Sales Development Representative salary in the South Illinois nonmetro area
Hiring a sales development representative costs less in the South Illinois nonmetro area than in Illinois or the country as a whole. The median is $51,070 a year1: 23.7% below the Illinois statewide median of $66,900 and 27.0% below the US median of $69,990. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#417 of 520). BLS counts about 710 people in this job here, 1% of the Illinois total.
BLS occupation 41-3091, area South Illinois nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the South Illinois nonmetro area against Illinois and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | $34,740 | $51,070 | $105,990 | |
| Illinois | $38,530 | $66,900 | $154,070 | |
| United States | $37,980 | $69,990 | $148,840 |
The middle half of sales development representatives in the South Illinois nonmetro area earns $38,940–$76,260. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $105,990, only 3.1 times the bottom tenth, against 3.9 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($64,290) is 26% 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 $37,320 wide, against $50,780 across Illinois and $52,810 nationally: employers in the South Illinois nonmetro area pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a sales development representative here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,740 | $2,895 | $16.70 | $44,826 |
| 25th percentile | $38,940 | $3,245 | $18.72 | $50,245 |
| Median | $51,070 | $4,256 | $24.55 | $65,897 |
| 75th percentile | $76,260 | $6,355 | $36.66 | $98,400 |
| 90th percentile | $105,990 | $8,832 | $50.96 | $136,761 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $25,190 over the median, the 25th only $12,130 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $32,503 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 $69,990 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in the South Illinois nonmetro area, and the Illinois statewide median of $66,900 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the South Illinois nonmetro area
At the $51,070 median, a local hire costs about $65,897 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,827 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 sales development representatives 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 South Illinois nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the South Illinois nonmetro area, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between executive assistants ($53,720) and paralegals ($49,170). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,680.
| Role | Median | vs sales development representative | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +12.8% | 740 | |
| Executive Assistant | +5.2% | 350 | |
| Sales Development Representative | this role | 710 | |
| Paralegal | -3.7% | n/a | |
| Payroll Specialist | -7.3% | 110 |
Measured against the US median, sales development representatives rank #15 of the 16 roles we track in the South Illinois nonmetro area (-27.0%), between marketing specialists (-23.1%) and executive assistants (-29.9%). The typical role here is at -16.6%, so, measured against the US, sales development representatives cost less in the South Illinois nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Sales development representatives hold 6.6% of the jobs in the 15 of these roles with a job count in the South Illinois nonmetro area, 11.7% across Illinois and 8.2% 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 $48,730 in the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area to $70,710 in Chicago-Naperville, a gap of $21,980 a year. Of the 6 areas in Illinois with more sales development representatives than the South Illinois nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the West Central Illinois nonmetro area ($48,920).
| Area | Median | vs the South Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, IL | +16.6% | 290 | |
| Springfield, IL | +16.4% | 730 | |
| Kankakee, IL | +8.5% | 220 | |
| East Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | +7.7% | 830 | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 710 | |
| West Central Illinois (Nonmetro) | -4.2% | 890 | |
| Northwest Illinois (Nonmetro) | -4.6% | 710 |
the South Illinois nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the South Illinois nonmetro area is #191 of 518 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Illinois, Elizabethtown and Valdosta pay just above the South Illinois nonmetro area and Charleston and Rapid City just below. All four are within $370 a year of the median in the South Illinois nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many sales development representatives, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the South Illinois nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | +22.2% | 710 | jobs | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | +17.7% | 740 | jobs | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | +1.0% | 720 | jobs | |
| Valdosta, GA | +0.7% | 250 | pay | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | +0.6% | 230 | pay | |
| South Illinois (Nonmetro) | this area | 710 | ||
| Charleston, WV | -0.4% | 270 | pay | |
| Rapid City, SD | -0.7% | 130 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a sales development representative in South Illinois (Nonmetro)?
About $65,897 a year at the median, or $5,491 a month: $51,070 in pay plus about $14,827 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for sales development representatives in the South Illinois nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $51,070 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,740, the 90th $105,990, and the middle half earned $38,940 to $76,260.
Is the South Illinois nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Illinois for sales development representatives?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $51,070 against $66,900 statewide. The next area up in Illinois is the East Central Illinois nonmetro area at $55,010, the next down the West Central Illinois nonmetro area at $48,920.
How many sales development representatives work in the South Illinois nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 710 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Illinois total of 69,910. 7 areas in Illinois have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Illinois nonmetro area, with about 710.
Does a sales development representative cost more than a paralegal in the South Illinois nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,900 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,070 and $49,170.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 41-3091: 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.