Nearby state medians for CRNA work
The geographic comparison for Illinois is separate from its rank neighbors: these jurisdictions share land or river borders.
| Bordering jurisdiction | Annual median |
|---|---|
| Iowa | $273,070 |
| Kentucky | $222,520 |
| Missouri | $242,630 |
| Wisconsin | $273,170 |
Among the displayed bordering jurisdictions, Wisconsin has the highest listed median, $273,170; Kentucky has the lowest, $222,520. Illinois itself records $286,830.
Only bordering jurisdictions with an existing page and a usable median are displayed. Land and river borders count; open-water-only borders and corner-only contacts do not. These statewide estimates do not isolate a border town, commuting distance, local employer or specialty. Follow each state link for the original wage snapshot and its precision measures.
Illinois: turn the board note into offer questions
Illinois' APRN licensure statute requires an Illinois RN license and current national certification in the relevant APRN category. It also includes CRNA-specific alternative qualification provisions for some applicants without the usual graduate degree. Read the provision that fits your education and license history rather than applying a single generic education rule to every CRNA. Facility privileges still need their own review.
- Begin the offer conversation with the state board process described here and ask what evidence shows it is complete.
- Confirm that your intended duties and facility privileges fit the required practice arrangement.
- Separate an accepted offer from cleared onboarding: ask what remains, who handles it and which work is paid.
This note retains the state-specific information already cited on this CRNA page. It does not infer additional practice authority, compact eligibility, approvals or a completion date. The wage comparison and the board process answer different questions.
Median position and nearby ranks
The $286,830 CRNA median puts Illinois at rank 6 of 44 states with published medians in this project in this comparison.
Rank is one plus the number of published state medians higher than this median; tied values share a rank. Missing state estimates are excluded. This orders employee-wage midpoints, not job quality, purchasing power or the pay offered to a particular clinician.
The median comparison with the national BLS OEWS May 2025 CRNA median ($236,590) gives a $50,240 gap: Illinois is above by 21.24%.
Calculation: $286,830 minus $236,590 = $50,240; divide the absolute dollar difference by $236,590 and multiply by 100 for 21.24%.
The closest positions in the descending state list are shown below; at either end, both comparators are on the same side. These are rank neighbors, not necessarily geographic neighbors.
The median comparison with New Jersey (rank 5) ($291,350) gives a $4,520 gap: Illinois is below by 1.55%.
Calculation: $286,830 minus $291,350 = -$4,520; divide the absolute dollar difference by $291,350 and multiply by 100 for 1.55%.
The median comparison with Vermont (rank 7) ($283,060) gives a $3,770 gap: Illinois is above by 1.33%.
Calculation: $286,830 minus $283,060 = $3,770; divide the absolute dollar difference by $283,060 and multiply by 100 for 1.33%.
Source: the existing national CRNA guide and the linked state tables reproduce BLS OEWS May 2025 employee-wage estimates. Compare median with median; the national mean already discussed on this page remains a different statistic.
Illinois benchmarks by occupation
Illinois: physicians, all other — broad BLS category · Illinois: nurse practitioner pay — median $130,680 · Illinois: physician assistant pay — median $131,950 · Illinois: nurse anesthetist pay — median $286,830
These links hold geography constant while changing the occupation. The CRNA estimate on this page is not an interchangeable benchmark for another role. The physician link uses “physicians, all other,” a broad BLS category rather than a particular specialty average. Compare each published measure on its own terms; a difference between roles does not explain why employers pay differently.
The published wage benchmark
BLS reports an annual mean wage of $251,600 and annual median wage of $286,830 for nurse anesthetists in Illinois. The hourly mean is $120.96; the hourly median is $137.90. These are employee wage estimates, not quoted contract rates. Employment estimate: 1,140. That is an estimated job count, not open jobs or a count of available clinicians.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS area data
National comparison
The national mean for this occupation is $248,320. Compare it as a separate national benchmark, not a prediction of your offer.
What the Illinois numbers mean for a CRNA offer
Illinois's CRNA annual mean is $3,280 above the published national CRNA mean of $248,320, a 1.3% difference between employee-wage estimates. Its mean is $35,230 below its median. Mean and median are different measures, not the ends of a salary range. These are employee wage estimates, not offers or total compensation. BLS reports $251,600 as the annual mean for nurse anesthetists in Illinois, with $286,830 as the median. The wage relative standard error is 11.8%. RSE describes estimate precision, not the spread between individual offers. The employment estimate is 1,140 employee jobs, not current vacancies.
CRNA practice and first-shift checks in Illinois
Illinois' APRN licensure statute requires an Illinois RN license and current national certification in the relevant APRN category. It also includes CRNA-specific alternative qualification provisions for some applicants without the usual graduate degree. Read the provision that fits your education and license history rather than applying a single generic education rule to every CRNA. Facility privileges still need their own review.
- Confirm that the written duties fit your experience, practice arrangement and facility privileges.
- Identify the owner of each remaining board, credentialing and orientation step.
- Compare the actual paid schedule, expenses and coverage, not an assumed local market range.
What this data does and does not measure
OEWS includes full-time and part-time employees and does not include self-employed workers. Annual wage estimates generally use a 2,080-hour year; do not treat them as a part-time worker's actual yearly earnings. The mean is the average; the median is the midpoint. BLS publishes each rounded estimate separately, so use the published values rather than multiplying a rounded hourly wage. The occupation-level table does not provide a pay split for telemedicine, locum tenens, per diem or consulting. BLS uses the occupation name "Nurse Anesthetists" (SOC 29-1151). This CRNA guide uses that category, not anesthesiologists or anesthesia assistants.
Sources: BLS OEWS frequently asked questions
How precise is the estimate?
Employment relative standard error: 27.5%. Wage relative standard error: 11.8%. RSE measures estimate precision; a smaller RSE means a more precise survey estimate.
Pay is one part of the job
Ask what work is included, who owns onboarding and what has to clear before the first shift. Keep your licenses and credentials current in one Saile profile, then check the app for relevant work.
Turn a salary benchmark into a useful offer comparison
Start with the published mean and median above, then compare the actual work rather than treating a wage estimate as a guaranteed offer. For anesthesia work, ask about case mix, requested privileges, clinical backup, call duties and the facilities covered. A wage category does not determine your scope or readiness.
- Write down the patient scope, paid schedule, nights and call you are agreeing to cover.
- Ask which orientation, charting, messages, travel and administrative tasks are paid.
- Compare benefits, expenses, malpractice coverage, cancellation and exit terms beside the pay unit.
- Get the remaining licensing, privileges, orientation and system-access steps and their owners before committing a first shift.
Where to look and what to ask next
Check direct facility career pages and the Saile app for current opportunities. Search your role with the setting and schedule you want, such as temporary coverage, per diem or part-time. A published salary estimate is not evidence of a live vacancy. Ask the hiring team for the actual scope, dates and written terms before reserving your time.
Employee wages are not contractor take-home pay
The BLS figure excludes self-employed workers. For federal employment taxes, the IRS considers control and the relationship, not only the contract label. Self-employed individuals generally pay income and self-employment tax and may need estimated payments. Keep payment and expense records and take your actual arrangement to a tax professional; do not subtract a generic percentage and call it take-home pay.
Sources: IRS: Independent contractor or employee · IRS: Self-employed individuals tax center
Compare the work, not just the benchmark
Locum tenens
Compare case mix, call, clinical backup, paid hours, travel and written assignment terms.
Per diem / PRN
Confirm shift allocation, minimum commitments, cancellations and credentialing for the anesthesia setting.
Full-time / part-time
Compare actual paid schedule, benefits, call duties and anesthesia responsibilities with the employee wage benchmark.
Consulting / education
Match your expertise to a defined deliverable; check conflicts, permissions, deadlines and payment terms.
Salary questions
What is the average crna salary in Illinois?
The BLS May 2025 annual mean employee wage is $251,600. The annual median is $286,830. Mean and median measure different things.
Is this a locum, telemedicine or per-diem rate?
No. It is an occupation-level employee wage estimate. This source does not isolate those work types or self-employed contractor earnings.
Does the annual number show what a part-time clinician earns?
No. The annualized benchmark generally assumes 2,080 hours. Actual part-time annual earnings depend on paid hours and the specific agreement.
How current are these numbers?
The data period is May 2025, published May 15, 2026. A 2026 page date does not mean these are 2026 wages.
How should I compare a job offer?
Put the schedule and clinical duties beside pay, benefits, coverage, expenses and unpaid work. Use the BLS figure as a benchmark, not a promised offer.
Sources
- BLS May 2025 OEWS area data
- BLS OEWS frequently asked questions
- IRS: Independent contractor or employee
- IRS: Self-employed individuals tax center
- Official state board resource
Data period: May 2025. Published May 15, 2026.