Illinois / Children and Family Services

Agency file

Children and Family Services

Source file: Illinois — State Employee Pay / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Children and Family Services is a government agency that delivers public services and programs within its jurisdiction.

In 2025, this agency had 2,806 employees with median total compensation of $90,550; the highest distinct record was $274,000.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $249.1M
Employees: 2,806
Median total: $90,550
Highest record: $274,000

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$100$166,400+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 2,806 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($90,550) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $0 (0%)
Overtime — $0 (0%)
Other — $88,769 (100%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$47,100

$68,200

$90,550

$108,200

$127,900

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $127,900 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $47,100. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Child Welfare Specialist

619 · $86,600

Child Protection Specialist

529 · $95,300

Public Service Administrator

368 · $113,600

Office Associate

189 · $51,600

Child Welfare Advanced Specialist

159 · $93,400

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Trend

Year over year

How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 3 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2023	$204.6M —	2,965 —	$72,300 —
2024	$242.2M ▲ 18.4%	3,032 ▲ 2.3%	$82,300 ▲ 13.8%
2025	$249.1M ▲ 2.8%	2,806 ▼ 7.5%	$90,550 ▲ 10.0%

Record list

Employees

Page 10

Breanna Woodard

Child Welfare Specialist/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Foster Care Initiative
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Cook

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $3,200
Rutan Exempt: No

At Children and Family Services, Breanna Woodard serves as a Child Welfare Specialist within Foster Care Initiative. Their 2025 pay totaled $76,400. Union affiliation: Collective Bargaining.

Nicole Madison

Child Welfare Specialist/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services Bu
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Rock Island

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $3,300
Rutan Exempt: No

At Children and Family Services, Nicole Madison serves as a Child Welfare Specialist within Personal Services Bu. Their 2025 pay totaled $76,400. They are represented by Collective Bargaining.

Stelana Burns

Senior Public Service Administr/Children and Family Services

2023 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services Bu
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Merit Compensation
Work county: Cook

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: No
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $2,800
Rutan Exempt: No

Stelana Burns is a Senior Public Service Administr at Children and Family Services within Personal Services Bu. 2023 total compensation came to $76,400. Union affiliation: Merit Compensation.

Felicia Ibarra

Child Protection Specialist/Children and Family Services

2024 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services Bu
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Will

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: No
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $4,600
Rutan Exempt: No

At Children and Family Services, Felicia Ibarra serves as a Child Protection Specialist within Personal Services Bu. Their 2024 pay totaled $76,400. Their bargaining unit is Collective Bargaining.

Danniece Speights

Day Care Licensing Representative II/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Cook

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: PROB 6 MOS
Period Pay Rate: $3,300
Rutan Exempt: No

Danniece Speights is a Day Care Licensing Representative II at Children and Family Services within Personal Services. 2025 total compensation came to $76,400. They are represented by Collective Bargaining.

Michelle Niesman

Child Welfare Specialist/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services Bu
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Sangamon

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: PROB 6 MOS
Period Pay Rate: $3,300
Rutan Exempt: No

Michelle Niesman holds the role of Child Welfare Specialist at Children and Family Services within Personal Services Bu. In 2025, their total compensation was $76,400. Their bargaining unit is Collective Bargaining.

Alexa Koziol

Administrative Assistant II/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Budget, Legal & Compliance
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Merit Compensation
Work county: Cook

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: EXEMPT
Period Pay Rate: $3,400
Rutan Exempt: Yes

At Children and Family Services, Alexa Koziol serves as a Administrative Assistant II within Budget, Legal & Compliance. Their 2025 pay totaled $76,400. They are represented by Merit Compensation.

Beverly Smith

Administrative Assistant II/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services Bu
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Merit Compensation
Work county: Cook

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $3,200
Rutan Exempt: No

Beverly Smith works as a Administrative Assistant II for Children and Family Services within Personal Services Bu. Beverly earned $76,400 in 2025. They are represented by Merit Compensation.

Samantha Simpson

Child Welfare Specialist/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services Bu
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Jefferson

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $3,300
Rutan Exempt: No

Samantha Simpson works as a Child Welfare Specialist for Children and Family Services within Personal Services Bu. Samantha earned $76,400 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is Collective Bargaining.

Maria Castellanos

Day Care Licensing Representative II/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Cook

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: PROB 6 MOS
Period Pay Rate: $3,300
Rutan Exempt: No

At Children and Family Services, Maria Castellanos serves as a Day Care Licensing Representative II within Personal Services. Their 2025 pay totaled $76,400. Their bargaining unit is Collective Bargaining.

Sharon Hilliard

Child Welfare Specialist/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services Bu
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Cook

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: PROB 6 MOS
Period Pay Rate: $3,300
Rutan Exempt: No

Sharon Hilliard works as a Child Welfare Specialist for Children and Family Services within Personal Services Bu. Sharon earned $76,400 in 2025. Union affiliation: Collective Bargaining.

Ayanna Ward

Child Welfare Specialist/Children and Family Services

2025 total comp

$76,400

Sub-department: Personal Services Bu
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $76,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $76,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Cook

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: TRAINEE OC LIST
Period Pay Rate: $3,500
Rutan Exempt: No

Ayanna Ward holds the role of Child Welfare Specialist at Children and Family Services within Personal Services Bu. In 2025, their total compensation was $76,400. They are represented by Collective Bargaining.