Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Education Administrators, Postsecondary salary really buy you in Illinois?
Illinois is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Illinois's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 101.3, meaning prices are 1.3% higher the national average. A Education Administrators, Postsecondary earning $99,770 in Illinois has the equivalent purchasing power of $98,489 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) | $62,270 | $61,470 | $-799 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $76,830 | $75,844 | $-985 |
| Median (P50) | $99,770 | $98,489 | $-1,280 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $128,420 | $126,771 | $-1,648 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $172,540 | $170,325 | $-2,214 |
Illinois's cost of living is close to the national average, so $99,770 keeps most of its value at $98,489 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 101.3, Illinois is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Education Administrators, Postsecondary is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living, $99,770 nominal nets out to $98,490 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 Education Administrators, Postsecondary.
Illinois ranks #42 of 51 — bottom quartile for Education Administrators, Postsecondary real purchasing power. Relocation, employer negotiation, or remote roles at higher-paying markets tend to generate the biggest ROI.
Where does Education Administrators, Postsecondary salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Illinois ranks #42 out of 51 states for Education Administrators, Postsecondary after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Education Administrators, Postsecondary take-home pay in Illinois after taxes →
A Education Administrators, Postsecondary in Illinois earns a median salary of $99,770 per year. After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (RPP=101.3), the real purchasing power is $98,489 — 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 Education Administrators, Postsecondary in Illinois: $99,770 x (100 / 101.3) = $98,489. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
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