Accountant salary in Champaign-Urbana, IL
Champaign-Urbana is the least expensive place in Illinois to hire an accountant. The median is $69,670 a year1, 13.2% below the Illinois statewide median of $80,230 and 16.7% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#452 of 521). About 730 accountants work here, 1% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Champaign-Urbana, IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Champaign-Urbana against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $52,030 | $69,670 | $109,610 | |
| Illinois | $54,510 | $80,230 | $131,990 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Champaign-Urbana earns $58,250–$88,100. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $109,610, only 2.1 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($76,020) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $29,850 wide, against $35,980 across Illinois and $42,790 nationally: employers in Champaign-Urbana 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 | $52,030 | $4,336 | $25.01 | $67,135 |
| 25th percentile | $58,250 | $4,854 | $28.00 | $75,161 |
| Median | $69,670 | $5,806 | $33.50 | $89,897 |
| 75th percentile | $88,100 | $7,342 | $42.36 | $113,677 |
| 90th percentile | $109,610 | $9,134 | $52.70 | $141,432 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $18,430 over the median, the 25th only $11,420 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $23,781 a year in employer cost. 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 Champaign-Urbana, and the Illinois statewide median of $80,230 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Champaign-Urbana
At the $69,670 median, a local hire costs about $89,897 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,227 here. 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 Champaign-Urbana
Of the 16 roles we track in Champaign-Urbana, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($90,770); executive assistants come next at $68,560.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +30.3% | 310 | |
| Accountant | this role | 730 | |
| Executive Assistant | -1.6% | 260 | |
| Recruiter | -3.3% | 540 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -5.5% | 380 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 16 roles we track in Champaign-Urbana (-16.7%); data entry specialists come first (+2.5%). The typical role here is at -7.3%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Champaign-Urbana than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 8.7% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Champaign-Urbana, 9.0% across Illinois and 9.2% 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. All 8 areas in Illinois with more accountants than Champaign-Urbana also pay more, among them Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN ($82,360) and Springfield, IL ($86,440).
| Area | Median | vs Champaign-Urbana | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | +8.0% | 850 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | +5.4% | 670 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +3.3% | 820 | |
| Kankakee, IL | +2.8% | 210 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +0.7% | 1,000 | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | +0.1% | 750 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | this area | 730 |
Champaign-Urbana against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Champaign-Urbana is #269 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Illinois, Johnstown and Williamsport pay just above Champaign-Urbana and Texarkana and Columbia just below. All four are within $460 a year of the median in Champaign-Urbana. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Champaign-Urbana | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwich-New London, CT | +18.5% | 740 | jobs | |
| Ocala, FL | +6.7% | 730 | jobs | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | +5.2% | 730 | jobs | |
| Williamsport, PA | +0.3% | 340 | pay | |
| Johnstown, PA | +0.3% | 380 | pay | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | this area | 730 | ||
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -0.3% | 320 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | -0.7% | 3,260 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Champaign-Urbana, IL?
About $89,897 a year at the median, or $7,491 a month: $69,670 in pay plus about $20,227 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Champaign-Urbana?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $69,670 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $52,030, the 90th $109,610, and the middle half earned $58,250 to $88,100.
Is Champaign-Urbana the cheapest area in Illinois for accountants?
Yes. Its median of $69,670 is the lowest of 12 areas in Illinois. The South Illinois nonmetro area is next at $69,730.
How many accountants work in Champaign-Urbana?
BLS counts about 730 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Illinois total of 54,930. 8 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is the South Illinois nonmetro area, with about 750.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Champaign-Urbana?
Yes: $1,110 a year more at the median. The medians are $69,670 and $68,560.
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.