If you want to pull in above average wages, the Peoria region's a great place to work in construction, public safety, architecture, farming, production, and engineering.
That's according to a recently-released U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis. Overall, the region's mean hourly wage of $27.48 in May 2022 was 8% below the national average of $29.76.
Peoria-area wages were lower than national averages in 16 major job sectors, including the arts, education, health care, computer and mathematical fields, and legal careers.
But a public safety worker in Peoria makes about 6% more than the national average. Construction workers make about 18% more, and a production worker will pull in about 1% above the national average in the Peoria area.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said just over 9% of the Peoria metropolitan region's workers are in the production field, which includes a diverse assemblage of careers that includes fabricators, welders, butchers, bakers, and dry-cleaning workers.
The Peoria area unemployment rate in April was 4.5%, higher than the 3.1% national rate. The Peoria metropolitan area includes Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Marshall, and Stark counties.
