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 $64,360 and $100,540, with a median of $79,300.
Accountants and Auditors in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 613 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $91,417. 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 | 160 | $62,333 |
| Level II — qualified | 247 | $90,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 88 | $131,172 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 78 | $124,800 |
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 | 197 | $102,000 |
| Deloitte Tax LLP | Tax Senior | 89 | $76,544 |
| Deloitte & Touche LLP | Audit & Assurance Assistant | 29 | $76,544 |
| Grant Thornton Advisors LLC | Senior Associate - Diligence | 12 | $123,250 |
| KPMG LLP | Manager | 12 | $127,550 |
| Crowe, LLP | Lead Tax Services Associate | 10 | $75,000 |
| NAV CONSULTING INC. | Senior Auditor - Hedge Fund | 9 | $148,000 |
| Cartera Consultants, LLC. | Staff Accounting Consultant | 9 | $58,000 |
| Google LLC | Accountant | 8 | $119,500 |
| ROTH & COMPANY LLP | AUDITOR | 8 | $65,281 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Finance Manager at KORA FINANCIAL INC$105,000ChicagoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501623
- Tax Manager at Deloitte Tax LLP$107,349ChicagoDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-494466
- Supervisor Internal Audit at The Marmon Group LLC$100,000ChicagoDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-483717
- Director of Finance at TBS Inc$95,000WillowbrookDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-483208
- Sr Audit Associate at Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP$82,960ChicagoDecided Dec 18, 2025I-200-25345-475574
- Tax Senior at Deloitte Tax LLP$76,544ChicagoDecided Dec 17, 2025I-200-25344-470968
- Tax Senior at Deloitte Tax LLP$90,000ChicagoDecided Dec 17, 2025I-200-25344-470972
- Accountant at Apex Logistics International, Inc.$61,152BensenvilleDecided Dec 12, 2025I-200-25339-461685
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.
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 420 certified offers. The most common variant is Accountants and Auditors - KBGFJG132486-6 at a median of $101,475.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors - KBGFJG132486-6 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 192 | $101,475 |
| Accountant | Google LLC | 90 | $65,000 |
| Tax Consultant | Deloitte Tax LLP | 32 | $62,400 |
| Tax Manager | Deloitte Tax LLP | 20 | $107,349 |
| Accounting Manager | Pine Tree Commercial Realty, LLC | 16 | $112,500 |
| Manager | KPMG LLP | 15 | $137,500 |
| Audit & Assurance Assistant | Deloitte & Touche LLP | 14 | $74,650 |
| Staff Accounting Consultant | Cartera Consultants, LLC. | 10 | $58,000 |
| Financial Analyst | Amazon.com Services LLC | 9 | $104,800 |
| Senior Auditor - Hedge Fund | NAV CONSULTING INC. | 8 | $149,000 |
| Audit Associate | CohnReznick Advisory LLC | 7 | $81,300 |
| Audit & Assurance Manager | Deloitte & Touche LLP | 7 | $107,349 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Accountants and Auditors in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 608 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $93,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 490 | $93,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 28 | $76,544 |
| Finance and insurance | KORA FINANCIAL INC | 18 | $75,832 |
| Manufacturing | Hubergroup USA, Inc | 17 | $73,380 |
| Technology and software | Google LLC | 17 | $74,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | AS Trans Inc. | 12 | $65,500 |
| Real estate | Pine Tree Commercial Realty, LLC | 12 | $103,000 |
| Healthcare | NEOPOLITAN LIGHTHOUSE | 7 | $71,386 |
| 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 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 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.
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Metro-level salary data for accountants and auditors in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$81,210
Compare Accountants and Auditors pay across nearby states
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 $79,300.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Accountants and Auditors?
- The Illinois median is -6.1% versus the BLS national figure of $84,407.
- What is the salary range for Accountants and Auditors in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $51,690 and the 90th-percentile at $132,080, 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.