What does a Writers and Authors salary really buy you in Illinois?
Illinois is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-06
Illinois's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 101.3, meaning prices are 1.3% higher the national average. A Writers and Authors earning $61,250 in Illinois has the equivalent purchasing power of $60,463 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) | $36,710 | $36,238 | $-471 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $50,410 | $49,763 | $-646 |
| Median (P50) | $61,250 | $60,463 | $-786 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $81,710 | $80,661 | $-1,048 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $101,750 | $100,444 | $-1,305 |
Illinois's cost of living is close to the national average, so $61,250 keeps most of its value at $60,463 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Writers and Authors salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Illinois ranks #35 out of 47 states for Writers and Authors after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
How much do you actually take home? See Writers and Authors take-home pay in Illinois after taxes →
A Writers and Authors in Illinois earns a median salary of $61,250 per year. After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (RPP=101.3), the real purchasing power is $60,463 — 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 Writers and Authors in Illinois: $61,250 x (100 / 101.3) = $60,463. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.