How Much Does a Home Health Aide Make in Illinois in 2026?

A typical Home Health Aide in Illinois earns about $18.30 per hour ($38,060 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). When calculated from the annual figure, this comes out to approximately $3,172 per month or $732 per week for full-time work. These figures provide a baseline for anyone looking into how much caregivers make in Illinois. Most aides work for home health agencies, assisted living providers, or private households.

Illinois compensation runs 6% higher than the national typical pay of $35,800, or $17.21 per hour. That premium places Illinois 16th among states and territories nationwide for aide compensation. The state supports a large caregiving workforce of 134,100 aides who provide essential care across diverse communities. This significant labor base highlights the broad presence of home health services throughout Illinois.

Entry-level positions in Illinois typically offer around $16.44 per hour, which translates to $34,200 annually for newcomers. Starting caregivers often begin with routine personal care tasks while establishing basic clinical competencies. Pay generally moves toward the statewide typical figure of $38,060 within a few years of continuous service. Demonstrating dependability and building hands-on care experience helps workers advance past introductory rates.

Experienced Home Health Aides often earn upwards of $18.61 hourly, while the top 10% of earners make over $20.43 per hour ($42,500 per year). This creates an entry-to-top spread of $8,300 across the state. Several practical factors separate these wage brackets, including specialized dementia training, years on the job, and employment setting. Working in specialized hospice care or higher-paying metropolitan areas also contributes to higher earnings.

Statewide compensation for home care workers has expanded steadily over recent years. Between 2019 and 2025, typical pay rose from $25,470 to $38,060 annually. That shift represents a dollar gain of $12,590, translating to a 49% rise in baseline caregiver pay. Regular upward adjustments occurred nearly every year across this six-year tracking period.

By comparison, the national typical wage for this occupation rose by 42% over the same general timeframe. Illinois outpaced that countrywide trend, adding over twelve thousand dollars to baseline annual earnings. For someone entering the field now, these figures show that pay has moved up significantly, though past wage momentum provides no promises for future rates.

Compensation varies modestly across Illinois urban centers, with city figures covering each city's full metropolitan area. Chicago leads the state with typical annual earnings of $38,180 ($18.36 per hour), sitting less than 1% above the statewide benchmark. Nearby Springfield follows closely behind at $37,900 annually, while Kankakee reports typical pay of $37,380. These leading areas show that northern and central urban centers provide fairly consistent earnings for aides.

At the lower end of the spectrum, Bloomington reports the lowest typical rate at $31,200 per year ($15.00 per hour). This difference establishes a geographic spread of $6,980 between the highest- and lowest-paying metropolitan areas in Illinois. Chicago accounts for the largest workforce by far, employing 108,520 aides within its metropolitan borders. As is common across healthcare roles, lower pay in smaller cities usually tracks lower local living costs.

Illinois offers higher caregiver pay than all five border states. Kentucky comes closest to Illinois earnings at $36,440 per year, which sits 4% lower, while Wisconsin pays $36,340 and Iowa provides $36,080. Indiana trails further behind at $35,060, and Missouri marks the widest contrast at $33,080, running 13% below Illinois wages. For aides considering work across state lines, licensure in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a nearby one.

Home Health Aides in Illinois currently earn a typical annual wage of $38,060, representing a solid 49% rise since 2019. Pay rates sit well above regional competitors, with northern metropolitan hubs offering the strongest wage levels. To take the next step, consult the state licensing or registry page for training and credential requirements, and review individual city pages for localized wage figures.