What does a Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders salary really buy you in Illinois?
Illinois is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Illinois's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 101.3, meaning prices are 1.3% higher the national average. A Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders earning $54,200 in Illinois has the equivalent purchasing power of $53,504 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) | $37,590 | $37,107 | $-482 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $48,630 | $48,005 | $-624 |
| Median (P50) | $54,200 | $53,504 | $-695 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $61,280 | $60,493 | $-786 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $67,330 | $66,465 | $-864 |
Illinois's cost of living is close to the national average, so $54,200 keeps most of its value at $53,504 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Illinois ranks #20 out of 39 states for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders in Illinois earns a median salary of $54,200 per year. After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (RPP=101.3), the real purchasing power is $53,504 — 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 Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders in Illinois: $54,200 x (100 / 101.3) = $53,504. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.