Pursue and Prosper
The breadth of business diversity is among the reasons DeKalb County continues to be an attractive destination for highly skilled and educated workers. DeKalb County worker average income is $66,000/year with education services, health care and manufacturing among the county’s leading industry sectors. The cost of living in DeKalb County is below the state and national average and well below the average in the Chicagoland area. Workers in DeKalb County also have access to continuing and advanced education opportunities at a world-class, public, research university in Northern Illinois University, as well as workforce training and development programs at nearby Kishwaukee College.
Our diverse workplace environments and variety of workforce education and development opportunities are why DeKalb County is proud of its reputation as a bustling college community.
Opportunity by Industry
This percentages represent the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of DeKalb County, IL, though some of these residents may live in DeKalb County, IL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.
Educational Services
14.3%
Healthcare & Social Assistance
Professional & Technical Services
4.45%
Accommodation & Food Services
8.38%
Retail Trade
12.8%
Construction
5.37%
Transportation & Warehousing
5.01%
Manufacturing
12.1%
Education Services
Retail Trade
Manufacturing
Healthcare & Social Assistance
Accommodation & Food Service
The most common industries in DeKalb County, IL, by number of employees, are Educational Services (7,628 people), Retail Trade (6,828 people), and Manufacturing (6,500 people).
Management of Companies & Enterprises
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting
Educational Services
Manufacturing
Retail Trade
Compared to other counties, DeKalb County, IL has an unusually high number of Management of Companies & Enterprises (2.22 times higher than expected), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (1.81 times), and Educational Services (1.54 times) industries.
Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction
Utilities
Public Administration
Construction
Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services
The highest paying industries in DeKalb County, IL, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($205,455), Utilities ($69,861), and Public Administration ($65,096).
Educational Opportunities
In DeKalb County we have careers in many industries, in addition we have opportunities no matter what stage of your career you’re in.
Whether you’re looking to start your career, find a new one or brush up on your skills, we have plenty of options for you through our educational network of quality programs.