Who are Illinois' highest paid state workers? Here's the top 10
Gov. JB Pritzker is often referred to as the richest politician in the country. Yet, it is his personal wealth as an heir to Hyatt Hotel fortune, and not a state salary, that earns him this distinction.
Even if he decided to take the $226,800 salary for the current fiscal year, Pritzker still wouldn't be paid as much as the following state employees. That applies for the rest of the statewide elected officials, Illinois Supreme Court justices and legislators in the Illinois General Assembly as well.
Included in this year's $53.1 budget were raises for statewide officials and state lawmakers, with pay for the state's seven Supreme Court justices remaining the same. Here's how much they will be paid in fiscal year 2025:
Supreme Court justice: $263,800
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton: $177,400
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias: $202,100
Illinois Attorney General: Kwame Raoul: $202,100
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza: $177,400
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs: $177,400
Base pay for legislators in the Illinois General Assembly: $93,712
In 2023, the state paid its more than 124,000 workers a cumulative salary of more than $6.4 billion, according to data from the Illinois Comptroller's office. Here are the top 10 paid state workers last year.
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10. Jermaine McGee
Title: State Toll Highway Master Trooper
2023 Pay: $325,200
9. Abdul Saboor
Title: Illinois Department of Human Services Physician Specialist
2023 Pay: $327,200
8. Ali Minhas
Title: Illinois Department of Human Services Physician Specialist
2023 Pay: $327,400
7. Steven Bowman
Title: Illinois Department of Corrections Medical Administrator
2023 Pay: $328,500
6. Johara Farhadieh
Title: Director of State Board of Investments
2023 Pay: $336,300
5. Tanveer Shan
Title: Illinois Department of Human Services Physician Specialist
2023 Pay: $338,200
4. Kevin Kelliher
Title: State Toll Highway Sergeant
2023 Pay: $340,100
3. Herbert Fernandes
Title: Illinois Department of Human Services Physician Specialist
2023 Pay: $345,200
2. Tommie King
Title: Illinois State Police Sergeant
2023 Pay: $368,400
1. Rita Pavate
Title: Illinois Department of Human Services Physician Specialist
2023 Pay: $382,500
Contact Patrick M. Keck: [email protected], twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Who are the top paid state workers in Illinois? Find out here
