Bookkeeper salary in Decatur, IL
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Decatur than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $48,200 a year1: 2.7% below the Illinois statewide median of $49,560 and 4.9% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #225 of 521. BLS counts about 330 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, 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 | $35,540 | $48,200 | $64,140 | |
| Illinois | $32,360 | $49,560 | $71,480 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Decatur earns $42,500–$58,410. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $64,140, 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 $15,910 wide, against $17,450 across Illinois and $17,950 nationally: employers in Decatur 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 | $35,540 | $2,962 | $17.09 | $45,858 |
| 25th percentile | $42,500 | $3,542 | $20.43 | $54,839 |
| Median | $48,200 | $4,017 | $23.17 | $62,194 |
| 75th percentile | $58,410 | $4,868 | $28.08 | $75,368 |
| 90th percentile | $64,140 | $5,345 | $30.84 | $82,761 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,210 over the median, the 25th only $5,700 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,174 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 Decatur, and the Illinois statewide median of $49,560 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Decatur
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 $13,994 to the $48,200 median and brings it to $62,194 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 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 Decatur
Of the 14 roles we track in Decatur, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($56,780) and administrative assistants ($45,890). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,870.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +23.5% | 290 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +17.8% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 330 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.8% | 500 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -13.2% | 220 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 14 roles we track in Decatur (-4.9%), between administrative assistants (-3.5%) and paralegals (-5.1%). The typical role here is at -8.6%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Decatur than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.0% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Decatur, 8.6% across Illinois and 8.8% 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 $45,220 in Bloomington to $51,440 in Chicago-Naperville, a gap of $6,220 a year. Of the 11 areas in Illinois with more bookkeepers than Decatur, 8 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 Decatur | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +6.7% | 35,660 | |
| Springfield, IL | +5.4% | 860 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +1.3% | 710 | |
| Decatur, IL | this area | 330 | |
| Peoria, IL | -1.1% | 1,390 | |
| Kankakee, IL | -2.0% | 400 | |
| Rockford, IL | -2.9% | 1,020 |
Decatur against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Decatur is #501 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Illinois, Monroe and Lancaster pay just above Decatur and Lewiston and Port St. Lucie just below. All four are within $10 a year of the median in Decatur. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Decatur | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster, PA | +0.0% | 2,190 | pay | |
| Monroe, MI | +0.0% | 290 | pay | |
| Decatur, IL | this area | 330 | ||
| Lewiston, ID-WA | +0.0% | 250 | pay | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +0.0% | 1,450 | pay | |
| Bay City, MI | -1.0% | 330 | jobs | |
| Mansfield, OH | -3.9% | 330 | jobs | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -13.4% | 330 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Decatur, IL?
About $62,194 a year at the median, or $5,183 a month: $48,200 in pay plus about $13,994 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Decatur?
The median was $48,200 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,540, the 90th $64,140, and the middle half earned $42,500 to $58,410.
Is Decatur cheaper than the rest of Illinois for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $48,200 against $49,560 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Champaign-Urbana at $48,830, the next down Peoria at $47,670.
How many bookkeepers work in Decatur?
BLS counts about 330 in the May 2025 survey. 11 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Kankakee, with about 400.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Decatur?
Yes: $2,310 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,200 and $45,890.
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.