Registered Nurse.
Chicago.
$97,000
median salary, 3% above the national average
$81,000 to $111,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
If you are evaluating a Registered Nurse offer in Chicago, IL, here is the reality: $81,000 to $111,000, with $97,000 as the midpoint. 3% above the national average. Specialty certification, geographic location, and facility type create the widest salary ranges. Do not accept the first number. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Registered Nurse in Chicago, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $100,490 for Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141) in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area, based on 100,240 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$77,410
25th percentile
$82,640
Median
$100,490
75th percentile
$108,430
90th percentile
$119,260
Workers surveyed
100,240
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141) rather than Registered Nurse specifically. The Chicagorange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 29-1141Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $87,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$63,000
to $78,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$82,000
to $102,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$107,000
to $126,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$121,000
to $150,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $28,000 to the total package.
Base
$97,000
Equity
$16,000
Bonus
$10,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $125,000
How Chicago compares.
Chicago, IL
$97,000
Cost of living: 7% above average
National Average
$94,000
Chicago is $3,000 above
Registered Nurse salary by city.
Salary by role in Chicago.
What you should know.
Here is what the Registered Nurse market actually looks like in Chicago. Chicago's economy is anchored by finance, manufacturing, and a rapidly expanding tech sector. The city has become a major hub for fintech, enterprise SaaS, and e-commerce. With lower living costs than coastal cities and a deep talent pool from top universities, Chicago offers strong salary to cost of living ratios for professionals across industries. Specialty certification, geographic location, and facility type create the widest salary ranges. ICU, OR, and emergency nurses earn premiums over med surg nurses. Travel nursing contracts can pay 50 to 100% more than permanent positions. Union representation and shift differentials for nights and weekends also impact total pay.
New graduate RNs start at $58,000 to $72,000, with experienced RNs reaching $80,000 to $100,000 after five years. Nurse practitioners earn $110,000 to $140,000, and CRNAs (nurse anesthetists) can earn $180,000 to $220,000. Nursing management roles offer $95,000 to $140,000 with administrative responsibilities. In Chicago, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Benefits are a major component, typically including health insurance, pension or 403(b) matching, tuition reimbursement, and continuing education credits. Shift differentials add $3 to $8 per hour for nights and weekends. Signing bonuses of $5,000 to $20,000 are common in high demand specialties. And on the tax side: illinois has a flat 4.95% state income tax. Chicago does not levy a separate city income tax, making the overall burden moderate compared to coastal metros. When someone quotes you $97,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Reference the Bay Area or NYC salary band for your role, then negotiate a modest discount. Chicago employers routinely offer 85 to 90% of coastal pay. The range for Registered Nurses in Chicago runs from $81,000 to $111,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- An Operations Manager in Chicago earns $96,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Chicago is CTO at $327,000
Common questions.
Registered Nurse salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Chicago.
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