Salary comparison
Electricians: Champaign vs Salem
Champaign, IL pays about 1.5% more for electricians on paper — $100,320 vs $98,850. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Champaign comes out ahead by $1,470 a year in real buying power.
Champaign, IL
$100,320
$64,950
$105,710
$48.23
100
$100,320/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Salem, OR
$98,850
$76,570
$118,530
$47.53
100
$98,850/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $1,470 a year (1.5%) in favor of Champaign. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Champaign runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Salem sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Champaign is the better deal by $1,470 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Salem to Champaign for this role, the raise needs to beat 1.5% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do electricians earn more, Champaign or Salem?
Champaign pays $100,320 on median — about 1.5% more than Salem ($98,850). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Champaign. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Champaign gives you roughly$100,320 of real buying power versus $98,850 in the other city.