Accountant salary in Bloomington, IL
Hiring an accountant costs less in Bloomington than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $76,510 a year1: 4.6% below the Illinois statewide median of $80,230 and 8.6% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #265 of 521. About 750 accountants work here, 1% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Bloomington, IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bloomington against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | $49,250 | $76,510 | $117,910 | |
| Illinois | $54,510 | $80,230 | $131,990 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Bloomington earns $61,410–$91,730. The top tenth earns $117,910 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $30,320 wide, against $35,980 across Illinois and $42,790 nationally: employers in Bloomington pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,250 | $4,104 | $23.68 | $63,548 |
| 25th percentile | $61,410 | $5,118 | $29.52 | $79,239 |
| Median | $76,510 | $6,376 | $36.78 | $98,723 |
| 75th percentile | $91,730 | $7,644 | $44.10 | $118,361 |
| 90th percentile | $117,910 | $9,826 | $56.69 | $152,142 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $15,220 a year in pay and about $19,639 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $15,100 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Bloomington, and the Illinois statewide median of $80,230 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Bloomington
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $22,213 to the $76,510 median and brings it to $98,723 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Bloomington
Of the 14 roles we track in Bloomington, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($101,110); recruiters come next at $74,210.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +32.2% | 460 | |
| Accountant | this role | 750 | |
| Recruiter | -3.0% | 510 | |
| Executive Assistant | -12.8% | 260 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -18.4% | 60 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #8 of the 14 roles we track in Bloomington (-8.6%), between virtual receptionists (-7.0%) and bookkeepers (-10.8%). The typical role here is at -7.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 11.1% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Bloomington, 10.4% across Illinois and 10.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Illinois
Across the 12 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $69,670 in Champaign-Urbana to $86,440 in Springfield, a gap of $16,770 a year. Of the 6 areas in Illinois with more accountants than Bloomington, 3 pay less: the West Central Illinois nonmetro area ($70,160), Rockford, IL ($75,260) and the East Central Illinois nonmetro area ($71,970).
| Area | Median | vs Bloomington | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +7.6% | 41,360 | |
| Peoria, IL | +4.0% | 1,350 | |
| Decatur, IL | +0.3% | 260 | |
| Bloomington, IL | this area | 750 | |
| Rockford, IL | -1.6% | 850 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | -4.1% | 670 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | -5.9% | 820 |
Bloomington against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bloomington is #261 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Harrisonburg and Bloomington pay just above Bloomington and Harrisburg-Carlisle and Fargo just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Bloomington. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bloomington | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +25.6% | 760 | jobs | |
| Bend, OR | +12.4% | 750 | jobs | |
| Bloomington, IN | +0.2% | 480 | pay | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | +0.0% | 450 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IL | this area | 750 | ||
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | +0.0% | 3,210 | pay | |
| Fargo, ND-MN | -0.1% | 1,580 | pay | |
| Gainesville, GA | -1.7% | 750 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Bloomington, IL?
About $98,723 a year at the median, or $8,227 a month: $76,510 in pay plus about $22,213 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Bloomington?
The median was $76,510 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,250, the 90th $117,910, and the middle half earned $61,410 to $91,730.
Is Bloomington cheaper than the rest of Illinois for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,510 against $80,230 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Decatur at $76,720, the next down Rockford at $75,260.
How many accountants work in Bloomington?
BLS counts about 750 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Illinois total of 54,930. 6 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is the East Central Illinois nonmetro area, with about 820.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Bloomington?
Yes: $2,300 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,510 and $74,210.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.