How Much Does an RN Make in Kankakee, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs 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 RN in Kankakee, Illinois earns $41.45 per hour, or $86,220 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,185 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $66,020, and the top 10% of earners make over $108,720.
That pay is 10% below the Illinois figure of $95,990 and 12% below the national figure of $97,550. Kankakee ranks 4th of 9 metro areas in Illinois for RN pay. About 1,390 RNs work in the Kankakee area.
RN pay in Kankakee at a glance
- Typical pay is $41.45 an hour, or $86,220 a year.
- That is 10% below the Illinois figure, ranking 4th of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $66,020; the top 10% make over $108,720.
- Typical pay rose +35% from 2015 to 2025, against +43% for Illinois as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in Kankakee?
Pay in Kankakee runs from entry-level positions at around $31.74 an hour to more than $52.27 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Illinois and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in Kankakee
| Career stage | Kankakee | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $66,020$31.74 an hour | $69,170$33.26 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $78,680$37.83 an hour | $80,020$38.47 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $86,220$41.45 an hour | $95,990$46.15 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $103,070$49.55 an hour | $105,960$50.94 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $108,720$52.27 an hour | $118,190$56.82 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kankakee area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in Kankakee
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs in the Kankakee area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical RN pay in Kankakee was $63,680 a year. By 2025 it had reached $86,220, a change of +35%, compared with +43% for Illinois over the same years.
How Kankakee compares with other Illinois cities
Chicago pays RNs the most in Illinois at $100,490 a year, $14,270 more than Kankakee. The lowest-paying area in the state is Rock Island at $77,150.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Kankakee | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $100,490 | $48.31 | +17% | 100,240 |
| 2 | Champaign metro incl. Urbana | $90,230 | $43.38 | +5% | 3,520 |
| 3 | Decatur | $87,170 | $41.91 | +1% | 790 |
| 4 | Kankakee | $86,220 | $41.45 | this city | 1,390 |
| 5 | Springfield | $84,220 | $40.49 | -2% | 4,110 |
| 6 | Peoria | $81,010 | $38.95 | -6% | 5,460 |
| 7 | Rockford | $80,930 | $38.91 | -6% | 4,620 |
| 8 | Bloomington | $79,970 | $38.45 | -7% | 1,990 |
| 9 | Moline metro incl. Rock Island | $77,150 | $37.09 | -11% | 3,520 |
Every metro area in Illinois with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $95,990
Is Kankakee a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in Kankakee earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $86,220 a year, 12% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kankakee area, about 33 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. That makes the local economy more reliant on RNs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in Kankakee, IL?
- A typical RN in Kankakee earns $86,220 a year, or $41.45 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $66,020 and the top 10% earn over $108,720.
- How much does an RN make an hour in Kankakee?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in Kankakee is $41.45. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.74, and the top 10% earn over $52.27 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in Kankakee?
- Entry-level RN positions in Kankakee typically offer around $31.74 an hour, or $66,020 a year.
- Is RN pay in Kankakee higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Kankakee pay is 10% below the Illinois figure of $95,990 a year, ranking 4th of 9 metro areas in the state. Chicago pays the most in Illinois at $100,490.