Steven Melcher earned $72,500 during 2019 working for the Illinois State Police as a trooper first class, according to data provided by the Illinois Comptroller Office.
The average salary as a trooper first class was $96,191 in 2019.
Top 100 highest paid first class troopers in Illinois listed below
| Rank | Employee | 2019 amount earned |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andre Lee | $153,000 |
| 2 | Johnathan El Randle | $152,100 |
| 3 | Eric David | $149,900 |
| 4 | Piotr Dudek | $142,100 |
| 5 | Julian Eison | $141,600 |
| 6 | Steve Kerley | $138,100 |
| 7 | Gregory Melzer | $137,500 |
| 8 | Eric King | $136,100 |
| 8 | John McDonough | $136,100 |
| 10 | John Philbin | $134,300 |
| 11 | Kyle Schreiner | $132,700 |
| 12 | Michael Harris | $130,800 |
| 13 | Michael Bronge | $130,100 |
| 14 | Lucas Sniady | $129,700 |
| 15 | Ryan Nalezny | $129,500 |
| 16 | Robert Woodard | $128,900 |
| 17 | Jason Olchawa | $128,500 |
| 18 | Andrew Dykstra | $125,300 |
| 19 | William Hentze | $125,200 |
| 20 | Jason Marlow | $124,900 |
| 21 | Paul Gibson | $123,500 |
| 22 | Eric Wetstein | $123,100 |
| 23 | Mark Reynolds | $122,300 |
| 24 | Frank Espinoza | $121,700 |
| 25 | Justin Mitchell | $121,300 |
| 26 | Aaron Palmer | $121,200 |
| 27 | Andrew Petrak | $121,000 |
| 28 | Daniel Jansen | $120,600 |
| 29 | David Verkler | $120,200 |
| 30 | Christopher Karabin | $119,300 |
| 31 | Todd Padfield | $119,100 |
| 32 | Christopher Ehlers | $118,800 |
| 33 | David Roman | $118,400 |
| 34 | Lamar Horton | $118,200 |
| 35 | Tim Mayerbock | $118,100 |
| 35 | Michael Vodicka | $118,100 |
| 37 | Peter Skiba | $117,400 |
| 38 | Jeffrey Nichols | $117,100 |
| 39 | Jason Czub | $116,900 |
| 40 | Andre Williamson | $116,500 |
| 41 | Arkadiusz Wozniak | $116,200 |
| 42 | Stephen Kenny | $115,600 |
| 43 | Robert Kaczmarczyk | $115,100 |
| 43 | James Knaperek | $115,100 |
| 45 | Eric Manheim | $115,000 |
| 46 | Rachel Bettis | $114,900 |
| 46 | Konstantine Likouresis | $114,900 |
| 48 | Peggy Moon | $114,800 |
| 49 | Eugene Kuzmiak Jr. | $114,700 |
| 50 | Daniel Glover | $114,600 |
| 51 | John Oreskovich | $114,500 |
| 52 | John Heng | $114,400 |
| 53 | December Melville | $114,200 |
| 54 | Kyle Robinson | $114,000 |
| 55 | Byron Nudd | $113,800 |
| 56 | Ross Drennan | $113,500 |
| 57 | Ramon Coss | $113,400 |
| 58 | Howard Purdue | $113,300 |
| 59 | Brett Nelson | $112,600 |
| 60 | Jason Craddock | $112,400 |
| 60 | Kyle Degroot | $112,400 |
| 60 | Joseph Reblin | $112,400 |
| 63 | Tyrone White | $111,900 |
| 64 | Kyle Klingen | $111,300 |
| 64 | Piotr Przesmycki | $111,300 |
| 64 | Michael White | $111,300 |
| 67 | William Myles | $111,200 |
| 68 | Joseph Buehler | $111,100 |
| 68 | Nicholas Lakis | $111,100 |
| 68 | Brian Watkins | $111,100 |
| 71 | Virgil Perkins | $110,600 |
| 72 | Matthew Deschamps | $110,300 |
| 72 | Aaron French | $110,300 |
| 74 | Omoayena Williams | $110,200 |
| 75 | Ramiro Leos | $110,000 |
| 76 | Clay Carns | $109,600 |
| 77 | Michael Leathers | $109,500 |
| 78 | Robert Pagliaro | $109,300 |
| 78 | Jan Sieczka | $109,300 |
| 80 | Arturo Resendez | $108,700 |
| 81 | Kevin Dardugno | $108,400 |
| 82 | Leslee Nissen | $108,200 |
| 83 | Ronald Tisdale | $108,100 |
| 84 | Howard Sterling | $107,600 |
| 85 | Travis Brewer | $107,400 |
| 85 | Troy D’Amico | $107,400 |
| 87 | Aaron Derubeis | $107,300 |
| 88 | Brandon Engleking | $106,900 |
| 88 | Cory Fox | $106,900 |
| 88 | Randy McKenzie | $106,900 |
| 91 | Garret Lindroth | $106,800 |
| 92 | Wayne Hocking | $106,700 |
| 92 | Jason Perkins | $106,700 |
| 94 | Jaclyn Kloiber | $106,600 |
| 94 | Petermark Watson | $106,600 |
| 96 | Gerald Mason | $106,400 |
| 96 | Jacob Schlueter | $106,400 |
| 98 | Robert Swift | $106,300 |
| 99 | Timothy Grove | $106,200 |
| 100 | John Grogan | $106,100 |
