub (Chicago-based, owned by Wonder since 2025)

• Many startups in Fulton Market

Manufacturing/Industrial

• Boeing (Chicago office; global HQ moved to Arlington, Virginia in 2022)

• Abbott Laboratories

• Baxter International

• John Deere (nearby)

Downstate

Peoria

• Caterpillar (HQ moved to Irving, Texas in 2022, but Illinois still has the company's largest workforce, roughly 17,000 people across East Peoria, Mossville, Mapleton, Pontiac, and Decatur)

• OSF Healthcare

• Carle Health (took over the former UnityPoint hospitals in 2023)

Champaign-Urbana

• University of Illinois

• Carle Health

• State Farm operations

Springfield

• State of Illinois (largest employer)

• Memorial Health

• HSHS Medical Group

Rockford

• Collins Aerospace (formerly UTC Aerospace Systems)

• UW Health (formerly SwedishAmerican Health System)

• Multiple manufacturing firms

Growing Industries

Technology

Chicago's tech scene has matured significantly:

• Fintech strength (Avant, Braintree origins)

• Enterprise software

• Food tech (restaurants + tech = Chicago)

Healthcare

Always strong in Illinois:

• Aging population driving growth

• Medical device manufacturing

• Research institutions

Logistics & Distribution

Central location makes Illinois a hub:

• Amazon distribution centers

• Warehouse/fulfillment growth

• Transportation companies

Clean Energy

Emerging sector:

• Solar installation jobs

• Wind farm operations downstate

• Energy efficiency firms

Job Search Resources

State Resources

• Illinois JobLink (state job board)

• Illinois workNet (training, career services)

• Department of Employment Security

Industry-Specific

• Tech: Built In Chicago, local meetups

• Healthcare: Individual system job boards

• Finance: eFinancialCareers

• Government: State and city portals

Networking

• Industry associations

• Alumni networks

• Illinois Community Facebook groups (ask members!)

Salary Expectations

Illinois salaries are competitive with lower cost of living than coasts.

General ranges (varies by experience):

• Entry-level professional: $40-55K

• Mid-career: $65-100K

• Senior roles: $100-200K+

• Healthcare professionals: Competitive with national

• Tech: Approaching coastal salaries

Regional Considerations

Chicago

• Highest salaries

• Most opportunities

• Higher cost of living

• Best for career advancement

Suburbs

• Many corporate HQs

• Good salaries, lower costs

• Car usually required

• Family-friendly

Downstate

• Lower salaries but much lower costs

• Government and healthcare strong

• University towns have diverse opportunities

• Quality of life trade-offs favorable