Bookkeeper salary in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area
The West Central Illinois nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $45,760 a year1 is 7.7% below the Illinois statewide median of $49,560, and 9.7% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #375 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 1,770 people in this job here, 3% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, 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
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | $34,210 | $45,760 | $61,950 | |
| Illinois | $32,360 | $49,560 | $71,480 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area earns $39,240–$54,950. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $61,950, 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 $15,710 wide, against $17,450 across Illinois and $17,950 nationally: employers in the West Central 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 | $34,210 | $2,851 | $16.45 | $44,142 |
| 25th percentile | $39,240 | $3,270 | $18.87 | $50,632 |
| Median | $45,760 | $3,813 | $22.00 | $59,045 |
| 75th percentile | $54,950 | $4,579 | $26.42 | $70,903 |
| 90th percentile | $61,950 | $5,162 | $29.78 | $79,935 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,520 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,190, or about $11,858 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 West Central Illinois nonmetro area, and the Illinois statewide median of $49,560 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 $13,285 to the $45,760 median and brings it to $59,045 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 West Central Illinois nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($48,920) and e-commerce order specialists ($45,530). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,300.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +7.6% | 110 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +6.9% | 890 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,770 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -0.5% | 60 | |
| HR Assistant | -1.1% | 90 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area (-9.7%), between project coordinators (-8.8%) and HR assistants (-10.6%). The typical role here is at -13.1%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 13.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the West Central 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. The one area in Illinois with more bookkeepers, Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN ($51,440), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the West Central Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee, IL | +3.2% | 400 | |
| Rockford, IL | +2.3% | 1,020 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +1.5% | 1,390 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | +1.3% | 1,340 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,770 | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | -0.3% | 1,320 | |
| Bloomington, IL | -1.2% | 590 |
the West Central Illinois nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the West Central Illinois nonmetro area is #142 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Macon-Bibb County and Cape Girardeau pay just above the West Central Illinois nonmetro area and Springfield and Wilmington just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the West Central Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +16.5% | 1,760 | jobs | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | +8.5% | 1,780 | jobs | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | +7.7% | 1,770 | jobs | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | +0.1% | 310 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | +0.0% | 720 | pay | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,770 | ||
| Springfield, OH | -0.0% | 520 | pay | |
| Wilmington, NC | -0.1% | 2,300 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in West Central Illinois (Nonmetro)?
About $59,045 a year at the median, or $4,920 a month: $45,760 in pay plus about $13,285 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?
The median was $45,760 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,210, the 90th $61,950, and the middle half earned $39,240 to $54,950.
Is the West Central Illinois nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Illinois for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,760 against $49,560 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area at $46,340, the next down the South Illinois nonmetro area at $45,600.
How many bookkeepers work in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,770 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Illinois total of 51,470. Only Chicago-Naperville has more in Illinois.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?
Yes: $230 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,760 and $45,530.
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.