StafkaFind workPost a jobSign inGet 3 candidates

Administrative Assistant salary in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area

The West Central Illinois nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for administrative assistants: the median of $41,150 a year1 is 14.8% below the Illinois statewide median of $48,310, and 13.4% below the US median of $47,540. Among US areas it comes in at #376 of 520. BLS counts about 2,290 people in this job here, 3% of the Illinois total.

$3,429median pay per month in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area
$4,425employer cost per month with benefits
$19.78median pay per hour
2,290people in this job in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area

BLS occupation 43-6014, 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

Range10thMedian90th
West Central Illinois (Nonmetro)$31,200$41,150$59,480
Illinois$31,930$48,310$76,790
United States$33,280$47,540$66,350
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $59,480, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area earns $35,470–$49,140. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,670 wide, against $22,130 across Illinois and $19,170 nationally: employers in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.

What to budget for an administrative assistant here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$31,200$2,600$15.00$40,258
25th percentile$35,470$2,956$17.05$45,768
Median$41,150$3,429$19.78$53,097
75th percentile$49,140$4,095$23.62$63,406
90th percentile$59,480$4,957$28.60$76,748

An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,990 a year in pay and about $10,310 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,680 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 $47,540 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area, and the Illinois statewide median of $48,310 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 $11,947 to the $41,150 median and brings it to $53,097 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 administrative assistants 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.

$53,097local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$39,209difference in year one
74%of the local cost saved

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 #14 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($41,760) and medical administrative assistants ($38,590). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,300.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in West Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs administrative assistantJobs
Marketing Specialist
$44,860
+9.0%640
Customer Support Specialist
$41,760
+1.5%1,930
Administrative Assistant
$41,150
this role2,290
Medical Administrative Assistant
$38,590
-6.2%940
Data Entry Specialist
$36,240
-11.9%120

Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area (-13.4%), between office managers (-13.1%) and recruiters (-13.9%). The typical role here is at -13.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 17.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area, 12.1% across Illinois and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger 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 $37,040 in the South Illinois nonmetro area to $51,880 in Bloomington, a gap of $14,840 a year. Of the 2 areas in Illinois with more administrative assistants than the West Central Illinois nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the South Illinois nonmetro area ($37,040).

AreaMedianvs the West Central Illinois nonmetro areaJobs
Rockford, IL
$46,130
+12.1%1,360
Decatur, IL
$45,890
+11.5%500
Kankakee, IL
$44,740
+8.7%540
Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro)
$44,150
+7.3%1,670
East Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
$43,870
+6.6%1,860
West Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
$41,150
this area2,290
South Illinois (Nonmetro)
$37,040
-10.0%2,700

the West Central Illinois nonmetro area against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, the West Central Illinois nonmetro area is #136 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Goldsboro and Wichita pay just above the West Central Illinois nonmetro area and Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Morristown just below. All four are within $330 a year of the median in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, all three pay more.

Metro areaMedianvs the West Central Illinois nonmetro areaJobsClose in
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$53,770
+30.7%2,310jobs
Ann Arbor, MI
$50,600
+23.0%2,290jobs
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
$41,600
+1.1%2,260jobs
Wichita, KS
$41,480
+0.8%6,290pay
Goldsboro, NC
$41,410
+0.6%320pay
West Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
$41,150
this area2,290
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
$41,140
-0.0%740pay
Morristown, TN
$41,040
-0.3%440pay

Questions

How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in West Central Illinois (Nonmetro)?

About $53,097 a year at the median, or $4,425 a month: $41,150 in pay plus about $11,947 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What do administrative assistants earn in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?

The median was $41,150 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,200, the 90th $59,480, and the middle half earned $35,470 to $49,140.

Is the West Central Illinois nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Illinois for administrative assistants?

Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,150 against $48,310 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is the East Central Illinois nonmetro area at $43,870, the next down the South Illinois nonmetro area at $37,040.

How many administrative assistants work in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?

BLS counts about 2,290 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Illinois total of 74,280. Only Chicago-Naperville and the South Illinois nonmetro area have more in Illinois.

Does an administrative assistant cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?

Yes: $2,560 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,150 and $38,590.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.