CRNA Salary Illinois 2026: $281,240 Mean, No. 1 in the US
Illinois is the highest-paying state for CRNAs in the country — and it does it without opting out of physician supervision. Here is what that number actually means and where it comes from.
The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, released in May 2026, put the Illinois CRNA annual mean wage at $281,240 — the highest figure of any state in the country, and $32,920 above the national CRNA mean of $248,320. That is a 13.2 percent premium over the US average. If you are a CRNA deciding where to practice, or a CRNA student evaluating your options, Illinois deserves a close look.
What makes this number counterintuitive is that Illinois has not opted out of the CMS physician supervision requirement. Twenty-seven states had done so as of July 2026 per the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology — states like Washington, Oregon, and Wisconsin that removed the federal requirement allowing CRNAs to practice without a supervising physician in Medicare settings. Illinois is not on that list. Yet it pays more. The answer is Chicago.
The Chicago Academic Model: Why Supervision Doesn't Cap Pay
Illinois did not top the CRNA salary rankings by accident. The Chicago metropolitan area contains one of the densest concentrations of level I trauma centers, major academic medical centers, and high-volume surgical programs in the country. Northwestern Memorial, the University of Chicago Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Loyola University Medical Center, and NorthShore University Health System all compete for the same pool of experienced CRNAs. That competition sets the floor.
The supervision model in these Chicago institutions is not the old "physician in the room" model. It is a 1:2 or 1:3 medical direction ratio — one anesthesiologist medically directing two or three concurrent CRNA cases. In practice, experienced CRNAs run their rooms with full autonomy, with the anesthesiologist available for critical decisions. The title says supervised; the work is independent. Hospitals pay for independent performance, and the compensation reflects that.
Illinois also hosts active CRNA education programs at Rush, NorthShore, and Rosalind Franklin University. Teaching hospitals across the country pay competitive wages to attract experienced CRNAs willing to preceptor students. Clinical educator roles add $5,000–$15,000 on top of base.
Northwestern, NorthShore, and What the Job Postings Show
Northwestern Medical Group — the physician and advanced practice arm of Northwestern Medicine — has posted full-time CRNA positions at $115.05–$146.08/hr, with a $50,000 sign-on bonus available for multi-year commitments. Annualized at a standard 40-hour week, that range runs $239,304–$303,846. Casual and per-diem Northwestern positions post at $107.36–$145.00/hr.
NorthShore University Health System, which operates hospitals in Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park, and Skokie, has posted CRNAs at $118.99–$162.41/hr at its Evanston flagship. At the top of that range — $162.41/hr for a senior CRNA with complex cardiac or neurosurgical case experience — the annualized figure is $337,812. That is a ceiling that very few states approach. Northwest Community Hospital (Arlington Heights, also part of NorthShore) has posted $122.60–$162.41/hr.
| Employer | Type | Hourly Range | Annual Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Medical Group | Full-time | $115.05–$146.08 | $239K–$304K |
| Northwestern Medical Group | Casual/Per diem | $107.36–$145.00 | $223K–$302K |
| NorthShore (Evanston) | Full-time | $118.99–$162.41 | $247K–$337K |
| NW Community Hospital (Arlington Hts) | Full-time | $122.60–$162.41 | $255K–$337K |
| Illinois statewide (BLS mean) | All employers | ~$135/hr | $281,240 |
I want to be clear about something: the "no opt-out" argument against Illinois is largely theoretical. In the major Chicago systems, CRNAs are running complex cases — cardiac, neuro, transplant — with genuine clinical autonomy. The MDA is available, but you are making the calls. In my time in travel critical care, I have worked with CRNAs from opt-out states who had less day-to-day independence than their colleagues at Northwestern or NorthShore, because the institution's anesthesia model matters more than the regulatory label. Illinois being No. 1 on compensation makes sense when you look at the actual work.
Cook County, University of Chicago, and the Trauma Premium
The south and west sides of Chicago create a different but equally important market for CRNA employment. The University of Chicago Medicine and Stroger Hospital of Cook County both run high-volume trauma anesthesia practices with intensive case complexity. CRNAs at these institutions handle gunshot wounds, polytrauma, and major burns alongside cardiac surgery and complex oncologic resections.
Cook County Health, which operates Stroger (level I trauma, approximately 120,000 ED visits per year) and Provident Hospital, has union representation through SEIU and NNOC covering RN-level staff. CRNA positions at Cook County are typically posted at competitive rates to attract practitioners willing to work high-acuity county hospital environments. The volume of complex cases at county-level institutions builds CRNA skillsets that command higher compensation at subsequent positions.
University of Chicago Medicine operates a major academic anesthesia department with CRNA integration into subspecialty blocks including liver transplant, adult congenital cardiac, and pediatric complex surgery at Comer Children's Hospital. UChicago CRNAs function within a collaborative model with a faculty anesthesiologist academic presence, and compensation reflects the complexity of the caseload.
Downstate Illinois: Regional Health Systems and the Rural Gap
Outside Chicago, Illinois CRNA pay follows the pattern common to the Midwest: regional health systems anchor the market, rural critical access hospitals post premiums to fill gaps, and pay runs well below the metro ceiling. The BLS Illinois statewide mean of $281,240 is heavily weighted by Chicago employment concentration; downstate CRNAs typically earn less.
Peoria-area CRNAs at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center — a level I trauma facility and one of the largest hospitals in central Illinois — typically earn $200,000–$245,000/yr. Springfield-area CRNAs at HSHS St. John's Hospital and Memorial Medical Center post similar ranges. Rockford at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center and SwedishAmerican (now UW Health) posts $195,000–$240,000/yr for experienced staff CRNAs.
Rural critical access hospitals in southern and western Illinois face significant CRNA shortage pressure. Positions at facilities in communities like Carbondale, Marion, and Mattoon post locum rates of $120–$150/hr ($250,000–$312,000 annualized), which can match or exceed Chicago base rates — though locum compensation does not include benefits and the positions are typically short-term fills rather than permanent employment.
| Region | Market | Annual Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago metro | Academic/level I | $239K–$337K | NW, NorthShore, UChicago |
| Chicago metro | Community hospital | $210K–$265K | Palos, Delnor, Silver Cross |
| Peoria / Springfield | Regional systems | $200K–$245K | OSF, HSHS, Memorial |
| Rockford | Regional systems | $195K–$240K | OSF Saint Anthony, SwedishAmerican |
| Rural critical access | Locum/short-term | $120–$150/hr | Southern & western IL |
Travel and Locum CRNA Work in Illinois
Illinois is an active market for travel and locum CRNA placement. Chicago's high volume of complex surgical cases means that coverage gaps at major systems create well-paying short-term opportunities. A DocCafe listing for a locum travel CRNA position in Chicago in 2026 advertised rates in the $140–$160/hr range for short-term hospital coverage, with Chicago metro housing stipends running $400–$550/week.
For a 13-week travel CRNA contract in Chicago, typical all-in weekly packages run $4,000–$5,500 combining taxable base with housing and per-diem stipend. The taxable base portion for CRNA travel contracts in Illinois is typically $50–$65/hr; the remainder is non-taxable stipend assuming a maintained tax home. Travel CRNAs must hold an active Illinois APRN license and DEA registration for Illinois.
Rural Illinois locum postings run higher on the hourly rate — $120–$150/hr — but without the housing stipend structure of formal travel contracts. For a CRNA with a rural background or CAH experience, the southern Illinois locum market offers attractive short-term compensation with variety in case types.
Illinois CRNA Licensure: What You Need to Know
Illinois requires CRNAs to hold both an Illinois Registered Professional Nurse (RPN) license and Illinois Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) designation. The APRN application through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) requires national board certification from the NBCRNA, a supervisory agreement with a collaborating anesthesiologist (for prescriptive authority), and graduate-level CRNA program completion.
Processing time at IDFPR historically runs 4–8 weeks for endorsement applicants, though the IDFPR has faced backlogs. CRNAs planning to take Illinois locum or travel assignments should account for licensing lead time. Illinois is not an NLC compact state for APRN-level licensure — the NLC covers RN and LPN licensure only, not APRN designations — so there is no multi-state CRNA license pathway. Each state requires its own APRN authorization.
The DEA requires separate registration by state. CRNAs practicing in Illinois need an Illinois-specific DEA registration (state code IL) for Schedule II–V controlled substance administration in anesthesia practice.
Calculate Your Travel Nurse Take-Home Pay
Illinois travel rates are strong — but your take-home depends on tax home status, stipend structure, and state income tax. Run the numbers before you sign.
Use the Pay Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average CRNA salary in Illinois in 2026?
The BLS OEWS May 2025 data shows Illinois CRNAs earn a mean annual wage of $281,240 and a median of $247,150. Illinois ranks No. 1 among all 50 states for CRNA mean wage, running $32,920 (13.2%) above the national mean of $248,320. Chicago-area academic medical centers post higher ranges — $239,000–$337,000/yr depending on employer and experience.
Why is Illinois the highest-paying state for CRNAs if it still requires physician supervision?
Illinois has not opted out of the federal Medicare CRNA supervision requirement, meaning CRNAs in most settings must have a physician available to supervise or direct care. Despite this, Chicago's extremely high concentration of academic medical centers, level I trauma hospitals, and high-acuity surgical programs drives demand and pay upward. Academic centers pay for CRNA expertise regardless of supervision structure. The supervision requirement constrains autonomy but not compensation in high-volume academic settings.
How do Chicago CRNA salaries compare to downstate Illinois?
Chicago-area CRNAs at major academic systems earn $239,000–$337,000/yr. Downstate regional centers in Peoria, Springfield, and Rockford typically post $195,000–$245,000/yr. Rural critical access hospitals in southern and western Illinois offer locum rates of $120–$150/hr ($250,000–$312,000 annualized) to attract coverage, though these positions are typically contract rather than permanent. The gap between Chicago and downstate markets is substantial — roughly $35,000–$90,000/yr.
What does a travel or locum CRNA earn in Illinois?
Travel CRNA contracts in Chicago typically post $140–$160/hr for short-term coverage, with weekly packages of $4,000–$5,500 combining taxable pay and non-taxable housing/per-diem stipend on 13-week contracts. Rural Illinois locum positions run $120–$150/hr on rate but without the structured stipend component. Travel CRNAs must hold an active Illinois APRN license and state-specific DEA registration.
What does CRNA licensure in Illinois require?
Illinois CRNAs need both an Illinois RPN (Registered Professional Nurse) license and an Illinois APRN designation from IDFPR. APRN application requires NBCRNA national certification, a graduate-level CRNA program, and a collaborating physician supervisory agreement for prescriptive authority. Endorsement processing typically takes 4–8 weeks at IDFPR. Illinois is not an NLC opt-in state for APRN licensure, so there is no multi-state CRNA license pathway — each state requires its own authorization. A separate DEA registration for Illinois (state code IL) is required for controlled substance administration.
Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 — Nurse Anesthetists, CRNAs (SOC 29-1151), State and Metro Area data
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation — APRN Licensure Requirements
- Northwestern Medicine Careers — CRNA position postings (accessed October 2026)
- NorthShore University HealthSystem (now part of Endeavor Health) — CRNA compensation data (accessed October 2026)
- American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology — CMS Supervision Opt-Out States (September 2026)