Registered Nurse pay in Chicago, by the numbers
Here is how that number compares with the rest of the United States, with IL, and with other jobs in Chicago.
Registered Nurse pay in Chicago: national and in-state ranking
On a United States league table of 21 metros, Chicago comes 14th. One place higher is Phoenix at US$100,830, one lower is Atlanta at US$100,490, and San Jose tops the list.
No other IL metro has observed registered nurse percentiles here, so Chicago is judged against the 21-metro national list instead.
What the Chicago median is worth after tax and rent
With a COL index of 100, there is little difference between headline pay and price-adjusted pay (US$100,500).
Adjusting for prices does not move Chicago in the ranking: it is 14th of 21 on both cash and buying power.
After a simplified 13% effective national income tax, the median nets about US$7,300 a month. A modeled 1-bedroom (US$1,650) takes 23% of that, leaving around US$3,770 after modeled living costs.
Metros with a cost level like Chicago
In New York — similar cost level, COL 100 — the median is US$119,720 (+19% vs Chicago), and the modeled budget leaves US$1,250 more each month.
In Los Angeles — similar cost level, COL 100 — the median is US$135,560 (+35% vs Chicago), and the modeled budget leaves US$2,260 more each month.
In Houston — similar cost level, COL 100 — the median is US$99,830 (-1% vs Chicago), and the modeled budget leaves US$40 less each month.
Other Chicago jobs compared with registered nurse
Registered Nurse ranks 7th of 9 occupations with observed Chicago data. Lawyer leads the city at US$165,660.
Closest neighbours in the Chicago list: Financial Analyst at US$101,750 (+1%) and Frontend Developer at US$96,870 (-4%).
How Chicago ranks at the low and high end
Starting pay holds up better than senior pay here. The 10th percentile places 13th nationally among observed metros; the 90th places 19th.
For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$235,190 at the 90th percentile, +97% against Chicago.
Spread between low and high registered nurse pay in Chicago
The band is fairly compact — US$77,410 to US$119,260, 1.5× from the 10th to the 90th percentile — so most offers cluster near the median.