Cost of hiring in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 17 jobs in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area, with about 1,670 people1. Medians run from $36,400 a year for virtual receptionists to $96,420 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +1.6% | 60 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -2.0% | 90 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -2.9% | 390 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -3.0% | 1,350 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -4.2% | 930 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -5.6% | 80 | |
| Project Coordinator | -5.8% | 250 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -7.1% | 1,670 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -7.4% | 70 | |
| Recruiter | -7.7% | 390 | |
| Bookkeeper | -8.5% | 1,340 | |
| Office Manager | -9.3% | 800 | |
| Accountant | -12.3% | 670 | |
| Executive Assistant | -20.3% | 180 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -21.1% | 420 | |
| Paralegal | -30.1% | 140 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -30.4% | 710 |
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 $44,150 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $56,968 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area against the US
The Northwest Illinois nonmetro area pays above the US median for only one of the 17 roles, HR assistants (+1.6%), and below it for 16, furthest for sales development representatives (-30.4%). The middle gap across all 17 is -7.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for HR assistants, #94 of 384 areas by median pay; its lowest is for paralegals, #490 of 506.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area has more virtual receptionists (9.7% of these jobs here, against 5.7% nationally) and administrative assistants (17.5% against 10.8%), and fewer project coordinators (2.6% against 6.7%) and paralegals (1.5% against 2.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Watertown-Fort Drum, NY is nearest, at -7.4%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | -7.4% | 17 | 25,310 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | -7.4% | 15 | 3,190 |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | -7.4% (this area) | 17 | 9,540 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | -7.5% | 16 | 17,770 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | -7.5% | 17 | 8,730 |
| Provo-Orem, UT | -7.5% | 16 | 37,730 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area span $37,840–$106,840, the widest band (2.8×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $35,360–$50,840. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 9 of 17 roles, sales development representatives most ($37,980–$148,840 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, paralegals, marketing specialists and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($61,380 against a $48,730 median for sales development representatives).
the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area against Illinois
Against Illinois as a whole, the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area pays more only for HR assistants (+6.4%), and less for 16, most of all paralegals (-31.0%). It has the highest median in Illinois for HR assistants, and the lowest for sales development representatives, paralegals and e-commerce order specialists.
Other areas in Illinois
By jobs in these roles, the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area is #8 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 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 8,380 | 16 |
| Bloomington, IL | 6,740 | 14 |
| Kankakee, IL | 3,160 | 13 |
| Decatur, IL | 3,000 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $96,420 a year, about $124,413 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,400.
Is hiring in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
For 16 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all sales development representatives (-30.4%). One pays more than the US median: HR assistants (+1.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.