What does a Biochemists and Biophysicists salary really buy you in Illinois?
Illinois is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Illinois's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 101.3, meaning prices are 1.3% higher the national average. A Biochemists and Biophysicists earning $80,570 in Illinois has the equivalent purchasing power of $79,536 in an average-cost US state.
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) | $57,490 | $56,752 | $-737 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $63,550 | $62,734 | $-815 |
| Median (P50) | $80,570 | $79,536 | $-1,033 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $121,090 | $119,536 | $-1,553 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $166,030 | $163,899 | $-2,130 |
Illinois's cost of living is close to the national average, so $80,570 keeps most of its value at $79,536 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Biochemists and Biophysicists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Illinois ranks #26 out of 31 states for Biochemists and Biophysicists after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
A Biochemists and Biophysicists in Illinois earns a median salary of $80,570 per year. After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (RPP=101.3), the real purchasing power is $79,536 — a -1.3% difference.
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).
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.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Biochemists and Biophysicists in Illinois: $80,570 x (100 / 101.3) = $79,536. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.