How Much Does an RN Make in Illinois in 2026?

A typical RN in Illinois earns about $46.15 per hour, or $95,990 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $7,999 a month and $1,846 a week. Those figures represent typical pay across all experience levels and settings statewide.

Illinois pay runs about 2% below the national figure of $97,550, placing the state 21st among the 51 states and D.C. for RN pay. The gap is small, and Illinois remains close to the national figure of $46.90 an hour. With 138,910 registered nurses working in the state, Illinois has one of the larger nursing workforces in the country, out of 3,379,720 nationwide.

Entry-level positions for RNs in Illinois typically offer around $33.26 an hour, or about $69,170 a year, according to the same May 2025 data. Nurses in these roles are usually new to the field or working in lower-paying settings. Pay tends to move toward the statewide typical figure of $95,990 within the first several years on the job.

Experienced RNs in Illinois often earn upwards of $105,960 a year ($50.94 an hour), and the top 10% of earners make over $118,190. That leaves a spread of $49,020 between entry-level and top pay. Setting, years on the job, and city all play a part in where an individual nurse lands within that range.

Illinois RN pay has risen steadily over the past decade, from $67,140 in 2015 to $95,990 in 2025. That's a gain of $28,850, a 43% rise over ten years. The increase has been fairly consistent year over year, with the sharpest jumps coming after 2020.

Nationally, RN pay rose 45% over the same decade, just ahead of Illinois's pace. The two trends have tracked closely, with Illinois pay staying within a few points of the national rise throughout. For someone starting an RN career in Illinois now, pay has moved up steadily over the past ten years, though nothing about that trend guarantees future gains.

Pay runs highest in the Chicago metro area, where RNs typically earn $100,490 a year ($48.31 an hour), about 5% above the statewide figure. These figures cover the full metro area around each city, not just the city center. Champaign and Urbana follow at $90,230 a year, still well above several other Illinois metro areas.

Pay is lowest around Rock Island, where RNs typically earn $77,150 a year ($37.09 an hour), a spread of $23,340 between the state's highest- and lowest-paying metro areas. Chicago also has by far the largest RN workforce in Illinois, employing 100,240 of the state's 138,910 nurses. Lower pay in smaller metro areas usually tracks a lower cost of living rather than any difference in the work itself.

Illinois RN pay is about even with Wisconsin, where nurses typically earn $95,530 a year, a 0% gap. It runs well ahead of Iowa, where typical pay is $78,630, an 18% gap, and stays above Indiana's $83,500 a year as well. Nursing licenses can often be transferred or endorsed between neighboring states, which makes comparing pay across a state line a practical option for many nurses.

RNs in Illinois typically earn $95,990 a year, close to the national figure and up 43% over the past decade. Pay varies by city and experience, from entry-level roles near $69,170 to top earners above $118,190. Readers weighing a move to Illinois or starting a nursing career there can check the Illinois Board of Nursing for licensing requirements and the city-level pages on this site for local pay figures.