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Marketing Specialist salary in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area

The East Central Illinois nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for marketing specialists: the median of $71,380 a year1 is 9.8% below the Illinois statewide median of $79,120, and 9.4% below the US median of $78,760. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#110 of 516). About 410 marketing specialists work here, 1% of the Illinois total.

$5,948median pay per month in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area
$7,675employer cost per month with benefits
$34.32median pay per hour
410people in this job in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area

BLS occupation 13-1161, area East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

Pay in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area against Illinois and the US

Range10thMedian90th
East Central Illinois (Nonmetro)$38,610$71,380$118,140
Illinois$46,970$79,120$139,110
United States$43,390$78,760$155,480
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of marketing specialists in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area earns $49,880–$91,630. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $118,140, only 3.1 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $41,750 wide, against $44,590 across Illinois and $49,960 nationally: employers in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.

What to budget for a marketing specialist here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$38,610$3,218$18.56$49,819
25th percentile$49,880$4,157$23.98$64,361
Median$71,380$5,948$34.32$92,103
75th percentile$91,630$7,636$44.05$118,232
90th percentile$118,140$9,845$56.80$152,439

An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $20,250 a year in pay and about $26,129 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $21,500 in pay. 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 $78,760 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area, and the Illinois statewide median of $79,120 falls there too.

What a hire really costs in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area

Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $20,723 to the $71,380 median and brings it to $92,103 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for marketing 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 fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.

$92,103local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$78,215difference in year one
85%of the local cost saved

Other roles in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area

Of the 17 roles we track in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($71,970) and recruiters ($67,340). Project Coordinator is the highest at $86,680.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in East Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs marketing specialistJobs
Project Coordinator
$86,680
+21.4%260
Accountant
$71,970
+0.8%820
Marketing Specialist
$71,380
this role410
Recruiter
$67,340
-5.7%500
Office Manager
$62,400
-12.6%800

Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area (-9.4%), between virtual receptionists (-8.5%) and office managers (-10.2%). The typical role here is at -8.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Marketing specialists hold 3.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area, 6.6% across Illinois and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.

Other areas in Illinois

Across the 11 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $44,860 in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area to $80,400 in Chicago-Naperville, a gap of $35,540 a year. Of the 5 areas in Illinois with more marketing specialists than the East Central Illinois nonmetro area, 3 pay less: the West Central Illinois nonmetro area ($44,860), Rockford, IL ($61,810) and the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area ($62,180).

AreaMedianvs the East Central Illinois nonmetro areaJobs
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN
$80,400
+12.6%30,970
Peoria, IL
$78,700
+10.3%1,080
East Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
$71,380
this area410
Decatur, IL
$68,080
-4.6%140
Champaign-Urbana, IL
$65,840
-7.8%380
Springfield, IL
$65,090
-8.8%410
Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro)
$62,180
-12.9%420

the East Central Illinois nonmetro area against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, the East Central Illinois nonmetro area is #210 of 514 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Illinois, Midland and Harrisburg-Carlisle pay just above the East Central Illinois nonmetro area and Cleveland and Hilton Head Island-Bluffton just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, one pays more.

Metro areaMedianvs the East Central Illinois nonmetro areaJobsClose in
Burlington-South Burlington, VT
$74,690
+4.6%410jobs
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
$71,500
+0.2%1,560pay
Midland, MI
$71,490
+0.2%200pay
East Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
$71,380
this area410
Cleveland, OH
$71,350
-0.0%5,440pay
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
$71,330
-0.1%450pay
Flint, MI
$59,990
-16.0%410jobs
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
$52,530
-26.4%410jobs

Questions

How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in East Central Illinois (Nonmetro)?

About $92,103 a year at the median, or $7,675 a month: $71,380 in pay plus about $20,723 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What do marketing specialists earn in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area?

Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $71,380 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,610, the 90th $118,140, and the middle half earned $49,880 to $91,630.

Is the East Central Illinois nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Illinois for marketing specialists?

Yes, it costs less: a median of $71,380 against $79,120 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Peoria at $78,700, the next down Decatur at $68,080.

How many marketing specialists work in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area?

BLS counts about 410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Illinois total of 40,560. 6 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Springfield, with about 410.

Does a marketing specialist cost more than a recruiter in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area?

Yes: $4,040 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,380 and $67,340.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1161: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.