IL · Elgin · Updated October 15, 2026

ICU nurse jobs in Elgin, IL

The median registered nurse pay in the Elgin area is $46.38 per hour ($96,480 a year), with the typical range running from $39.10 to $50.35. 2 open roles with published pay are listed for Elgin. The CMS hospital directory lists 3 hospitals in Elgin. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Elgin.

Open ICU nurse roles in Elgin

PermanentPosted today

*Registered Nurse - ICU

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Elgin, IL

$43.00–$43.00/ hour
  • CONTRACTOR
  • Req 285146
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 7 days ago

Registered Nurse - ICU

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Elgin, IL

$35.35–$53.58/ hour
  • OTHER
  • Req 284916
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

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Registered Nurse pay in Elgin, IL

The metro median is 12% above the Illinois statewide median of $41.54 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.00 per hour. BLS counts about 100,620 registered nurses employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area, 22.5 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.06).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$34.65$72,07023% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$39.10$81,33013% below U.S. median
Median$46.38$96,4803% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$50.35$104,73012% above U.S. median
Top 10%$56.77$118,08026% above U.S. median

How Elgin ranks

  • 85th of 379 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 104th of 335 after adjusting for local prices
  • 1st of 7 Illinois metro areas

BLS does not publish a separate figure for ICU nurse. These numbers are for the broader category it belongs to, Registered Nurses.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Elgin

  • Overall prices in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin run 4% above the U.S. average (index 103.6, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 12% above the U.S. average (index 112.0).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $46.38 median hour buys what $44.77 buys at the national price level, 1% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Elgin paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,670
  • Per year: $83,484
  • Per month: $6,957

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Elgin

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$195
Meals and incidentals per day$92
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,009
13-week assignment$26,117

Travel ICU nurse assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Elgin

CMS lists 3 hospitals in Elgin, 2 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of ICU nurses.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Advocate Sherman Hospital
Elgin, IL
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Saint Joseph Hospital-Elgin
Elgin, IL
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Elgin Mental Health Center
Elgin, IL
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedYes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in Kane County

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Kane County (1 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 19 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Registered Nurse pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Aurora, IL19 mi$46.38/hr180,710
Des Plaines, IL22 mi$46.38/hr58,832

ICU nurse jobs in Illinois · ICU nurse jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Illinois

Illinois is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact as of October 15, 2026, so a nurse licensed elsewhere applies to the Illinois board for a license by endorsement before working here.

Illinois taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Illinois state guide · Nurse Licensure Compact guide

Other healthcare roles in Elgin

Elgin city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do ICU nurses make in Elgin, IL?

BLS reports pay for registered nurses overall, not by specialty. Registered Nurses in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area have a median pay of $46.38 per hour, about $96,480 a year. The middle half earn between $39.10 and $50.35 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Elgin a good place for ICU nurses once cost of living is counted?

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin ranks 104th of 335 metro areas for registered nurse pay after adjusting for local prices, and 85th of 379 before adjusting. Overall prices run 4% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring ICU nurses in Elgin?

We list 2 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in Elgin. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Elgin.

Do I need a Illinois license to work in Elgin as an ICU nurse?

Illinois is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact as of October 15, 2026, so a nurse licensed elsewhere applies to the Illinois board for a license by endorsement before working here. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Elgin in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 1 active primary care shortage designation that include Kane County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Elgin?

The federal per diem benchmark in Elgin is $195 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,009 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place ICU nurses in Elgin?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Elgin and across Illinois. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Elgin.

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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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    What they are offering now

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · RN near Elgin, IL
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your RN pay reportElgin, IL · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Veterans Health AdministrationMarion, IL · 9 postings$55.15/ hr$33–$72
  • Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of ChicagoSkokie, IL · 2 postings$47.70/ hr$36–$59
  • ScionHealthNorthlake, IL · 2 postings$47.55/ hr$36–$59
  • Insight Chicago, Inc.Chicago, IL · 3 wage offers$47.00/ hr$47–$47

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.

2What they are offering now

Low$34Median$42.69High$54

525 RN postings with published pay in Illinois, 373 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 525 RN roles

  1. Internal Registry RN - Psych AcutePermanent
    $60.00–$60.00/ hour
    Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Chicago, IL · posted today
  2. Registered Nurse, Patient Navigator - Full TimePermanent
    $38.80–$60.14/ hour
    Mercy · Illinois · posted today

+ 523 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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