Among the 13 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in Illinois, 11 had annual wages that were significantly below the national average for registered nurses, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Seven areas had below-average wages for both nursing assistants and nurse practitioners. Five areas had below-average wages for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that five areas had above-average wages for at least one of the selected occupations: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Bloomington, Danville, Kankakee, and Rockford. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for registered nurses was $73,550; for nursing assistants, $28,540; for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, $45,710; and for nurse practitioners, $107,480. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in Illinois, please see Technical Note.)

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for selected nursing occupations in the United States, Illinois, and metropolitan areas in Illinois, May 2017

Area	Registered nurses	Nursing assistants	Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	Nurse practitioners
United States	$73,550	$28,540	$45,710	$107,480
Illinois	72,090*	27,770*	49,320*	101,960*
Bloomington	64,670*	25,510*	47,830*	99,850*
Cape Girardeau	57,750*	24,130*	38,950*	102,950
Carbondale-Marion	64,450*	27,320	40,420*	97,080
Champaign-Urbana	69,000	26,000*	43,270	95,670*
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin	75,570*	28,730	52,940*	103,170*
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights	76,640*	29,130	54,450*	102,830*
Elgin	72,370	27,630	50,950*	102,960
Lake County-Kenosha County	74,710	28,970	50,250*	99,130*
Danville	65,770*	31,190	49,360*	(1)
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island	53,750*	26,740*	42,760*	97,680*
Decatur	61,880*	23,690*	44,400	111,750
Kankakee	70,290*	27,730	49,530*	103,760
Peoria	62,250*	25,430*	45,650	98,490*
Rockford	65,550*	28,170	49,970*	102,120*
Springfield	64,810*	27,490	42,610*	104,480
St. Louis	65,910*	26,770*	44,780*	95,100*
Footnotes: (1) Data not available.
Note: An asterisk indicates that the mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.

The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area had a combined employment of 148,730 in the four selected nursing occupations, the largest among the 13 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in the state. Over 79 percent (118,080) of those jobs were located in one of the area’s three divisions, Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights. Another division, Lake County-Kenosha County, had 10,740 jobs in the selected nursing occupations. With the exception of St. Louis (64,150), combined employment for the four nursing occupations was less than 8,100 in the remaining metropolitan areas for which data were available in Illinois. (See table B. The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area’s other division, Gary, Ind., contains no counties in Illinois, and the data have not been presented in this release.)

Table B. Employment of selected nursing occupations in the United States, Illinois, and metropolitan areas in Illinois, May 2017

Area	Registered nurses	Nursing assistants	Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	Nurse practitioners
United States	2,906,840	1,453,670	702,700	166,280
Illinois	123,100	61,390	19,790	4,610
Bloomington	1,360	870	250	110
Cape Girardeau	1,580	880	430	80
Carbondale-Marion	1,890	860	400	30
Champaign-Urbana	2,280	1,160	430	110
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin	93,710	39,640	12,060	3,320
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights	75,320	31,170	9,340	2,250
Elgin	4,650	2,190	630	220
Lake County-Kenosha County	6,510	3,080	880	270
Danville	670	390	120	(1)
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island	3,670	2,230	670	220
Decatur	1,130	940	410	50
Kankakee	1,490	1,170	320	80
Peoria	4,520	2,270	970	250
Rockford	3,670	2,170	540	260
Springfield	3,340	1,250	680	170
St. Louis	36,670	18,970	6,440	2,070
Footnotes: (1) Data not available.

Wages for registered nurses in metropolitan areas in Illinois

Registered nurses in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area earned $75,570 per year, significantly above the U.S. average of $73,550. Wages were significantly below the national average for this occupation in 11 of the 13 metropolitan areas in Illinois, with wages ranging from $70,290 in Kankakee to $53,750 in Davenport-Moline-Rock Island.

Wages for nursing assistants in metropolitan areas in Illinois

Seven metropolitan areas had annual mean wages for nursing assistants that were significantly lower than the national average of $28,540, ranging from $26,770 in St. Louis to $23,690 in Decatur. The remaining six areas had wages that were not measurably different from the U.S. average.

Wages for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in metropolitan areas in Illinois

Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in five metropolitan areas had wages that were significantly higher than the U.S. average of $45,710, ranging from $52,940 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin to $47,830 in Bloomington. Five metropolitan areas had mean annual wages significantly below the national average, ranging from $44,780 in St. Louis to $38,950 in Cape Girardeau. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in the remaining areas earned wages that were not measurably different from the national average for this occupation.

Wages for nurse practitioners in metropolitan areas in Illinois

Seven metropolitan areas had average wages for nurse practitioners that were significantly lower than the $107,480 national average. Wages in these areas ranged from $103,170 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin to $95,100 in St. Louis. Nurse practitioners in the remaining areas where data were available earned wages that were not measurably different from the U.S. average.

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case, the Illinois Department of Employment Security, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, the Iowa Workforce Development, the Missouri Division of Employment Security, and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES data available from BLS include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 650 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), metropolitan divisions, nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-, 4-, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels; and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Each year, two semiannual panels of approximately 200,000 sampled establishments are contacted, one panel in May and the other in November. Responses are obtained by mail, Internet or other electronic means, email, telephone, or personal visit. The May 2017 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2017, November 2016, May 2016, November 2015, May 2015, and November 2014. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 72 percent based on establishments and 68 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 58 percent of total national employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.

The May 2017 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2017 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

• Bloomington, Ill. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes DeWitt and McLean Counties in Illinois.
• Cape Girardeau, Mo.-Ill. MSA includes Alexander County in Illinois and Bollinger and Cape Girardeau Counties in Missouri.
• Carbondale-Marion, Ill. MSA includes Jackson and Williamson Counties in Illinois.
• Champaign-Urbana, Ill. MSA includes Champaign, Ford, and Piatt Counties in Illinois.
• Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. MSA includes the following:
  • Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, Ill. Metropolitan Division includes the following: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kendall, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois.
  • Elgin, Ill. Metropolitan Division includes DeKalb and Kane Counties in Illinois.
  • Gary, Ind. Metropolitan Division includes the following: Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter Counties in Indiana.
  • Lake County-Kenosha County, Ill.-Wis. Metropolitan Division includes the following: Lake County in Illinois and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.
• Danville, Ill. MSA includes Vermilion County in Illinois.
• Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa- Ill. MSA includes Henry, Mercer, and Rock Island Counties in Illinois and Scott County in Iowa.
• Decatur, Ill. MSA includes Macon County in Illinois.
• Kankakee, Ill. MSA includes Kankakee County in Illinois.
• Peoria, Ill. MSA includes Marshall, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties in Illinois.
• Rockford, Ill. MSA includes Boone and Winnebago Counties in Illinois.
• St. Louis, Mo.-Ill. MSA includes Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair Counties in Illinois and Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Louis, and Warren Counties and St. Louis City in Missouri.
• Springfield, Ill. MSA includes Menard and Sangamon Counties in Illinois.

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