The average salary for a professor in Illinois is around $61,560 per year.
Avg Salary
Professors earn an average yearly salary of $61,560.
Wages typically start from $37,690 and go up to $100,000.
9% below national average Updated in 2025
Professor earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level professor earnings begin at:
$48.08 per hour
$100,000 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level professor earnings begin at:
$37.89 per hour
$78,810 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level professor earnings begin at:
$29.60 per hour
$61,560 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level professor earnings begin at:
$22.66 per hour
$47,140 per year
10th percentile
Starting level professor earnings begin at:
$18.12 per hour
$37,690 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Professor salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | $83,710 |
| New York | $82,020 |
| District of Columbia | $80,810 |
| Connecticut | $80,620 |
| Rhode Island | $80,030 |
| Massachusetts | $79,980 |
| Michigan | $79,910 |
| Minnesota | $78,950 |
| Nebraska | $78,950 |
| Maryland | $78,820 |
| Arizona | $78,520 |
| Vermont | $78,100 |
| New Jersey | $77,600 |
| North Dakota | $77,540 |
| Utah | $77,090 |
| Virginia | $77,060 |
| Maine | $77,050 |
| Washington | $75,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,910 |
| Wisconsin | $74,790 |
| Alaska | $74,770 |
| Arkansas | $74,500 |
| Delaware | $74,460 |
| Nevada | $74,240 |
| Oregon | $73,880 |
| Tennessee | $72,390 |
| Montana | $70,320 |
| North Carolina | $70,050 |
| Texas | $68,280 |
| Colorado | $66,870 |
| South Carolina | $66,690 |
| Wyoming | $66,350 |
| Indiana | $66,150 |
| Missouri | $65,910 |
| Idaho | $65,720 |
| New Mexico | $64,830 |
| Alabama | $63,730 |
| Florida | $63,640 |
| South Dakota | $63,350 |
| West Virginia | $63,270 |
| Kansas | $63,010 |
| Georgia | $62,510 |
| Ohio | $62,400 |
| Iowa | $62,090 |
| Mississippi | $61,860 |
| Illinois | $61,560 |
| Kentucky | $61,450 |
| Oklahoma | $60,880 |
| Hawaii | $49,800 |
| New Hampshire | $49,250 |
| Puerto Rico | $47,170 |
| California | $111,850 |
How do professor salaries compare to similar careers?
Professors earn about the same as related careers in Illinois. On average, they make less than music teachers but more than graduate teaching assistants.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Music teacher salary | $63K |
| Kindergarten teacher salary | $64K |
| School counselor salary | $62K |
| Librarian salary | $63K |
| Health educator salary | $60K |
| Professor salary | $62K |
| Teacher salary | $59K |
| Clergy salary | $62K |
| Childcare program administrator salary | $59K |
| Graduate teaching assistant salary | $36K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)