Executive Assistant salary in the South Illinois nonmetro area
Of the 12 areas in Illinois with BLS pay data for this job, the South Illinois nonmetro area has the lowest median: $53,720 a year1. That is 27.8% below the Illinois statewide median of $74,390, and 29.9% below the US median of $76,590. Only 43 of 509 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 350 people in this job here, 2% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 43-6011, area South Illinois nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the South Illinois nonmetro area against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | $37,060 | $53,720 | $88,370 | |
| Illinois | $50,750 | $74,390 | $104,850 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
Executive assistants at the 90th percentile earn $88,370, 2.4 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.2. The middle half of executive assistants in the South Illinois nonmetro area earns $46,470–$71,270. The mean ($60,000) is 12% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $24,800 wide, against $35,590 across Illinois and $33,000 nationally: employers in the South Illinois nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an executive assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,060 | $3,088 | $17.82 | $47,819 |
| 25th percentile | $46,470 | $3,872 | $22.34 | $59,961 |
| Median | $53,720 | $4,477 | $25.83 | $69,316 |
| 75th percentile | $71,270 | $5,939 | $34.26 | $91,961 |
| 90th percentile | $88,370 | $7,364 | $42.49 | $114,026 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $17,550 over the median, the 25th only $7,250 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $22,645 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 $76,590 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in the South Illinois nonmetro area, and the Illinois statewide median of $74,390 falls there too. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local executive assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in the South Illinois nonmetro area
At the $53,720 median, a local hire costs about $69,316 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $15,596 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
Our open executive assistant roles pay $800–$1,100 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,5003 with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month4. Change any number below to match your plan.
A local hire here costs about 4.8 times as much as a remote hire in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two, when the fee drops out, it is 5.8 times the remote figure of $11,988. About the candidates: most apply through our assessment platform with a written and a spoken English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff interviews every shortlisted candidate live, in English, before you meet them.
Other roles in the South Illinois nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the South Illinois nonmetro area, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between office managers ($57,630) and sales development representatives ($51,070). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,680.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +12.7% | 330 | |
| Office Manager | +7.3% | 740 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 350 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -4.9% | 710 | |
| Paralegal | -8.5% | n/a |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 16 roles we track in the South Illinois nonmetro area (-29.9%); data entry specialists come first (+0.1%). The typical role here is at -16.6%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost less in the South Illinois nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 3.2% of the jobs in the 15 of these roles with a job count in the South Illinois nonmetro area, 2.5% across Illinois and 3.0% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Illinois
Across the 12 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $53,720 in the South Illinois nonmetro area to $77,770 in Chicago-Naperville, a gap of $24,050 a year. All 2 areas in Illinois with more executive assistants than the South Illinois nonmetro area also pay more, among them Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN ($77,770) and Springfield, IL ($73,510).
| Area | Median | vs the South Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | +18.8% | 270 | |
| Rockford, IL | +15.6% | 160 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | +13.7% | 180 | |
| Decatur, IL | +12.6% | 80 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +10.7% | 300 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +5.7% | 250 | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 350 |
the South Illinois nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the South Illinois nonmetro area is #151 of 506 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Illinois, Springfield and Provo-Orem pay just above the South Illinois nonmetro area and Joplin and Cape Girardeau just below. All four are within $450 a year of the median in the South Illinois nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the South Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | +32.6% | 350 | jobs | |
| Lancaster, PA | +23.5% | 350 | jobs | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +7.0% | 360 | jobs | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | +0.8% | 1,190 | pay | |
| Springfield, MO | +0.4% | 570 | pay | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 350 | ||
| Joplin, MO-KS | -0.2% | 160 | pay | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -0.6% | 90 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in South Illinois (Nonmetro)?
About $69,316 a year at the median, or $5,776 a month: $53,720 in pay plus about $15,596 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do executive assistants earn in the South Illinois nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $53,720 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,060, the 90th $88,370, and the middle half earned $46,470 to $71,270.
Is the South Illinois nonmetro area the cheapest area in Illinois for executive assistants?
Yes. Its median of $53,720 is the lowest of 12 areas in Illinois. The East Central Illinois nonmetro area is next at $56,760.
How many executive assistants work in the South Illinois nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 350 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Illinois total of 14,900. Only Chicago-Naperville and Springfield have more in Illinois.
Does an executive assistant cost more than a sales development representative in the South Illinois nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,650 a year more at the median. The medians are $53,720 and $51,070.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with the South Illinois nonmetro area?
Our open roles pay $800–$1,100 a month. At the midpoint, with the one-time fee and Deel, year one comes to $14,488, against about $69,316 for a local hire at the median.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6011: 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.