Bookkeeper salary in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $46,340 a year1: 6.5% below the Illinois statewide median of $49,560 and 8.5% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #340 of 521. About 1,340 bookkeepers work here, 3% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | $34,550 | $46,340 | $63,790 | |
| Illinois | $32,360 | $49,560 | $71,480 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area earns $38,970–$54,900. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $63,790, 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 $15,930 wide, against $17,450 across Illinois and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area 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 | $34,550 | $2,879 | $16.61 | $44,581 |
| 25th percentile | $38,970 | $3,248 | $18.74 | $50,284 |
| Median | $46,340 | $3,862 | $22.28 | $59,794 |
| 75th percentile | $54,900 | $4,575 | $26.39 | $70,839 |
| 90th percentile | $63,790 | $5,316 | $30.67 | $82,310 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,370 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,560, or about $11,045 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 $50,670 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area, and the Illinois statewide median of $49,560 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northwest 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 $13,454 to the $46,340 median and brings it to $59,794 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 the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($48,730) and medical administrative assistants ($44,620). Project Coordinator is the highest at $96,420.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +10.9% | 60 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +5.2% | 710 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,340 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.7% | 390 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.7% | 1,670 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area (-8.5%), between recruiters (-7.7%) and office managers (-9.3%). The typical role here is at -7.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 14.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area, 8.4% across Illinois and 8.7% 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 4 areas in Illinois with more bookkeepers than the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the West Central Illinois nonmetro area ($45,760).
| Area | Median | vs the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee, IL | +1.9% | 400 | |
| Rockford, IL | +1.0% | 1,020 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +0.2% | 1,390 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,340 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 1,770 | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 1,320 | |
| Bloomington, IL | -2.4% | 590 |
the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area is #198 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Traverse City and State College pay just above the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area and Mansfield and Paducah just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah, GA | +7.1% | 1,350 | jobs | |
| Medford, OR | +6.3% | 1,340 | jobs | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +3.2% | 1,360 | jobs | |
| State College, PA | +0.1% | 490 | pay | |
| Traverse City, MI | +0.0% | 890 | pay | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,340 | ||
| Mansfield, OH | -0.1% | 330 | pay | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | -0.1% | 610 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro)?
About $59,794 a year at the median, or $4,983 a month: $46,340 in pay plus about $13,454 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area?
The median was $46,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,550, the 90th $63,790, and the middle half earned $38,970 to $54,900.
Is the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Illinois for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,340 against $49,560 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is the East Central Illinois nonmetro area at $46,430, the next down the West Central Illinois nonmetro area at $45,760.
How many bookkeepers work in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,340 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Illinois total of 51,470. 4 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is the East Central Illinois nonmetro area, with about 1,390.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,720 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,340 and $44,620.
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.