Accountant salary in Decatur, IL
Decatur is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $76,720 a year1 is 4.4% below the Illinois statewide median of $80,230, and 8.3% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #251 of 521 areas. The market is small, about 260 people, so expect few local candidates at a time.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Decatur, IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Decatur against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, IL | $51,890 | $76,720 | $114,000 | |
| Illinois | $54,510 | $80,230 | $131,990 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Decatur earns $62,420–$97,240. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $114,000, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $34,820 wide, against $35,980 across Illinois and $42,790 nationally: employers in Decatur 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 | $51,890 | $4,324 | $24.95 | $66,955 |
| 25th percentile | $62,420 | $5,202 | $30.01 | $80,542 |
| Median | $76,720 | $6,393 | $36.88 | $98,994 |
| 75th percentile | $97,240 | $8,103 | $46.75 | $125,471 |
| 90th percentile | $114,000 | $9,500 | $54.81 | $147,097 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,300 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $20,520, or about $26,477 once benefits are added. 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 Decatur, and the Illinois statewide median of $80,230 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Decatur
At the $76,720 median, a local hire costs about $98,994 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,274 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 Decatur
Of the 14 roles we track in Decatur, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($102,870); marketing specialists come next at $68,080.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +34.1% | 60 | |
| Accountant | this role | 260 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -11.3% | 140 | |
| Recruiter | -17.0% | 140 | |
| Office Manager | -19.5% | 230 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #7 of the 14 roles we track in Decatur (-8.3%), between virtual receptionists (-6.1%) and medical administrative assistants (-8.9%). The typical role here is at -8.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 8.7% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Decatur, 9.2% across Illinois and 9.3% 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 10 areas in Illinois with more accountants than Decatur, 7 pay less, the largest of them the West Central Illinois nonmetro area ($70,160), Rockford, IL ($75,260) and the East Central Illinois nonmetro area ($71,970).
| Area | Median | vs Decatur | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, IL | +12.7% | 1,600 | |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +7.4% | 41,360 | |
| Peoria, IL | +3.7% | 1,350 | |
| Decatur, IL | this area | 260 | |
| Bloomington, IL | -0.3% | 750 | |
| Rockford, IL | -1.9% | 850 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | -4.3% | 670 |
Decatur against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Decatur is #479 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Illinois, Lakeland-Winter Haven and Fond du Lac pay just above Decatur and Augusta-Richmond County and Boise City just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Decatur. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Decatur | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fond du Lac, WI | +0.2% | 330 | pay | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | +0.1% | 1,740 | pay | |
| Decatur, IL | this area | 260 | ||
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | -0.0% | 1,280 | pay | |
| Boise City, ID | -0.0% | 3,140 | pay | |
| Sandusky, OH | -3.1% | 260 | jobs | |
| Bay City, MI | -4.4% | 260 | jobs | |
| Mansfield, OH | -12.3% | 260 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Decatur, IL?
About $98,994 a year at the median, or $8,249 a month: $76,720 in pay plus about $22,274 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Decatur?
The median was $76,720 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,890, the 90th $114,000, and the middle half earned $62,420 to $97,240.
Is Decatur cheaper than the rest of Illinois for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,720 against $80,230 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Peoria at $79,540, the next down Bloomington at $76,510.
How many accountants work in Decatur?
BLS counts about 260 in the May 2025 survey. 10 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area, with about 670.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Decatur?
Yes: $8,640 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,720 and $68,080.
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 2026-11-13.