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Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Salary in Illinois: Cost of Living Adjusted (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

What does a Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers salary really buy you in Illinois?

Illinois is near the US average cost of living

Data: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19

Nominal Salary
$104,990
Median annual (2025)
-1.3%
Real Purchasing Power
$103,642
COL-adjusted (RPP=101.3)

Illinois Cost of Living Index

Illinois's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 101.3, meaning prices are 1.3% higher the national average. A Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers earning $104,990 in Illinois has the equivalent purchasing power of $103,642 in an average-cost US state.

IL: 101.3
Cheapest (~85) US Avg (100) Priciest (~115)

Salary Breakdown: Nominal vs. COL-Adjusted

Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Illinois's cost of living.

Percentile Nominal Salary COL-Adjusted Difference
10th Percentile (P10) $59,990 $59,220 $-769
25th Percentile (P25) $72,860 $71,924 $-935
Median (P50) $104,990 $103,642 $-1,347
75th Percentile (P75) $133,270 $131,559 $-1,710
90th Percentile (P90) $180,960 $178,637 $-2,322
Key Insight

Illinois's cost of living is close to the national average, so $104,990 keeps most of its value at $103,642 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.

What the Cost-of-Living Data Says

Illinois Sits Near the National Cost Benchmark

RPP 101.3

With an RPP of 101.3, Illinois is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.

Minor COL Adjustment for This Salary

-1.3%

After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living, $104,990 nominal nets out to $103,643 in real purchasing power — a small 1.3% loss. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers.

Below-Median Adjusted Pay

#24 / 41

Illinois's rank of #24 of 41 states means real purchasing power for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers trails the national half-way line.

Best States for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (After Cost of Living)

Where does Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.

1. Indiana
$158,267
RPP 91.8
$155,283
RPP 116.6
3. Alabama
$153,542
RPP 87.8
$143,282
RPP 92.3
$142,338
RPP 91.1
6. Kansas
$140,633
RPP 90.0
7. Iowa
$139,705
RPP 88.4
$139,558
RPP 90.6
$138,434
RPP 88.8
$137,961
RPP 94.2

Illinois ranks #24 out of 41 states for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers after cost-of-living adjustment.

How much do you actually take home? See Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers take-home pay in Illinois after taxes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the real salary for a Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers in Illinois after cost of living?

A Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers in Illinois earns a median salary of $104,990 per year. After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (RPP=101.3), the real purchasing power is $103,642 — a -1.3% difference.

Is Illinois expensive to live in?

Illinois's cost of living is 1.3% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Illinois is 101.3 (US average = 100).

What are Regional Price Parities (RPP)?

Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.

How is the cost-of-living adjusted salary calculated?

The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers in Illinois: $104,990 x (100 / 101.3) = $103,642. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.

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