Registered Nurses salary in Chicago, IL
Median pay for registered nurses in Chicago, IL: $85,160/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $67,560 – $107,980 · about 102,330 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($80,810) by +$4,350 (+5%).
What it's really worth in Chicago
With Chicago's cost of living at 102 (US=100), that $85,160 has the buying power of about $83,094 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $85,087 · median home $353,998 · median rent $2,266/mo.
How Chicago ranks for this job
On raw pay, Chicago, IL is 59th of the 187 metros we hold registered nurses wages for. Once Chicago's cost of living is applied, it ranks 138th.
The headline number flatters Chicago. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, registered nurses here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Chicago
A median home in Chicago, IL costs $353,998 — about 4.2× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,266/mo works out at 32% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where registered nurses earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Chicago.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chicago | Rent vs Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $187,080 | +120% | 1.1× |
| San Francisco, CA | $181,240 | +113% | 1.4× |
| San Jose, CA | $179,210 | +110% | 1.6× |
| Sacramento, CA | $157,810 | +85% | 1× |
Same job elsewhere in IL
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chicago | Rent vs Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | $81,650 | −4% | 0.6× |
| Peoria, IL | $78,090 | −8% | 0.5× |
Staying in IL keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires registered nurses around Chicago
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- U.S. Federal Government (IL) · Government
- Chicago Public Schools · Education
- City of Chicago · Government
Other jobs in Chicago
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.