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Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in Illinois: Cost of Living Adjusted (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

What does a Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary 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
$62,480
Median annual (2025)
-1.3%
Real Purchasing Power
$61,678
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 Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary earning $62,480 in Illinois has the equivalent purchasing power of $61,678 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) $37,810 $37,324 $-485
25th Percentile (P25) $48,980 $48,351 $-628
Median (P50) $62,480 $61,678 $-801
75th Percentile (P75) $88,380 $87,245 $-1,134
90th Percentile (P90) $121,630 $120,069 $-1,560
Key Insight

Illinois's cost of living is close to the national average, so $62,480 keeps most of its value at $61,678 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 Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary 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, $62,480 nominal nets out to $61,678 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 Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary.

Below-Median Adjusted Pay

#38 / 51

Illinois's rank of #38 of 51 states means real purchasing power for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary trails the national half-way line.

Best States for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary (After Cost of Living)

Where does Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.

$89,512
RPP 92.3
$85,053
RPP 93.6
$82,942
RPP 88.7
$82,886
RPP 88.0
5. Wyoming
$80,750
RPP 91.9
$78,730
RPP 97.7
7. Alaska
$75,794
RPP 102.0
$75,518
RPP 88.8
$73,094
RPP 89.2
$72,010
RPP 109.4

Illinois ranks #38 out of 51 states for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary after cost-of-living adjustment.

How much do you actually take home? See Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary take-home pay in Illinois after taxes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the real salary for a Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary in Illinois after cost of living?

A Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary in Illinois earns a median salary of $62,480 per year. After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (RPP=101.3), the real purchasing power is $61,678 — 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 Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary in Illinois: $62,480 x (100 / 101.3) = $61,678. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.

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