Geographers Salary
The median pay for a geographers in Illinois is $92,640/year ($44.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $126K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $98,711 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 24% of estimated take-home pay.
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 $93K get you in Illinois?
About geographers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Geographers pay in Illinois tracks closely to the national median, $93K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 24.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level geographers (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $93K. Top earners bring in $126K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track geographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a geographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $93K, rent takes 24.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for geographers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new geographers typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,800/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is geographer a high-paying job in Illinois?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $93K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for geographers?
Illinois pays $93K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — below the national median.
How much do geographers make in Illinois?
The median is $92,640 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,330, and experienced geographers can clear $125,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $93K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,748/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 24.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a geographers 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 geographers salary is worth about $98,711 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do geographers 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.