What does a Social Science Research Assistants 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 Social Science Research Assistants earning $54,720 in Illinois has the equivalent purchasing power of $54,017 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) | $35,360 | $34,906 | $-453 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $38,290 | $37,798 | $-491 |
| Median (P50) | $54,720 | $54,017 | $-702 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $78,660 | $77,650 | $-1,009 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $82,460 | $81,401 | $-1,058 |
Illinois's cost of living is close to the national average, so $54,720 keeps most of its value at $54,017 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Social Science Research Assistants salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Illinois ranks #23 out of 39 states for Social Science Research Assistants after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Social Science Research Assistants in Illinois earns a median salary of $54,720 per year. After adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (RPP=101.3), the real purchasing power is $54,017 — 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 Social Science Research Assistants in Illinois: $54,720 x (100 / 101.3) = $54,017. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.