Bookkeeper salary in Champaign-Urbana, IL
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Champaign-Urbana than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $48,830 a year1: 1.5% below the Illinois statewide median of $49,560 and 3.6% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #195 of 521 areas. About 710 bookkeepers work here, 1% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, 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 | $37,640 | $48,830 | $65,870 | |
| Illinois | $32,360 | $49,560 | $71,480 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Champaign-Urbana earns $43,210–$59,060. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $65,870, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,850 wide, against $17,450 across Illinois and $17,950 nationally: employers in Champaign-Urbana pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,640 | $3,137 | $18.10 | $48,568 |
| 25th percentile | $43,210 | $3,601 | $20.77 | $55,755 |
| Median | $48,830 | $4,069 | $23.48 | $63,006 |
| 75th percentile | $59,060 | $4,922 | $28.39 | $76,206 |
| 90th percentile | $65,870 | $5,489 | $31.67 | $84,994 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,230 over the median, the 25th only $5,620 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,200 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 $50,670 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Champaign-Urbana, and the Illinois statewide median of $49,560 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Champaign-Urbana
At the $48,830 median, a local hire costs about $63,006 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,176 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 bookkeepers 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 #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($58,580) and administrative assistants ($48,260). Project Coordinator is the highest at $90,770.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +21.2% | 80 | |
| Paralegal | +20.0% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 710 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -1.2% | 1,220 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -5.7% | 570 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in Champaign-Urbana (-3.6%), between virtual receptionists (-3.0%) and paralegals (-6.9%). The typical role here is at -7.3%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Champaign-Urbana than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.5% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Champaign-Urbana, 8.4% across Illinois and 8.7% 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 $45,220 in Bloomington to $51,440 in Chicago-Naperville, a gap of $6,220 a year. Of the 8 areas in Illinois with more bookkeepers than Champaign-Urbana, 6 pay less, the largest of them the West Central Illinois nonmetro area ($45,760), Peoria, IL ($47,670) and the East Central Illinois nonmetro area ($46,430).
| Area | Median | vs Champaign-Urbana | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +5.3% | 35,660 | |
| Springfield, IL | +4.0% | 860 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | this area | 710 | |
| Decatur, IL | -1.3% | 330 | |
| Peoria, IL | -2.4% | 1,390 | |
| Kankakee, IL | -3.3% | 400 | |
| Rockford, IL | -4.2% | 1,020 |
Champaign-Urbana against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Champaign-Urbana is #349 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Binghamton and Cleveland pay just above Champaign-Urbana and Pueblo and Indianapolis-Carmel just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Champaign-Urbana. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Champaign-Urbana | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | +5.7% | 720 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, OH | +0.1% | 8,660 | pay | |
| Binghamton, NY | +0.0% | 950 | pay | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | this area | 710 | ||
| Pueblo, CO | -0.0% | 480 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -0.2% | 10,000 | pay | |
| Greenville, NC | -2.4% | 720 | jobs | |
| Bloomington, IN | -4.2% | 710 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Champaign-Urbana, IL?
About $63,006 a year at the median, or $5,251 a month: $48,830 in pay plus about $14,176 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Champaign-Urbana?
The median was $48,830 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,640, the 90th $65,870, and the middle half earned $43,210 to $59,060.
Is Champaign-Urbana cheaper than the rest of Illinois for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $48,830 against $49,560 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Springfield at $50,780, the next down Decatur at $48,200.
How many bookkeepers work in Champaign-Urbana?
BLS counts about 710 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Illinois total of 51,470. 8 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Springfield, with about 860.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Champaign-Urbana?
Yes: $570 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,830 and $48,260.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3031: 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.