Illinois nurse practitioners earn a mean of $130,940, which places the state below Wisconsin ($135,160) and Michigan ($132,790) but above Indiana ($126,600) and Ohio ($122,910). Illinois also sits 4.6% below the national mean of $137,300, so employers here have a modest cost advantage over the national benchmark. If you are competing for candidates who have offers from Wisconsin or Michigan, expect some upward pressure on your offer.
Nurse practitioner salary in Illinois (2026)
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The average nurse practitioner salary in Illinois is $130,940 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $130,680 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Illinois employs 9,270 nurse practitioners, and the $260 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior nurse practitioners in Illinois typically earn around $102,440, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $161,470 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a nurse practitioner hire in Illinois, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $130,680 |
Average Annual Salary | $130,940 |
vs. National Average | 4.6% below the national mean of $137,300 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 9,270 employed nurse practitioners across Illinois.
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Nurse practitioner salary percentiles in Illinois
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $102,440 |
25th Percentile | $113,320 |
75th Percentile | $142,000 |
90th Percentile | $161,470 |
Employers setting an offer for a nurse practitioner in Illinois should expect a wide range depending on experience level, with entry-level candidates clustering near $102,440 and experienced specialists reaching $161,470 or beyond. The middle 50% of the market falls between $113,320 and $142,000, which gives you a practical band for most standard hires.
Nurse practitioner salary by city in Illinois
City | Average Annual Salary |
Champaign | $134,450 |
Chicago | $133,040 |
Springfield | $127,000 |
Peoria | $126,280 |
Rockford | $124,390 |
Location meaningfully affects what you will need to budget for a nurse practitioner hire in Illinois. Champaign leads at $134,450 and Rockford sits at the lower end at $124,390, a spread of $10,060 that can shift your compensation anchor depending on where the role is based. Employers hiring in Chicago should plan for offers near $133,040, which sits close to the Champaign figure and well above the Rockford and Peoria markets.
How Illinois compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Illinois | $130,940 | $130,680 |
Wisconsin | $135,160 | $131,980 |
Michigan | $132,790 | $131,450 |
Texas | $131,420 | $131,670 |
Indiana | $126,600 | $128,830 |
Ohio | $122,910 | $124,870 |
Illinois sits in the middle of the regional market, which means employers here face broadly similar compensation expectations to neighboring states but do not need to match the higher averages seen in Wisconsin or Michigan. Wisconsin's mean of $135,160 and Michigan's mean of $132,790 both exceed Illinois's $130,940, while Indiana at $126,600 and Ohio at $122,910 offer lower-cost alternatives for employers with location flexibility. Budgets calibrated to the Illinois median of $130,680 will remain competitive across most of the Midwest.
Frequently asked questions about nurse practitioner salary in Illinois
How does Illinois compare to other states for nurse practitioner salary?
What do the top-earning nurse practitioners make in Illinois?
Nurse practitioners at the 90th percentile in Illinois earn $161,470 per year. The 75th percentile sits at $142,000, so offers above that level will be competitive for most senior candidates. When recruiting for highly specialized or leadership-level roles, plan for compensation at or above the $161,470 threshold.
What is the salary range for a nurse practitioner in Illinois?
The full salary range for nurse practitioners in Illinois runs from $102,440 at the 10th percentile to $161,470 at the 90th percentile. The middle 50% of the market falls between $113,320 and $142,000, which is the most practical band for budgeting a standard hire. Use the lower end of that band for early-career candidates and the upper end for experienced specialists with advanced credentials.
What is the average nurse practitioner salary in Illinois?
The average nurse practitioner salary in Illinois is $130,940 per year, with a median of $130,680. The close alignment between the mean and median tells you the market is relatively balanced, without extreme outliers distorting the typical pay level. For most hiring decisions, anchoring your initial offer near the median of $130,680 gives you a defensible and market-aligned starting point.
Nurse Practitioner salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 29-1171 (Nurse Practitioners).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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The Rippling Team
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