Accountants and Auditors in Illinois. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median Accountant or Auditor in Illinois earned $79,300 in 2024, about 6% below the US median of $84,407. That gap is narrower than it looks once you account for cost of living: Illinois sits almost exactly at the national average on that measure, so the $5,100 difference is close to the real purchasing difference too.
The spread across the field is wide. Workers at the 10th percentile earned $51,690, while those at the 90th earned $132,080. Top earners made roughly 2.6 times what those at the lower end did. That kind of range usually reflects big differences in seniority, specialty, and the type of employer, from a small regional firm to a large corporate finance team.
The average wage of $88,160 sits well above the median. A smaller group of higher-paid practitioners pulls the average up. For most workers in this occupation, the median is the more useful reference point.
BLS projects employment for Accountants and Auditors to grow 4.6% between 2024 and 2034, which puts the outlook in the average category. With 54,690 people already in this occupation across Illinois, even average growth translates to a meaningful number of openings over the decade.
Salary distribution
Where Illinois accountants and auditors fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $66,290 and $102,270, with a median of $80,230.
Accountants and Auditors in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 695 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $93,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 168 | $62,333 |
| Level II — qualified | 301 | $90,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 119 | $134,225 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 103 | $126,700 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Accountants and Auditors in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | Accountants and Auditors - KBGFJG132486-6 | 235 | $103,093 |
| Deloitte Tax LLP | Tax Senior | 99 | $76,544 |
| Deloitte & Touche LLP | Audit & Assurance Assistant | 29 | $76,544 |
| Grant Thornton Advisors LLC | Accounting Advisory Manager | 13 | $125,500 |
| Google LLC | Accountant | 12 | $122,500 |
| KPMG LLP | Manager | 12 | $127,550 |
| BDO USA, P.C. | Senior Assurance Associate | 10 | $97,500 |
| Crowe, LLP | Lead Tax Services Associate | 10 | $75,000 |
| Cartera Consultants, LLC. | Staff Accounting Consultant | 9 | $58,000 |
| NAV CONSULTING INC. | Senior Auditor - Hedge Fund | 9 | $148,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Accountant at Google LLC$150,000ChicagoWage Level IVDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-726452
- Accountant at SUNRISE PETRO INC$50,960MANSFIELDWage Level IDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-714514
- Finance Manager at AbbVie US LLC$138,600MettawaWage Level IVDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-715087
- Associate, Accounting Advisory Controllership Transformation at Triple P Services, LLC$105,000ChicagoWage Level IIIDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-716420
- Senior Associate at Standish Management US, LLC$73,000ChicagoWage Level IDecided Mar 25, 2026I-200-26077-713523
- Assurance Manager at BDO USA, P.C.$100,000ChicagoWage Level IIIDecided Mar 25, 2026I-200-26077-713068
- Tax Senior at Deloitte Tax LLP$76,544ChicagoWage Level IIDecided Mar 24, 2026I-200-26076-708788
- Tax Staff at CDH CPA PLLC$68,000ItascaWage Level IDecided Mar 24, 2026I-200-26076-708220
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Where do you stand?
Get an instant percentile reading. Anonymous, no signup.
Aggregate unlocks once 5 readers have shared a salary for this role and state.
Accountants and Auditors pay by experience level in Illinois
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Accountants and Auditors specialties in Illinois
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 477 certified offers. The most common variant is Accountants and Auditors - KBGFJG132486-6 at a median of $102,402.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors - KBGFJG132486-6 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 229 | $102,402 |
| Accountant | Google LLC | 98 | $65,000 |
| Tax Consultant | Deloitte Tax LLP | 32 | $62,400 |
| Tax Manager | Deloitte Tax LLP | 24 | $107,349 |
| Manager | KPMG LLP | 18 | $144,000 |
| Accounting Manager | Pine Tree Commercial Realty, LLC | 17 | $115,000 |
| Audit & Assurance Assistant | Deloitte & Touche LLP | 14 | $74,650 |
| Staff Accounting Consultant | Cartera Consultants, LLC. | 10 | $58,000 |
| Senior Auditor - Hedge Fund | NAV CONSULTING INC. | 10 | $150,000 |
| Assurance Senior | BDO USA, P.C. | 9 | $83,500 |
| Financial Analyst | Amazon.com Services LLC | 9 | $104,800 |
| AUDITOR | ROTH & COMPANY LLP | 7 | $57,262 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Accountants and Auditors in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 690 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $95,500.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 561 | $95,500 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 29 | $76,544 |
| Technology and software | Google LLC | 23 | $94,500 |
| Manufacturing | Hubergroup USA, Inc | 19 | $75,000 |
| Finance and insurance | KORA FINANCIAL INC | 18 | $75,832 |
| Transportation and logistics | AS Trans Inc. | 12 | $65,500 |
| Real estate | Pine Tree Commercial Realty, LLC | 12 | $103,000 |
| Healthcare | ADVENTIST HEALTH SYSTEM SUNBELT HEALTHCARE CORP. | 9 | $73,299 |
| Education | PAN ETHNIC INTERNATIONAL, INC. | 4 | $65,000 |
| Energy and utilities | Orsted North America Inc. | 2 | $114,338 |
| Media and entertainment | LIVE NATION WORLDWIDE INC. | 1 | $174,708 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Illinois over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Economics and Accounting
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 3.9 / 5
Deductive Reasoning
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 3.9 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 3.9 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 3.9 / 5
Mathematical Reasoning
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
- 02
Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.
- 03
Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
- 04
Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.
- 05
Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
- 06
Examine and evaluate financial and information systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity.
- 07
Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.
- 08
Inspect cash on hand, notes receivable and payable, negotiable securities, and canceled checks to confirm records are accurate.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+4.6%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
Sponsored
Build the skills employers list for Accountants and Auditors
Online courses from licensed providers. We may earn a commission when you enroll. The commission does not influence our rankings or wage data.
Explore coursesTop metros in Illinois
Metro-level salary data for accountants and auditors in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$82,360
Compare Accountants and Auditors pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Illinois with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Accountants and Auditors in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in Illinois is $80,230.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Accountants and Auditors?
- The Illinois median is -7.2% versus the BLS national figure of $86,427.
- What is the salary range for Accountants and Auditors in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $54,510 and the 90th-percentile at $131,990, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Accountants and Auditors a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 4.6% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Accountants and Auditors?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.