Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Salary
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouses in Illinois make a median of $41,050 a year, or about $19.74 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $43,740 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 50.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $41K get you in Illinois?
About farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 51.2% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse salary by metro in Illinois
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana | $48K | +18% | 130 |
| Bloomington | $47K | +15% | 40 |
| Springfield | $42K | +1% | 80 |
| Peoria | $38K | -7% | 140 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $37K | -10% | 1,020 |
| Rockford | $34K | -17% | 40 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 51.2% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,902/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 74% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse a high-paying job in Illinois?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $41K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses?
Illinois pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses make in Illinois?
The median is $41,050 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,700, and experienced farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses can clear $51,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,749/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 51.2% 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 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse 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 farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse salary is worth about $43,740 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouses 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.