Nursing Assistant Salary in Illinois (2026)

Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.

Median Annual Salary$45,960
Median Hourly Wage$22.10
National Median$41,878
Jobs in Illinois68,640

Nursing Assistant Salary in Illinois vs. National Average

IllinoisNationalDifference
Median annual salary$45,960$41,878+10%
Median hourly wage$22.10$20.13+10%

Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $45,960.

Nursing Assistant Salary in Top Illinois Cities

CityMedianEntry LevelExperiencedCost of Living
City-level data coming soon.

FAQ

How much does a Nursing Assistant make in Illinois?

The median annual salary for a Nursing Assistant in Illinois is $45,960, or about $22.10 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.

How does this compare to the national average?

The national median for Nursing Assistants is $41,878. Illinois is +10% above the national median.

What is the entry-level salary for a Nursing Assistant in Illinois?

Entry-level nursing assistants in Illinois typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.

Is Illinois a good state for nursing assistants?

With 68,640 nursing assistant jobs on record and a median salary of $45,960, Illinois offers above-average pay compared to the rest of the country.

Where does Nursing Assistant pay rank in Illinois?

By median annual wage, nursing assistants rank 591 of the 747 occupations reported in Illinois — higher than 21% of them.

What do similar occupations pay in Illinois?

Among occupations in the same job family, Physical Therapist Assistants at $65,240, Occupational Therapy Assistants at $64,120, Massage Therapists at $60,490 — all figures are median annual wages for Illinois.

Do these figures include taxes?

No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. Illinois levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 100.0 (100 = national average).

Nursing Assistant in Illinois: where it sits among all occupations

By median annual wage, nursing assistants rank 591 of the 747 occupations reported in Illinois — higher than 21% of them.

Occupation in the same job familyMedian in IllinoisJobs
Physical Therapist Assistants$65,240$4,890
Occupational Therapy Assistants$64,120$2,470
Massage Therapists$60,490$4,950
Psychiatric Aides$48,670$120
Dental Assistants$48,610$13,740
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$48,360$1,330

Illinois levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 100.0 (100 = national average).

Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 747 occupations in Illinois.