Entry-level Registered Nurse salary in Chicago, IL
Based on 113 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oak Park, Elmhurst, Naperville, Waukegan, Lombard.
Also listed as: Nurse
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $76,877 |
| 25th | $76,877 |
| 50th (median) | $79,040 |
| 75th | $83,200 |
| 90th | $83,200 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 0 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 2 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 0 |
| FY2023 | $62,379 | $62,379 | $63,430 | 11 |
| FY2024 | $80,350 | $66,934 | $85,072 | 17 |
| FY2025 | $76,877 | $76,877 | $79,113 | 67 |
| FY2026 | $83,200 | $79,186 | $83,200 | 46 |
Cost of living
Chicago's median entry-level Registered Nurse salary of $79,040 is worth about $76,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Chicago = 103.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Registered Nurses in the Chicago, IL area earned a median of $100,490 in May 2025 (100,240 employed). The H-1B median here is $79,040, 21% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson Park Hospital Foundation | $76,877 | 48 |
| Humboldt Park Health | $83,200 | 24 |
| Resilience Healthcare Chicago Graduate Education Foundation | $83,200 | 21 |
| South Shore Hospital | too few | 6 |
| Northwestern Memorial HealthCare | too few | 3 |
| West Suburban Medical Center | too few | 3 |
| Endeavor Health | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $79,040 | 113 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $83,200 | 55 |
| Senior · Level III | $95,680 | 20 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $73,195 | $79,040 | 113 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $80,974 | $83,200 | 55 |
| Senior · Level III | $94,474 | $95,680 | 20 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.