Nurse salary in Illinois

Illinois is one of the middle paying states for registered nurses. The registered nurse salary in Illinois is $77,580 per year. This means that nurses in Illinois earn an average of $37.30 per hour. On the other hand, the national average for registered nurses is $77,600 per year. This annual salary is approximately $37.31 per hour.‍

(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Use Salary Explorer to see which cities in Illinois are paying registered nurses the most.

Average gross weekly nurse pay in the top cities/wider metro area

1. Waukegan - $2,867
2. Woodstock - $2,517
3. Belleville - $2,508
4. O'Fallon - $2,432
5. Centralia - $2,355
6. Olympia Fields - $2,300
7. Monticello - $2,273
8. Mount Vernon - $2,247
9. Grayslake - $2,173
10. Rock Island - $2,151
11. (Data courtesy of Trusted Health, May 2021)
    

Average annual nurse salary in the following cities/wider metro areas

1. Chicago - $78,670
2. Kankakee - $77,030
3. Springfield - $75,000
4. Rockford - $74,460
5. Champaign - $73,600
6. St. Louis - $72,860
7. Danville - $72,010
8. Decatur - $71,830
9. Bloomington - $71,000
10. Peoria - $70,650

(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Average annual nurse salary for the following nurse specialties

1. Med/Surg Nurse - $99,882 (Range of $90,360 - $111,271)
2. Progressive Care Nurse - $89,047(Range of $78,385 - $100,948)
3. Operating Room Nurse - $80,995 (Range of $72,671 - $89,539)
4. Emergency Nurse - $78,801 (Range of $70,368 - $87,525)
5. ICU Nurse - $78,272 (Range of $70,524 - $85,062)
6. Labor and Delivery Nurse - $76,100 (Range of $69,200 - $86,100)
7. Pediatric Nurse - $74,400 (Range of $67,500 - $85,200)

(Data courtesy of Salary.com, May 2021)

hough nurse salaries in Illinois may be 1% lower than the national average, living in Illinois is more affordable. Illinois ranks below the national cost of living index. While your nursing salary may be lower, the cost of rent alone may make up for it. For more detailed cost of living by city, check out the nurse Salary Explorer.‍

(Data courtesy of World Population Review)

Illinois is a popular destination for staff and travel nurses alike. In 2021, Illinois was home to more than 136,360 nurses.

However, Illinois has a strong job outlook, as the number of nurses in Illinois is expected to grow. Registered nurse jobs are forecasted to grow by more than 2.4% between 2021 and 2023, bringing the total number of working nurses in Illinois to more than 139,680.

(Data courtesy of Projections Central)