Understanding your income potential is crucial to making the best career choices. This ultimate guide to CNA salary in Illinois covers average wages throughout the state, typical wage variations, cost of living considerations, and more to help you plan your professional and financial future.
Without further ado, the following table provides the average CNA wages per hour and year in each metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area in Illinois.
This resource provides publicly available information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the MIT Living Wage Calculator about average CNA salaries, employment, location quotient, and living wage in Illinois (most recent information as of March 2024). While Nursa currently offers independent contractor CNAs in Illinois the opportunity to access per diem jobs that pay on an hourly basis rather than access to salaried or wage-based employment opportunities, this information may be a helpful frame of reference for you as you assess the market landscape both in regard to per diem jobs and employment opportunities.
How Much Do CNAs Make in Illinois per Hour?
The average CNA wage per hour in Illinois is $17.67. This hourly wage is slightly above the national CNA average of $17.41—26 cents higher, to be exact.
What’s the Average CNA Salary in the State of Illinois?
CNAs in Illinois make $36,750 on average per year. This annual wage is $530 above the national average of $36,220. That said, CNA income in Illinois can vary significantly. The following percentiles indicate the typical range of wages within the state:
- 10th percentile: $30,240
- 25th percentile: $34,120
- 50th percentile: $36,640
- 75th percentile: $37,990
- 90th percentile: $44,010
How Much Do Nursing Assistants Make in Illinois?
The salary of a nursing assistant in Illinois depends on various factors. As shown in the table above, CNA wages vary significantly by area of the state. Additionally, work settings can impact average pay. For example, the following are the highest-paying industries for CNAs nationwide, along with the average annual wage for nursing assistants in each industry:
- Junior Colleges: $69,150
- Offices of Dentists: $55,870
- Technical and Trade Schools: $50,270
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: $49,820
- Scientific Research and Development Services: $48,020
However, all the above industries combined employ less than 1 percent of CNAs. Employment Services is another high-paying industry for CNAs, but this sector only accounts for 1.33 percent of all CNA employment.
Here are the annual CNA wages in more common work settings for nursing assistants and the percentage of nursing assistants that work in each setting nationwide.
This resource provides publicly available information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the MIT Living Wage Calculator about average CNA salaries, employment, location quotient, and living wage in Illinois (most recent information as of March 2024). While Nursa currently offers independent contractor CNAs in Illinois the opportunity to access per diem jobs that pay on an hourly basis rather than access to salaried or wage-based employment opportunities, this information may be a helpful frame of reference for you as you assess the market landscape both in regard to per diem jobs and employment opportunities.
How Much Do CNAs Make in Illinois per Hour?
The average CNA wage per hour in Illinois is $17.67. This hourly wage is slightly above the national CNA average of $17.41—26 cents higher, to be exact.
What’s the Average CNA Salary in the State of Illinois?
CNAs in Illinois make $36,750 on average per year. This annual wage is $530 above the national average of $36,220. That said, CNA income in Illinois can vary significantly. The following percentiles indicate the typical range of wages within the state:
- 10th percentile: $30,240
- 25th percentile: $34,120
- 50th percentile: $36,640
- 75th percentile: $37,990
- 90th percentile: $44,010
How Much Do Nursing Assistants Make in Illinois?
The salary of a nursing assistant in Illinois depends on various factors. As shown in the table above, CNA wages vary significantly by area of the state. Additionally, work settings can impact average pay. For example, the following are the highest-paying industries for CNAs nationwide, along with the average annual wage for nursing assistants in each industry:
- Junior Colleges: $69,150
- Offices of Dentists: $55,870
- Technical and Trade Schools: $50,270
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: $49,820
- Scientific Research and Development Services: $48,020
However, all the above industries combined employ less than 1 percent of CNAs. Employment Services is another high-paying industry for CNAs, but this sector only accounts for 1.33 percent of all CNA employment.
Here are the annual CNA wages in more common work settings for nursing assistants and the percentage of nursing assistants that work in each setting nationwide.
This data indicates that hospitals are the highest-paying settings for CNAs and employ a combined 17.15 percent of the nursing assistant workforce. Hospitals are followed by skilled nursing facilities and long-term care settings (including retirement communities and assisted living facilities), which combined employ 49.37 percent of all CNAs. Finally, home health services employ a relatively low percentage of CNAs and offer the lowest average wages.
What Is the Cost of Living in Illinois?
Knowing how much you can earn in Illinois may help you choose the best option when considering independent contractor work or applying for salaried or wage-based employment. Additionally, understanding the cost of living in Illinois can help you make informed financial decisions. The following table shows the average living wage required in Illinois by household type. Living wage is the estimated amount an individual must make per hour working full-time to cover typical living expenses.
Comparing the average CNA salary per hour to the average living wage in Illinois suggests that most certified nursing assistants must find ways to supplement their income in order to cover typical living expenses.
How Can I Find Per Diem CNA Shifts in Illinois?
Whether you want to supplement your income from full-time employment or are looking for high-paying, flexible alternatives to a staff position, picking up per diem shifts is an excellent option for certified nursing assistants.
Per diem or PRN jobs are typically single-shift contracts. In other words, hospitals and other healthcare facilities contract CNAs, registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and patient care techs (PCTs) to fill critical gaps in their clinician schedules. But how can nurses, nursing assistants, and PCTs find these PRN shifts in Illinois?
Here is where Nursa comes in. Nursa is an app that connects healthcare facilities and per diem clinicians directly. Hospitals and other facilities post shifts they need to fill, and clinicians request shifts that fit their schedules and interests.
To find PRN shifts near you, browse the following cities organized by metropolitan and micropolitan areas in Illinois.
The Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division has Illinois’s second-highest average CNA wages and encompasses Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, McHenry, and Will counties. Click on the links below to find per diem CNA shifts near you:
Cook County
- Chicago
- Burbank
- Chicago Heights
- Harvey
- Elmwood Park
- Glencoe
- Hazel Crest
- Hillside
- La Grange
- Northbrook
- Park Forest
- Schaumburg
- Skokie
DuPage County
Will County
Grundy County
Kane County
The Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division, includes the Illinois county of Lake. Find cities in Lake County with PRN shifts for CNAs:
Lake County
The Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area is the fifth highest-paying area for CNAs, including Champaign, Piatt, and Ford counties. Find PRN nursing assistant shifts in this area below:
Champaign County
The Decatur Statistical Area encompasses Macon County. Discover CNA shifts in the city of Decatur.
The Rockford Statistical Area in northern Illinois includes Winnebago and Boone counties. Find CNA shifts in these counties below:
Winnebago County
Find PRN nursing assistant shifts in the Peoria Metropolitan Area.
Tazewell County
Peoria County
Greater St. Louis is a metropolitan statistical area that covers parts of Missouri and Illinois. It includes the Illinois counties of Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair, collectively referred to as the Metro East. Here are cities with PRN nursing assistant shifts in these counties:
Macoupin County
Madison County
St. Claire County
The Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area encompasses the Illinois counties of Henry, Mercer, and Rock Island. Browse CNA shifts in these Illinois counties:
Rock Island County
Mercer County
CNAs in West Central Illinois can find per diem shifts in Rushville, Schuyler County.
Also, find high-paying per diem CNA shifts in the following micropolitan areas:
- Canton, Fulton County
- Effingham, Effingham County
- Galesburg, including the counties of Knox and Warren and the city of Knoxville
- Macomb, McDonough County
- Pontiac, Livingston County
- Sterling, Whiteside County
- Metropolis in Massac County, Paducah
- Freeport, Stephenson County
How Can I Become a CNA in Illinois?
To obtain CNA certification in Illinois, candidates typically complete state-approved CNA classes and pass a written competency test.
However, students training to become registered nurses or licensed practical nurses may also pass the competency test and apply for nursing assistant certification without completing CNA training. Furthermore, RNs and LPNs with valid and active Illinois licenses may work as CNAs without pursuing CNA certification. Other individuals who can take the competency test without completing CNA training are the following:
- Individuals who have completed US military training programs that cover the content of nurse aide training programs
- Individuals who have completed a nursing program equivalent to an LPN or RN in a foreign country
- Individuals who obtained certification in another state
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU-C) administers the written section of the competency exam at various locations throughout the state. SIU-C electronically transmits CNA candidates’ test results to the Illinois Health Care Worker Registry.
The Department of Public Health maintains the Health Care Worker Registry, which allows CNAs to verify their status. Although CNAs in Illinois don’t have licenses, prospective employers use the registry’s lookup tool for CNA status verification, including background checks and training information.
CNA Employment in Illinois
Healthcare facilities throughout Illinois employ 55,400 CNAs. For context, there are 9.42 certified nursing assistants in the state per 1,000 jobs. The concentration of CNAs in Illinois, or location quotient, is higher than the national average. Whereas the national average is equivalent to one, the location quotient in Illinois is 1.06. Regardless of this fact, CNAs are still in great demand in Illinois.
Find PRN CNA Shifts in Illinois with Nursa
With Nursa, CNAs can work where and when they want to, picking up shifts that meet their needs and interests. CNAs interested in hospital jobs can pick up shifts in med-surg, the intensive care unit (ICU), or the emergency room (ER). CNAs in Illinois can also find shifts in skilled nursing facilities or long-term care, among other settings.
See for yourself: Pick up PRN CNA jobs today.
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