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The medical field is at the top of the list when it comes to the highest-paying careers. Nurse practitioners fall into that category, but the income for this career path can vary greatly. In Illinois, the mean wage for nurse practitioners is $126,900 per year, but the range is quite large, going from $98,650 for entry-level up to $160,930 for the highest-paid practitioners.
Illinois Nurse Practitioner Salaries – Visualized
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in urban areas of Illinois
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | 140 | $124,870 |
| Carbondale-Marion, IL | 150 | $115,860 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 460 | $129,530 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 6,680 | $129,270 |
| Decatur, IL | 80 | $114,960 |
| Kankakee, IL | 90 | $125,090 |
| Peoria, IL | 260 | $126,040 |
| Rockford, IL | 310 | $124,570 |
| Springfield, IL | 180 | $121,980 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Nurse Practitioners Salaries in rural areas of Illinois
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | 210 | $120,760 |
| West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | 300 | $122,440 |
| East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | 160 | $120,640 |
| South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | 170 | $118,050 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Increasing a Nurse Practitioner Salary in Illinois
If you have pursued a career as a nurse practitioner in Illinois, are you earning your full potential? If not, let’s dive into some strategies that you can implement to maximize your salary in the land of Lincoln.
Continuing Education & Certifications
Since you have to complete 80 hours of continuing education every two years to keep your Illinois advanced practice nurse (APN) license active, you might as well capitalize on the requirement. Illinois requires that the continuing education units be state-approved and some specific CE training subjects are mandatory. Luckily, you do have some freedom to fill in the remainder with relevant classes that can make you more marketable. Check the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center website for up-to-date requirements.
Not sure where to look for your credits? Here are a few state-approved organizations that offer continuing education classes for nurse practitioners in Illinois:
- Illinois Nurses Association (INA)
- Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nurses (ISAPN)
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
- Any ANCC accredited providers or programs
Individual organizations can be verified for compatibility on the Illinois license lookup page by searching “Nurse CE Sponsor.” Instead of just signing up for the first classes you see, dedicate some time to decide which topics would make you stand out from the crowd and give you a competitive advantage on your resume. Examples might include leadership, covid-19, or training in a specialty you are interested in pursuing.
Continuing Education is not the only way to make yourself more valuable to your potential employer. Sometimes experience is more valuable than education.
Try a Different Role to Gain Experience
Landing that first job fresh out of school can be like the chicken and egg scenario. Employers are looking for workers with experience, but to get any experience, someone has to take a chance on you first.
If you are struggling to get hired, you might consider trying a parallel career path. Say you want to work in a hospital as a nurse practitioner. First, work as an RN in a hospital. Next, work your way into a nurse administrator position at that facility. Gaining some practical experience inside the hospital gives you a lot more perspective as a nurse practitioner. You become infinitely more valuable to an employer when you already know your way around the industry.
This strategy can also work for nurse practitioners who are stuck in a lower-paying career but can’t seem to get hired elsewhere. Keep an open mind when looking at job boards. Consider relocating to the Bloomington area where the median wage of Nurse Practitioners is the highest of all metropolitan areas.
Conclusion
Illinois is one of the highest paying states for making a living as a nurse practitioner. If your salary isn’t stacking up, try the suggestions in this article to get you closer to your goal.