How Much Does a Home Health Aide Make in Chicago, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for Home Health Aides in Chicago, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Illinois.
BLS OES May 2025 · Chicago · Naperville · Elgin metro area
A typical Home Health Aide in Chicago, Illinois earns $18.36 per hour, or $38,180 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,182 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,030, and the top 10% of earners make over $42,500.
That pay is right at the Illinois figure of $38,060 and 7% above the national figure of $35,800. Chicago ranks 1st of 9 metro areas in Illinois for Home Health Aide pay. About 108,520 Home Health Aides work in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area.
Home Health Aide pay in Chicago at a glance
- Typical pay is $18.36 an hour, or $38,180 a year.
- That is right at the Illinois figure, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,030; the top 10% make over $42,500.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Home Health Aide make in Chicago?
Pay in Chicago runs from entry-level positions at around $16.84 an hour to more than $20.43 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Illinois and national figures.
Home Health Aide pay by career stage in Chicago
| Career stage | Chicago | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $35,030$16.84 an hour | $34,200$16.44 an hour | $27,040$13.00 an hour |
| First years | $37,160$17.86 an hour | $36,810$17.70 an hour | $31,920$15.35 an hour |
| Typical Home Health Aide | $38,180$18.36 an hour | $38,060$18.30 an hour | $35,800$17.21 an hour |
| Experienced | $38,750$18.63 an hour | $38,700$18.61 an hour | $39,470$18.98 an hour |
| Top 10% | $42,500$20.43 an hour | $42,500$20.43 an hour | $45,040$21.65 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area as BLS defines it
Home Health Aide pay growth in Chicago
Typical (median) annual wage for Home Health Aides in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area · BLS OES May estimates, 2019 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2019, typical Home Health Aide pay in Chicago was $25,710 a year. By 2025 it had reached $38,180.
How Chicago compares with other Illinois cities
Chicago pays Home Health Aides the most of any metro area in Illinois. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bloomington at $31,200.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chicago | Home Health Aides employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $38,180 | $18.36 | this city | 108,520 |
| 2 | Springfield | $37,900 | $18.22 | -1% | 2,290 |
| 3 | Kankakee | $37,380 | $17.97 | -2% | 590 |
| 4 | Rockford | $37,270 | $17.92 | -2% | 2,000 |
| 5 | Decatur | $37,160 | $17.87 | -3% | 780 |
| 6 | Peoria | $36,330 | $17.47 | -5% | 2,590 |
| 7 | Urbana metro incl. Champaign | $35,430 | $17.04 | -7% | 900 |
| 8 | Rock Island metro incl. Moline | $34,370 | $16.52 | -10% | 2,280 |
| 9 | Bloomington | $31,200 | $15.00 | -18% | 1,060 |
Every metro area in Illinois with Home Health Aide wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $38,060
Is Chicago a good place to work as a Home Health Aide?
Home Health Aides in Chicago earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $38,180 a year, 7% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area, about 24 are Home Health Aide positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 28. Home Health Aide jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Home Health Aide make in Chicago, IL?
- A typical Home Health Aide in Chicago earns $38,180 a year, or $18.36 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $35,030 and the top 10% earn over $42,500.
- How much does a Home Health Aide make an hour in Chicago?
- Typical hourly pay for Home Health Aides in Chicago is $18.36. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $16.84, and the top 10% earn over $20.43 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Home Health Aide in Chicago?
- Entry-level Home Health Aide positions in Chicago typically offer around $16.84 an hour, or $35,030 a year.
- Is Home Health Aide pay in Chicago higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Chicago pay is right at the Illinois figure of $38,060 a year, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.