Natural Sciences Managers Salary
In Illinois, natural sciences managers earn $159,670 at the median, or about $76.77 an hour. The range runs from $85K at the entry level to $282K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $170,133 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 14.5% 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 $160K actually covers in Illinois, month by month
About natural sciences managers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Illinois
Natural sciences managers pay in Illinois tracks closely to the national median, $160K locally vs. $167K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 15.1% 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 natural sciences managers (10th percentile) start around $85K. Mid-career wages sit at $160K. Top earners bring in $282K or more, a $196K spread from bottom to top.
Natural Sciences Managers salary by metro in Illinois
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $167K | +5% | 2,270 |
| Springfield | $122K | -23% | 40 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $108K | -33% | 160 |
Compare to other states
Track natural sciences managers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
Related careers in Management
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a natural sciences manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $160K, rent takes 15.1% 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 natural sciences managers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new natural sciences managers typically earn — is $85K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,343/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is natural sciences manager a high-paying job in Illinois?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $160K locally vs. $167K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for natural sciences managers?
Illinois pays $160K median vs. the U.S. average of $167K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $170K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do natural sciences managers make in Illinois?
The median is $159,670 a year, that works out to about $77 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,210, and experienced natural sciences managers can clear $281,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $160K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,332/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 15.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a natural sciences managers 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 natural sciences managers salary is worth about $170,133 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do natural sciences managers 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.