Nursing Assistants pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,980 a year or less, while the top 10% make $54,450 or more. The middle half of nursing assistants in Chicago earn between $42,940 and $49,060.
- $39K10th
- $43K25th
- $47KMedian
- $49K75th
- $54K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $46,610 | $3,884 | $22.41 |
| Median | $46,940 | $3,912 | $22.57 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $42,940 | $3,578 | $20.64 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,060 | $4,088 | $23.59 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Nursing Assistants salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $46,610, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $37,465 a year, or $3,122 a month and $1,441 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $38,263 | $3,189 |
| Working in IL | $37,465 | $3,122 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for nursing assistants? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $46,610 buys what about $44,993 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 7.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Nursing Assistants salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$46,610
- Decatur$44,060
- Bloomington$43,480
- Champaign$42,860
- Peoria$42,580
- Rockford$42,320
- Springfield$42,100
- Kankakee$41,760
Highest-paying cities for nursing assistants
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($59,370).
- San Jose, CA$59,370
- San Francisco, CA$56,700
- Seattle, WA$55,220
- Grants Pass, OR$52,720
- Portland, OR$52,660
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Nursing Assistants salary in Chicago: questions
How much do nursing assistants make an hour in Chicago?
$22.41 an hour on average, and $22.57 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level nursing assistants salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,980 a year and the 25th percentile is $42,940, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the nursing assistants take-home pay in Chicago?
About $37,465 a year ($3,122 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $46,610.
Do nursing assistants earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($43,318).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 31-1131; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.5%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.09, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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