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What does a Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 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 Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists earning $82,330 in Illinois has the equivalent purchasing power of $81,273 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) | $59,550 | $58,785 | $-764 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $65,570 | $64,728 | $-841 |
| Median (P50) | $82,330 | $81,273 | $-1,056 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $104,700 | $103,356 | $-1,343 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $143,890 | $142,043 | $-1,846 |
Illinois's cost of living is close to the national average, so $82,330 keeps most of its value at $81,273 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 Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists 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, $82,330 nominal nets out to $81,273 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 Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists.
Illinois ranks #41 of 46 — bottom quartile for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists real purchasing power. Relocation, employer negotiation, or remote roles at higher-paying markets tend to generate the biggest ROI.
Where does Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Illinois ranks #41 out of 46 states for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists take-home pay in Illinois after taxes →
A Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in Illinois earns a median salary of $82,330 per year. After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (RPP=101.3), the real purchasing power is $81,273 — 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 Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists in Illinois: $82,330 x (100 / 101.3) = $81,273. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
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