Paralegal salary in Peoria, IL
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Peoria than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $61,220 a year1: 3.8% below the Illinois statewide median of $63,670 and 2.7% below the US median of $62,890. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#118 of 506). About 370 paralegals work here, 3% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Peoria, IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Peoria against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | $42,920 | $61,220 | $98,230 | |
| Illinois | $46,860 | $63,670 | $104,580 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $98,230, 2.3 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Peoria earns $48,550–$77,110. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $28,560 wide, between the figure for Illinois ($25,810) and the US figure ($29,740).
What to budget for a paralegal here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,920 | $3,577 | $20.63 | $55,381 |
| 25th percentile | $48,550 | $4,046 | $23.34 | $62,645 |
| Median | $61,220 | $5,102 | $29.43 | $78,994 |
| 75th percentile | $77,110 | $6,426 | $37.07 | $99,497 |
| 90th percentile | $98,230 | $8,186 | $47.23 | $126,748 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $12,670 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $15,890, or about $20,503 once benefits are added. 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 $62,890 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Peoria, and the Illinois statewide median of $63,670 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Peoria
At the $61,220 median, a local hire costs about $78,994 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,774 here. 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 paralegals 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.
Other roles in Peoria
Of the 17 roles we track in Peoria, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between executive assistants ($63,810) and sales development representatives ($60,530). Project Coordinator is the highest at $123,730.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +9.0% | 830 | |
| Executive Assistant | +4.2% | 270 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 370 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.1% | 1,210 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -10.0% | 160 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Peoria (-2.7%), between recruiters (-2.5%) and medical administrative assistants (-3.0%). The typical role here is at -4.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 2.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Peoria, 2.3% across Illinois and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Illinois
Across the 11 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $43,960 in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area to $70,550 in Chicago-Naperville, a gap of $26,590 a year. The one area in Illinois with more paralegals, Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN ($70,550), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Peoria | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +15.2% | 11,590 | |
| Peoria, IL | this area | 370 | |
| Bloomington, IL | -1.7% | 260 | |
| Springfield, IL | -2.0% | 230 | |
| Rockford, IL | -2.5% | 200 | |
| Decatur, IL | -2.5% | 30 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -4.3% | 100 |
Peoria against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Peoria is #135 of 503 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Illinois, Rochester and Louisville pay just above Peoria and Syracuse and Allentown-Bethlehem just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in Peoria. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Peoria | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | +0.4% | 380 | jobs | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | +0.1% | 1,460 | pay | |
| Rochester, MN | +0.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Peoria, IL | this area | 370 | ||
| Syracuse, NY | -0.1% | 970 | pay | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | -0.4% | 430 | pay | |
| Ogden, UT | -11.8% | 380 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | -19.4% | 380 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Peoria, IL?
About $78,994 a year at the median, or $6,583 a month: $61,220 in pay plus about $17,774 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Peoria?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $61,220 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,920, the 90th $98,230, and the middle half earned $48,550 to $77,110.
Is Peoria cheaper than the rest of Illinois for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $61,220 against $63,670 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Chicago-Naperville at $70,550, the next down Bloomington at $60,160.
How many paralegals work in Peoria?
BLS counts about 370 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Illinois total of 14,130. Only Chicago-Naperville has more in Illinois.
Does a paralegal cost more than a sales development representative in Peoria?
Yes: $690 a year more at the median. The medians are $61,220 and $60,530.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 23-2011: 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.