Recruiter salary in Champaign-Urbana, IL
Champaign-Urbana is a lower-cost market for recruiters: the median of $67,360 a year1 is 12.3% below the Illinois statewide median of $76,820, and 11.3% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #236 of 521. About 540 recruiters work here, 2% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Champaign-Urbana, IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Champaign-Urbana against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $48,770 | $67,360 | $101,050 | |
| Illinois | $48,980 | $76,820 | $123,940 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Champaign-Urbana earns $58,090–$83,450. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $101,050, only 2.1 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($73,500) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $25,360 wide, against $37,830 across Illinois and $40,770 nationally: employers in Champaign-Urbana pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,770 | $4,064 | $23.45 | $62,929 |
| 25th percentile | $58,090 | $4,841 | $27.93 | $74,955 |
| Median | $67,360 | $5,613 | $32.38 | $86,916 |
| 75th percentile | $83,450 | $6,954 | $40.12 | $107,677 |
| 90th percentile | $101,050 | $8,421 | $48.58 | $130,387 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $16,090 over the median, the 25th only $9,270 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $20,761 a year in employer cost. 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 $75,940 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Champaign-Urbana, and the Illinois statewide median of $76,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Champaign-Urbana
At the $67,360 median, a local hire costs about $86,916 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $19,556 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 recruiters 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 Champaign-Urbana
Of the 16 roles we track in Champaign-Urbana, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between executive assistants ($68,560) and marketing specialists ($65,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $90,770.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +3.4% | 730 | |
| Executive Assistant | +1.8% | 260 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 540 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -2.3% | 380 | |
| Office Manager | -5.3% | 500 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #13 of the 16 roles we track in Champaign-Urbana (-11.3%), between project coordinators (-11.3%) and sales development representatives (-11.6%). The typical role here is at -7.3%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Champaign-Urbana than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.4% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Champaign-Urbana, 5.8% across Illinois and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Illinois
Across the 12 areas of Illinois with data for this job, the median runs from $63,380 in the South Illinois nonmetro area to $78,840 in Springfield, a gap of $15,460 a year. Of the 4 areas in Illinois with more recruiters than Champaign-Urbana, 1 pays less: Rockford, IL ($65,490).
| Area | Median | vs Champaign-Urbana | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | +10.2% | 510 | |
| Peoria, IL | +9.9% | 890 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | +4.1% | 390 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | this area | 540 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 500 | |
| Rockford, IL | -2.8% | 650 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | -3.0% | 540 |
Champaign-Urbana against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Champaign-Urbana is #225 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Knoxville and Nashville-Murfreesboro pay just above Champaign-Urbana and Indianapolis-Carmel and Racine-Mount Pleasant just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in Champaign-Urbana. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Champaign-Urbana | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +0.0% | 8,210 | pay | |
| Knoxville, TN | +0.0% | 2,980 | pay | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | this area | 540 | ||
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -0.1% | 7,150 | pay | |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | -0.2% | 400 | pay | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -2.5% | 540 | jobs | |
| Charleston, WV | -8.7% | 540 | jobs | |
| Erie, PA | -9.6% | 540 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Champaign-Urbana, IL?
About $86,916 a year at the median, or $7,243 a month: $67,360 in pay plus about $19,556 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Champaign-Urbana?
The median was $67,360 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,770, the 90th $101,050, and the middle half earned $58,090 to $83,450.
Is Champaign-Urbana cheaper than the rest of Illinois for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $67,360 against $76,820 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area at $70,130, the next down the East Central Illinois nonmetro area at $67,340.
How many recruiters work in Champaign-Urbana?
BLS counts about 540 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Illinois total of 35,430. 4 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Rockford, with about 650.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Champaign-Urbana?
Yes: $1,520 a year more at the median. The medians are $67,360 and $65,840.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1071: 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.