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Nurses aspiring to dramatically improve their career advancement opportunities, enter into specialized fields, and earn top dollar in their field, are encouraged to purse a MSN degree in Illinois. In 2014, the United States Department of Labor reported that BSN registered nurses in Illinois earned an average annual salary of $68,030. Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Employment Security found the following MSN nursing positions received much higher average annual salaries:
- Nurse Anesthetists: $146,464
- Nurse Midwives: $89,736
- Nurse Practitioners: $90,479
Biggest Employment Epicenter for MSN-Educated Nurses in Illinois
In order to gain better access to high-salaried positions, MSN nurses should consider starting their initial job searches in the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville area. In 2014, the United States Department of Labor recognized this urban powerhouse as one of the leading geographic employers of MSN nurses in the nation. For example:
- The Chicago-Joliet-Naperville division held the fourth highest employment level of postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers and nurse practitioners among all metropolitan areas in the country. Postsecondary nursing instructors and teachers working here earned an average annual salary of $66,500, while nurse practitioners took home an average annual salary of $92,130.
- The Chicago-Joliet-Naperville division also held the sixth highest employment level of nurse midwives compared to all other metropolitan areas in the country. This region offered nurse midwives an average annual salary of $86,230.
The Relationship Between Experience and Pay for MSN-Educated Nurses in Illinois
Once nurses enter into a higher salary bracket upon earning a MSN degree in Illinois, they can continue to achieve even greater financial success through experience. In 2014, the Illinois Department of Economic Security published salary statistics that indicate many local employers are willing to pay experienced MSN nurses twice the salary amount given to those just starting out. For example:
Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers
- Entry-Level: $34,655
- Mid-Career: $61,601
- Experienced: $78,905
Nurse Anesthetists
- Entry-Level: $69,946
- Mid-Career: $146,464
- Experienced: $177,979
Nurse Midwives
- Entry-Level: $64,680
- Mid-Career: $89,736
- Experienced: $100,496
Nurse Practitioners
- Entry-Level: $56,708
- Mid-Career: $90,479
- Experienced: $99,763
By contrast, here were the experience-based salary average for registered nurses in that same year:
Registered Nurses
- Entry-Level: $48,436
- Mid-Career: $66,081
- Experienced: $77,826
An Analysis of Nurse Anesthetist Salaries in Illinois
Geographic location of employment can dramatically affect nurse anesthetist salaries in Illinois. For example, the federal government reported that in 2014 nurse anesthetists working in Bloomington-Normal area earned an average annual salary of $93,050, while those practicing in the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville metropolitan division were paid an average annual salary closer to $120,700:
Salaries for Nurse-Midwives in Illinois
Nurse midwife salaries can even differ within a specific region in Illinois. In 2014, the United States Department of Labor provided the data table featured below to reveal a comprehensive analysis of nurse midwife salaries throughout the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville area in 2014:
Salaries for Nurse Practitioners in Illinois’ Metropolitan and Non-metro Areas
The United State Department of Labor’s analysis of nurse practitioner salaries across major metropolitan and nonmetropolitan regions within Illinois in 2014 is presented in the following spreadsheet: