Historians Salary
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, historians earn $89,670 at the median, or about $43.11 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $86,562 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $90K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About historians
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin sits well above the national pay line for historians, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,781/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level historians (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Historians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Historians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $122K | +59% | N/A |
| Maryland | $121K | +57% | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $118K | +54% | 250 |
| Minnesota | $103K | +34% | 50 |
| Virginia | $102K | +33% | 180 |
| Washington | $100K | +30% | 30 |
| Oregon | $100K | +30% | 40 |
| California | $97K | +27% | 210 |
| Hawaii | $93K | +21% | 70 |
| Illinois | $90K | +17% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $81K | +5% | 60 |
| Nevada | $80K | +4% | N/A |
| Texas | $78K | +2% | 130 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +0% | 130 |
| Florida | $75K | -3% | 110 |
| North Carolina | $73K | -4% | 120 |
| Kansas | $73K | -5% | 40 |
| Alabama | $72K | -6% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $72K | -6% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $71K | -7% | 40 |
| Nebraska | $70K | -9% | 30 |
| New Mexico | $67K | -13% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $67K | -13% | 40 |
| Missouri | $64K | -16% | 50 |
| Georgia | $64K | -17% | 110 |
| Indiana | $64K | -17% | 30 |
| Kentucky | $64K | -17% | 50 |
| New York | $63K | -18% | 410 |
| Michigan | $63K | -18% | 80 |
| Ohio | $60K | -21% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $52K | -32% | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -34% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -40% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -40% | 50 |
| Utah | $34K | -56% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track historians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 31.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for historians in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,131/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 57% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is historian a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $90K here vs. $77K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for historians?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do historians make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $89,670 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,180, and experienced historians can clear $89,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,586/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 31.9% 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 historians salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median historians salary is worth about $86,562 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do historians 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.