Historians Salary
In Illinois, historians earn $89,670 at the median, or about $43.11 an hour. The range runs from $71K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $95,546 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $90K actually covers in Illinois, month by month
About historians
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for historians, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $77K. Rent runs $1,407/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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 historians (10th percentile) start around $71K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Historians salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $90K | +0% | N/A |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 25.2% 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 historians in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $71K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,579/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Illinois?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $90K here vs. $77K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for historians?
Illinois pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do historians make in Illinois?
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 $71,190, and experienced historians can clear $111,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,586/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 25.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a historians 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 historians salary is worth about $95,546 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.