How Much Does a CNA Make in Kankakee, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Kankakee, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Illinois.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kankakee metro area
A typical CNA in Kankakee, Illinois earns $18.22 per hour, or $37,900 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,158 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $32,750, and the top 10% of earners make over $49,760.
That pay is 18% below the Illinois figure of $45,960 and 10% below the national figure of $42,260. Kankakee ranks 9th of 9 metro areas in Illinois for CNA pay. About 860 CNAs work in the Kankakee area.
CNA pay in Kankakee at a glance
- Typical pay is $18.22 an hour, or $37,900 a year.
- That is 18% below the Illinois figure, ranking 9th of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $32,750; the top 10% make over $49,760.
- Typical pay rose +52% from 2015 to 2025, against +88% for Illinois as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Kankakee?
Pay in Kankakee runs from entry-level positions at around $15.75 an hour to more than $23.92 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Illinois and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Kankakee
| Career stage | Kankakee | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $32,750$15.75 an hour | $37,590$18.07 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $35,910$17.27 an hour | $39,420$18.95 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $37,900$18.22 an hour | $45,960$22.10 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,850$22.52 an hour | $48,380$23.26 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $49,760$23.92 an hour | $54,050$25.99 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kankakee area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Kankakee
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Kankakee area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Kankakee was $24,860 a year. By 2025 it had reached $37,900, a change of +52%, compared with +88% for Illinois over the same years.
How Kankakee compares with other Illinois cities
Chicago pays CNAs the most in Illinois at $46,940 a year, $9,040 more than Kankakee. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kankakee at $37,900.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Kankakee | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $46,940 | $22.57 | +24% | 45,850 |
| 2 | Bloomington | $43,180 | $20.76 | +14% | 950 |
| 3 | Peoria | $43,040 | $20.69 | +14% | 2,740 |
| 4 | Decatur | $41,990 | $20.19 | +11% | 600 |
| 5 | Rockford | $40,140 | $19.30 | +6% | 2,120 |
| 6 | Springfield | $40,070 | $19.27 | +6% | 1,120 |
| 7 | Urbana metro incl. Champaign | $39,890 | $19.18 | +5% | 1,560 |
| 8 | Rock Island metro incl. Moline | $38,740 | $18.62 | +2% | 2,220 |
| 9 | Kankakee | $37,900 | $18.22 | this city | 860 |
Every metro area in Illinois with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $45,960
Is Kankakee a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Kankakee earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $37,900 a year, 10% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kankakee area, about 20 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.3. That makes the local economy more reliant on CNAs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in Kankakee, IL?
- A typical CNA in Kankakee earns $37,900 a year, or $18.22 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $32,750 and the top 10% earn over $49,760.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Kankakee?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Kankakee is $18.22. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $15.75, and the top 10% earn over $23.92 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Kankakee?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Kankakee typically offer around $15.75 an hour, or $32,750 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Kankakee higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Kankakee pay is 18% below the Illinois figure of $45,960 a year, ranking 9th of 9 metro areas in the state. Chicago pays the most in Illinois at $46,940.