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Recruiter salary in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area

Hiring a recruiter costs less in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $67,340 a year1: 12.3% below the Illinois statewide median of $76,820 and 11.3% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #237 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 500 people in this job here, 1% of the Illinois total.

$5,612median pay per month in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area
$7,241employer cost per month with benefits
$32.38median pay per hour
500people in this job in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area

BLS occupation 13-1071, 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)$45,160$67,340$104,790
Illinois$48,980$76,820$123,940
United States$47,180$75,940$128,720
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of recruiters in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area earns $55,510–$84,610. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $104,790, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $29,100 wide, against $37,830 across Illinois and $40,770 nationally: employers in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.

What to budget for a recruiter here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$45,160$3,763$21.71$58,271
25th percentile$55,510$4,626$26.69$71,626
Median$67,340$5,612$32.38$86,890
75th percentile$84,610$7,051$40.68$109,174
90th percentile$104,790$8,732$50.38$135,213

An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $17,270 a year in pay and about $22,284 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $11,830 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 $75,940 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area, and the Illinois statewide median of $76,820 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 $19,550 to the $67,340 median and brings it to $86,890 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 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.

$86,890local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$73,002difference in year one
84%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 #4 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($71,380) and office managers ($62,400). Project Coordinator is the highest at $86,680.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in East Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
RoleMedianvs recruiterJobs
Accountant
$71,970
+6.9%820
Marketing Specialist
$71,380
+6.0%410
Recruiter
$67,340
this role500
Office Manager
$62,400
-7.3%800
Paralegal
$58,220
-13.5%140

Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area (-11.3%), between HR assistants (-11.1%) and accountants (-14.0%). The typical role here is at -8.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 4.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area, 5.8% across Illinois and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.

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 7 areas in Illinois with more recruiters than the East Central Illinois nonmetro area, 2 pay less: Rockford, IL ($65,490) and the West Central Illinois nonmetro area ($65,350).

AreaMedianvs the East Central Illinois nonmetro areaJobs
Peoria, IL
$74,020
+9.9%890
Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro)
$70,130
+4.1%390
Champaign-Urbana, IL
$67,360
+0.0%540
East Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
$67,340
this area500
Rockford, IL
$65,490
-2.7%650
West Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
$65,350
-3.0%540
Kankakee, IL
$63,720
-5.4%160

the East Central Illinois nonmetro area against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, the East Central Illinois nonmetro area is #250 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 the East Central Illinois nonmetro area and Indianapolis-Carmel and Racine-Mount Pleasant just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.

Metro areaMedianvs the East Central Illinois nonmetro areaJobsClose in
Manhattan, KS
$76,400
+13.5%500jobs
Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN
$67,380
+0.1%8,210pay
Knoxville, TN
$67,370
+0.0%2,980pay
East Central Illinois (Nonmetro)
$67,340
this area500
Indianapolis-Carmel, IN
$67,300
-0.1%7,150pay
Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI
$67,200
-0.2%400pay
Janesville-Beloit, WI
$63,270
-6.0%500jobs
Amarillo, TX
$62,180
-7.7%500jobs

Questions

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

About $86,890 a year at the median, or $7,241 a month: $67,340 in pay plus about $19,550 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What do recruiters earn in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area?

The median was $67,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,160, the 90th $104,790, and the middle half earned $55,510 to $84,610.

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

Yes, it costs less: a median of $67,340 against $76,820 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Champaign-Urbana at $67,360, the next down Rockford at $65,490.

How many recruiters work in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area?

BLS counts about 500 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Illinois total of 35,430. 7 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Bloomington, with about 510.

Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in the East Central Illinois nonmetro area?

Yes: $4,940 a year more at the median. The medians are $67,340 and $62,400.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1071: 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.