Salary guide · US
Nurse salary in Chicago: can you afford rent?
A Nurse in Chicago typically earns $45,000–$84,000/year, with a median around $59,000/year. Median 1-bedroom rent is $1,900/month.
Affordability verdict
At a typical Nurse salary of $59,000/year, spending on median Chicago rent ($1,900/mo) would take up 39% of gross income. That's above the 30% guideline but not uncommon — a stretch situation.
Nurse salary range in Chicago
$45,000
Entry level
lower quartile
$59,000
Typical
median estimate
$84,000
Experienced
upper quartile
Registered nurses provide patient care in hospitals, clinics, and community health settings. Figures are gross annual salary estimates for Chicago.
How much rent can a Nurse afford?
Rent landscape in Chicago
$1,000
Budget
cheapest 10%
$1,900
Median
most common
$3,200
Premium
top 10%
1-bedroom equivalent. US Census ACS 2022 + Zillow Observed Rent Index · 2022–2023
Other professions in Chicago
Nurse salary in other cities