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Bookkeeper salary and cost of hiring in Illinois

The median bookkeeper in Illinois earned $49,560 a year in May 2025[1], 2.2% below the US median of $50,670. That puts Illinois at #23 of 51 states for this job.

$49,560median annual wage
$70,800employer cost with benefits
$23.83median per hour
51,470people in this job in Illinois

BLS occupation 43-3031. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Illinois$32,360$49,560$71,480
United States$36,000$50,670$74,550
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of bookkeepers in Illinois earns $42,680–$60,130; the top tenth earns $71,480 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the Illinois median that makes about $70,800 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].

$70,800local hire, first year incl. benefits
-remote hire, first year incl. fee
-difference in year one
-of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in Illinois

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$51,440
$61,61035,660
Springfield, IL
$50,780
$59,390860
Champaign-Urbana, IL
$48,830
$59,060710
Decatur, IL
$48,200
$58,410330
Peoria, IL
$47,670
$56,9201,390
Kankakee, IL
$47,240
$55,660400
Rockford, IL
$46,790
$55,7901,020
East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$46,430
$54,3101,390
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$46,340
$54,9001,340
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$45,760
$54,9501,770
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$45,600
$53,8001,320
Bloomington, IL
$45,220
$56,070590

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN pays the most ($51,440) and Bloomington, IL the least ($45,220): $6,220 a year apart for the same job.

What a bookkeeper does

A bookkeeper records the company's transactions, reconciles bank accounts, keeps receivables and payables in order and prepares the books for the accountant.

Neighbours in the ranking

StateMedianvs Illinois
Wisconsin
$50,340
+1.6%
North Dakota
$49,710
+0.3%
Illinois
$49,560
+0.0%
Utah
$49,440
-0.2%
Georgia (US state)
$49,350
-0.4%

Questions

How much does a bookkeeper earn in Illinois?

The median was $49,560 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $42,680 to $60,130.

What does it cost to employ a bookkeeper in Illinois?

About $70,800 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Illinois do bookkeepers earn the most?

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, with a median of $51,440 a year.

Other roles in Illinois

Hire bookkeepers remotely

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3031: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes433031.htm
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
  3. Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.