Animal Scientists Salary
The median pay for a animal scientists in Illinois is $47,930/year ($23.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $51,071 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 43% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Illinois. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $48K get you in Illinois?
About animal scientists
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for animal scientists in Illinois runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $69K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 44.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for animal scientistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level animal scientists (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track animal scientists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a animal scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 44.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for animal scientists in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new animal scientists typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,378/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is animal scientist a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $48K here vs. $69K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for animal scientists?
Illinois pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $69K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do animal scientists make in Illinois?
The median is $47,930 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,630, and experienced animal scientists can clear $66,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,181/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 44.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a animal scientists salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median animal scientists salary is worth about $51,071 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do animal scientists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.