Recruiter salary in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area
Hiring a recruiter costs less in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $65,350 a year1: 14.9% below the Illinois statewide median of $76,820 and 13.9% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #283 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 540 people in this job here, 2% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | $46,190 | $65,350 | $97,400 | |
| Illinois | $48,980 | $76,820 | $123,940 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area earns $53,390–$79,470. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $97,400, only 2.1 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 $26,080 wide, against $37,830 across Illinois and $40,770 nationally: employers in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area 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 | $46,190 | $3,849 | $22.21 | $59,600 |
| 25th percentile | $53,390 | $4,449 | $25.67 | $68,890 |
| Median | $65,350 | $5,446 | $31.42 | $84,323 |
| 75th percentile | $79,470 | $6,622 | $38.21 | $102,542 |
| 90th percentile | $97,400 | $8,117 | $46.83 | $125,677 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $14,120 a year in pay and about $18,219 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $11,960 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 West Central Illinois nonmetro area, and the Illinois statewide median of $76,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the West 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 $18,973 to the $65,350 median and brings it to $84,323 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.
Other roles in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($70,160) and office managers ($60,370). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,300.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +42.8% | 240 | |
| Accountant | +7.4% | 1,000 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 540 | |
| Office Manager | -7.6% | 960 | |
| Executive Assistant | -9.0% | 300 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area (-13.9%), between administrative assistants (-13.4%) and medical administrative assistants (-16.0%). The typical role here is at -13.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 4.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the West 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. All 4 areas in Illinois with more recruiters than the West Central Illinois nonmetro area also pay more, among them Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN ($78,210) and Springfield, IL ($78,840).
| Area | Median | vs the West Central Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +3.1% | 540 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +3.0% | 500 | |
| Rockford, IL | +0.2% | 650 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 540 | |
| Kankakee, IL | -2.5% | 160 | |
| Decatur, IL | -2.5% | 140 | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | -3.0% | 440 |
the West Central Illinois nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the West Central Illinois nonmetro area is #232 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Illinois, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Wichita pay just above the West Central Illinois nonmetro area and Pittsburgh and Yuma just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the West Central Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +0.5% | 540 | jobs | |
| Wichita, KS | +0.1% | 1,380 | pay | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.0% | 1,130 | pay | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 540 | ||
| Pittsburgh, PA | -0.1% | 6,280 | pay | |
| Yuma, AZ | -0.2% | 400 | pay | |
| Charleston, WV | -5.9% | 540 | jobs | |
| Erie, PA | -6.9% | 540 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in West Central Illinois (Nonmetro)?
About $84,323 a year at the median, or $7,027 a month: $65,350 in pay plus about $18,973 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?
The median was $65,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,190, the 90th $97,400, and the middle half earned $53,390 to $79,470.
Is the West Central Illinois nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Illinois for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,350 against $76,820 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is Rockford at $65,490, the next down Kankakee at $63,720.
How many recruiters work in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 540 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Illinois total of 35,430. 5 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is Champaign-Urbana, with about 540.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in the West Central Illinois nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,980 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,350 and $60,370.
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.