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Data Entry Specialist salary and cost of hiring in Illinois

The median data entry specialist in Illinois earned $42,840 a year in May 2025[1], 3.6% above the US median of $41,340. That puts Illinois at #19 of 49 states for this job.

$42,840median annual wage
$61,200employer cost with benefits
$20.60median per hour
5,910people in this job in Illinois

BLS occupation 43-9021. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Illinois$31,200$42,840$59,920
United States$31,200$41,340$58,790
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of data entry specialists in Illinois earns $37,610–$48,200; the top tenth earns $59,920 or more, 1.9 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 $61,200 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 data entry specialists 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].

$61,200local 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
$44,650
$48,8804,270
Springfield, IL
$44,230
$50,390170
Champaign-Urbana, IL
$42,370
$47,25050
South Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$41,400
$47,14060
Rockford, IL
$40,400
$46,870160
Peoria, IL
$40,330
$45,990110
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$39,010
$45,51080
Kankakee, IL
$38,790
$41,31070
East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$37,900
$44,410130
Bloomington, IL
$36,260
$40,43080
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area
$36,240
$44,410120

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN pays the most ($44,650) and West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area the least ($36,240): $8,410 a year apart for the same job.

What a data entry specialist does

A data entry specialist moves information into the right systems accurately and fast: forms, invoices, product data, CRM records and research lists.

Neighbours in the ranking

StateMedianvs Illinois
Vermont
$43,280
+1.0%
Arizona
$43,200
+0.8%
Illinois
$42,840
+0.0%
Idaho
$42,810
-0.1%
New Jersey
$42,470
-0.9%

Questions

How much does a data entry specialist earn in Illinois?

The median was $42,840 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $37,610 to $48,200.

What does it cost to employ a data entry specialist in Illinois?

About $61,200 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 data entry specialists earn the most?

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, with a median of $44,650 a year.

Other roles in Illinois

Hire data entry specialists remotely

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-9021: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes439021.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.