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Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining Salary in Illinois: Cost of Living Adjusted (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

What does a Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining 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
$75,890
Median annual (2025)
-1.3%
Real Purchasing Power
$74,916
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 Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining earning $75,890 in Illinois has the equivalent purchasing power of $74,916 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) $65,630 $64,787 $-842
25th Percentile (P25) $75,850 $74,876 $-973
Median (P50) $75,890 $74,916 $-973
75th Percentile (P75) $79,440 $78,420 $-1,019
90th Percentile (P90) $87,210 $86,090 $-1,119
Key Insight

Illinois's cost of living is close to the national average, so $75,890 keeps most of its value at $74,916 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 Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining 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, $75,890 nominal nets out to $74,916 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 Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining.

Above-Median Adjusted Pay

#10 / 20

Illinois sits at #10 of 20 states for Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining COL-adjusted salary — comfortably above the national midpoint.

Best States for Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining (After Cost of Living)

Where does Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.

1. Wyoming
$121,991
RPP 91.9
2. Alaska
$91,303
RPP 102.0
3. Nevada
$86,016
RPP 96.4
$85,982
RPP 93.6
$84,024
RPP 89.2
$78,212
RPP 96.2
7. Ohio
$78,010
RPP 91.5
$77,370
RPP 102.3
$75,318
RPP 102.1
10. Illinois
$74,916
RPP 101.3

Illinois ranks #10 out of 20 states for Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining after cost-of-living adjustment.

How much do you actually take home? See Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining take-home pay in Illinois after taxes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the real salary for a Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining in Illinois after cost of living?

A Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining in Illinois earns a median salary of $75,890 per year. After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (RPP=101.3), the real purchasing power is $74,916 — 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 Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining in Illinois: $75,890 x (100 / 101.3) = $74,916. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.

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