Conservation Scientists pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $98,390 or more. The middle half of conservation scientists in Chicago earn between $47,680 and $78,540.
- $36K10th
- $48K25th
- $63KMedian
- $79K75th
- $98K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $65,170 | $5,431 | $31.33 |
| Median | $62,710 | $5,226 | $30.15 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $47,680 | $3,973 | $22.92 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,540 | $6,545 | $37.76 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Conservation Scientists salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $65,170, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $51,459 a year, or $4,288 a month and $1,979 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $52,619 | $4,385 |
| Working in IL | $51,459 | $4,288 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for conservation scientists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $65,170 buys what about $62,908 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 5.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Conservation Scientists salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 3rd of 3 Illinois metro areas for this job; Springfield pays the most ($105,360).
- Springfield$105,360
- Champaign$82,690
- Chicago$65,170
Highest-paying cities for conservation scientists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($118,820).
- San Jose, CA$118,820
- Washington, DC$108,770
- Springfield, IL$105,360
- Amherst, MA$99,360
- San Francisco, CA$99,130
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Conservation Scientists salary in Chicago: questions
How much do conservation scientists make an hour in Chicago?
$31.33 an hour on average, and $30.15 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level conservation scientists salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $47,680, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the conservation scientists take-home pay in Chicago?
About $51,459 a year ($4,288 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $65,170.
Do conservation scientists earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($78,606).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-1031; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.3%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.49, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.49).
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