Accountant salary in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area
The West Central Illinois nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $70,160 a year1 is 12.6% below the Illinois statewide median of $80,230, and 16.2% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#442 of 521). BLS counts about 1,000 people in this job here, 2% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | $47,040 | $70,160 | $106,850 | |
| Illinois | $54,510 | $80,230 | $131,990 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area earns $56,620–$89,530. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $106,850, only 2.3 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 $32,910 wide, against $35,980 across Illinois and $42,790 nationally: employers in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area 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 | $47,040 | $3,920 | $22.62 | $60,697 |
| 25th percentile | $56,620 | $4,718 | $27.22 | $73,058 |
| Median | $70,160 | $5,847 | $33.73 | $90,529 |
| 75th percentile | $89,530 | $7,461 | $43.04 | $115,523 |
| 90th percentile | $106,850 | $8,904 | $51.37 | $137,871 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,540 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $19,370, or about $24,994 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 the West Central Illinois nonmetro area, and the Illinois statewide median of $80,230 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area
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 $20,369 to the $70,160 median and brings it to $90,529 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 the West Central Illinois nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($93,300); recruiters come next at $65,350.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +33.0% | 240 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,000 | |
| Recruiter | -6.9% | 540 | |
| Office Manager | -14.0% | 960 | |
| Executive Assistant | -15.2% | 300 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area (-16.2%), between medical administrative assistants (-16.0%) and paralegals (-21.7%). The typical role here is at -13.1%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 7.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area, 9.0% across Illinois and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 3 areas in Illinois with more accountants than the West Central Illinois nonmetro area also pay more, among them Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN ($82,360) and Springfield, IL ($86,440).
| Area | Median | vs the West Central Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | +7.3% | 850 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | +4.6% | 670 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +2.6% | 820 | |
| Kankakee, IL | +2.1% | 210 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,000 | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 750 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -0.7% | 730 |
the West Central Illinois nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the West Central Illinois nonmetro area is #194 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, Shreveport-Bossier City and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre pay just above the West Central Illinois nonmetro area and Lake Charles and Erie just below. All four are within $320 a year of the median in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the West Central Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | +14.5% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +10.3% | 990 | jobs | |
| Gainesville, FL | +8.1% | 1,010 | jobs | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.5% | 1,640 | pay | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | +0.4% | 1,250 | pay | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,000 | ||
| Lake Charles, LA | -0.2% | 600 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | -0.2% | 970 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in West Central Illinois (Nonmetro)?
About $90,529 a year at the median, or $7,544 a month: $70,160 in pay plus about $20,369 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $70,160 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,040, the 90th $106,850, and the middle half earned $56,620 to $89,530.
Is the West Central Illinois nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Illinois for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $70,160 against $80,230 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Kankakee at $71,610, the next down the South Illinois nonmetro area at $69,730.
How many accountants work in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,000 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Illinois total of 54,930. 3 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Peoria, with about 1,350.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,810 a year more at the median. The medians are $70,160 and $65,350.
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.