Cost of hiring in Champaign-Urbana, IL
BLS counts about 8,380 people in these 16 roles in Champaign-Urbana1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($90,770 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($36,880), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 1,480 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Champaign-Urbana
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +2.5% | 50 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +1.6% | 80 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +1.5% | 1,220 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +0.3% | 570 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -2.2% | 40 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -3.0% | 760 | |
| Bookkeeper | -3.6% | 710 | |
| Paralegal | -6.9% | 100 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -7.8% | 1,480 | |
| Office Manager | -8.2% | 500 | |
| Executive Assistant | -10.5% | 260 | |
| Project Coordinator | -11.3% | 310 | |
| Recruiter | -11.3% | 540 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.6% | 650 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -16.4% | 380 | |
| Accountant | -16.7% | 730 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $41,280 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $53,265 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Champaign-Urbana against the US
Champaign-Urbana pays above the US median for 3 of the 16 roles, most of all for data entry specialists (+2.5%) and payroll specialists (+1.6%), and below it for 12, furthest for accountants (-16.7%). For medical administrative assistants it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 16 is -7.3%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for administrative assistants, #109 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for accountants, #452 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Champaign-Urbana has more virtual receptionists (9.1% of these jobs here, against 5.8% nationally) and administrative assistants (14.6% against 10.8%), and fewer paralegals (1.2% against 2.5%) and project coordinators (3.7% against 6.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Fort Wayne, IN is nearest, at -7.3%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | -7.2% | 16 | 5,910 |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -7.3% | 17 | 16,150 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -7.3% (this area) | 16 | 8,380 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | -7.3% | 17 | 18,060 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | -7.4% | 17 | 25,310 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | -7.4% | 15 | 3,190 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Champaign-Urbana span $37,010–$123,200, the widest band (3.3×); e-commerce order specialists the narrowest, $38,630–$58,660. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 10 of 16 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, customer support specialists, recruiters and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($72,510 against a $61,840 median for sales development representatives).
Champaign-Urbana against Illinois
Against Illinois as a whole, Champaign-Urbana pays about the same or less for all 16 roles, and less for 15, most of all marketing specialists (-16.8%). It has the lowest median in Illinois for accountants.
Other areas in Illinois
By jobs in these roles, Champaign-Urbana is #9 of 12 areas in Illinois. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Peoria to Decatur.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | 14,860 | 17 |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | 12,990 | 17 |
| Springfield, IL | 11,900 | 16 |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | 11,370 | 17 |
| Rockford, IL | 11,210 | 17 |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | 10,780 | 16 |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | 9,540 | 17 |
| Bloomington, IL | 6,740 | 14 |
| Kankakee, IL | 3,160 | 13 |
| Decatur, IL | 3,000 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Champaign-Urbana?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $90,770 a year, about $117,123 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,880.
Is hiring in Champaign-Urbana cheaper than the US median?
For 12 of the 16 roles, yes, most of all accountants (-16.7%). 3 pay more than the US median, led by data entry specialists (+2.5%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.