Illinois has been ranked No. 1 in the Midwest and No. 3 nationally for workforce development in the 2026 rankings released by Site Selection Magazine, reflecting continued gains in talent development, training infrastructure, and job creation.
State leaders said the ranking marks an improvement from Illinois’ No. 2 Midwest and No. 4 national placement in the prior year. The Site Selection index evaluates credentials, degrees, technical skills, productivity, and return on investment for both employers and workers, drawing on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ACT, the Lumina Foundation, SkillsUSA, and Strada.
Governor JB Pritzker said the results reflect the state’s focus on aligning education and workforce programs with employer demand. Officials at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) noted that workforce investment has supported broader economic momentum across advanced manufacturing, clean energy, electric vehicles, and quantum technology.
Site Selection also ranked the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin metropolitan area No. 4 in its 2026 North American Tech Hub Index, up from No. 6 the previous year, citing improvements in tech talent, infrastructure, and corporate facility activity.
State data shows Illinois currently supports more than 450 registered apprenticeship programs serving nearly 22,000 apprentices. In 2025 alone, DCEO awarded $10 million through its Apprenticeship Expansion Competitive Grant Program and $19 million through the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program, supporting more than 3,000 participants statewide.
Officials said the workforce gains complement Illinois’ broader economic performance, including $13 billion in incentivized investments in 2025 and multiple credit rating upgrades since 2021, reinforcing the state’s position as a leading destination for talent-driven growth.
