How Much Does an LPN Make in Chicago, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for LPNs 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 LPN in Chicago, Illinois earns $37.54 per hour, or $78,070 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,506 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $62,200, and the top 10% of earners make over $96,530.
That pay is 4% above the Illinois figure of $75,000 and 21% above the national figure of $64,400. Chicago ranks 1st of 9 metro areas in Illinois for LPN pay. About 11,420 LPNs work in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area.
LPN pay in Chicago at a glance
- Typical pay is $37.54 an hour, or $78,070 a year.
- That is 4% above the Illinois figure, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $62,200; the top 10% make over $96,530.
- Typical pay rose +62% from 2015 to 2025, against +64% for Illinois as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an LPN make in Chicago?
Pay in Chicago runs from entry-level positions at around $29.90 an hour to more than $46.41 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Illinois and national figures.
LPN pay by career stage in Chicago
| Career stage | Chicago | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $62,200$29.90 an hour | $58,880$28.31 an hour | $49,740$23.91 an hour |
| First years | $72,860$35.03 an hour | $63,580$30.57 an hour | $59,000$28.37 an hour |
| Typical LPN | $78,070$37.54 an hour | $75,000$36.06 an hour | $64,400$30.96 an hour |
| Experienced | $81,080$38.98 an hour | $79,560$38.25 an hour | $76,030$36.55 an hour |
| Top 10% | $96,530$46.41 an hour | $89,810$43.18 an hour | $83,440$40.12 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area as BLS defines it
LPN pay growth in Chicago
Typical (median) annual wage for LPNs in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical LPN pay in Chicago was $48,270 a year. By 2025 it had reached $78,070, a change of +62%, compared with +64% for Illinois over the same years.
How Chicago compares with other Illinois cities
Chicago pays LPNs the most of any metro area in Illinois. The lowest-paying area in the state is Springfield at $60,110.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chicago | LPNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $78,070 | $37.54 | this city | 11,420 |
| 2 | Peoria | $72,270 | $34.75 | -7% | 630 |
| 3 | Rockford | $70,090 | $33.70 | -10% | 440 |
| 4 | Bloomington | $67,270 | $32.34 | -14% | 170 |
| 5 | Decatur | $66,750 | $32.09 | -14% | 220 |
| 6 | Kankakee | $65,910 | $31.69 | -16% | 240 |
| 7 | Urbana metro incl. Champaign | $64,130 | $30.83 | -18% | 300 |
| 8 | Moline metro incl. Rock Island | $64,100 | $30.82 | -18% | 640 |
| 9 | Springfield | $60,110 | $28.90 | -23% | 500 |
Every metro area in Illinois with LPN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $75,000
Is Chicago a good place to work as an LPN?
LPNs in Chicago earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $78,070 a year, 21% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area, about 2.5 are LPN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 4.1. That makes LPNs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an LPN make in Chicago, IL?
- A typical LPN in Chicago earns $78,070 a year, or $37.54 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $62,200 and the top 10% earn over $96,530.
- How much does an LPN make an hour in Chicago?
- Typical hourly pay for LPNs in Chicago is $37.54. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $29.90, and the top 10% earn over $46.41 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an LPN in Chicago?
- Entry-level LPN positions in Chicago typically offer around $29.90 an hour, or $62,200 a year.
- Is LPN pay in Chicago higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Chicago pay is 4% above the Illinois figure of $75,000 a year, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.