Cost of hiring in Decatur, IL
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 14 jobs in Decatur, with about 500 people1. Medians run from $35,690 a year for virtual receptionists to $102,870 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Decatur
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +0.5% | 60 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -2.5% | 40 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.5% | 500 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.9% | 330 | |
| Paralegal | -5.1% | 30 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -6.1% | 260 | |
| Accountant | -8.3% | 260 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.9% | 220 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -10.2% | 420 | |
| Office Manager | -11.1% | 230 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -13.6% | 140 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.9% | 290 | |
| Recruiter | -16.1% | 140 | |
| Executive Assistant | -21.0% | 80 |
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 $45,890 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $59,213 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Decatur against the US
Decatur pays below the US median for 13 of the 14 roles, furthest for executive assistants (-21.0%). For project coordinators it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 14 is -8.6%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for project coordinators, #78 of 518 areas by median pay; its lowest is for executive assistants, #341 of 509.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Decatur has more administrative assistants (16.7% of these jobs here, against 11.0% nationally) and virtual receptionists (8.7% against 5.8%), and fewer project coordinators (2.0% against 6.8%) and paralegals (1.0% against 2.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Birmingham, AL is nearest, at -8.6%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | -8.6% | 17 | 18,600 |
| Birmingham, AL | -8.6% | 16 | 57,280 |
| Decatur, IL | -8.6% (this area) | 14 | 3,000 |
| Lawrence, KS | -8.7% | 13 | 5,490 |
| Casper, WY | -8.8% | 13 | 3,000 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -8.8% | 15 | 5,340 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Decatur span $38,760–$116,060, the widest band (3.0×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $35,740–$50,010. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 10 of 14 roles, sales development representatives most ($37,980–$148,840 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, customer support specialists, marketing specialists and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($70,180 against a $59,550 median for sales development representatives).
Decatur against Illinois
Against Illinois as a whole, Decatur pays about the same or less for all 14 roles, and less for 13, most of all executive assistants (-18.7%). Its best rank within Illinois is #3 of 12 areas, for project coordinators.
Other areas in Illinois
By jobs in these roles, Decatur is #12 of 12 areas in Illinois. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Peoria to Kankakee.
| 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 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 8,380 | 16 |
| Bloomington, IL | 6,740 | 14 |
| Kankakee, IL | 3,160 | 13 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Decatur?
Of the 14 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $102,870 a year, about $132,735 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $35,690.
Is hiring in Decatur cheaper than the US median?
Mostly: no role pays more than the US median, and 13 of 14 pay less.
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.