Travel nursing in Illinois
Stipend ceilings by area, compact license status, and every hospital guide in the state. Real numbers, with sources.
Housing stipend ceilings in Illinois
The most an agency can pay tax-free for housing is the GSA lodging rate × 7 nights. Cheapest: $791/wk (standard rate, every county not listed below, 109 hospitals). Most expensive: Chicago at $1,416/wk on average, $1,666/wk at peak.
| Area (county) | Housing /wk | Meals /wk | Hosp. |
|---|---|---|---|
Chicago Cook / Lake | $1,416 $1,036–$1,666 · peaks Apr, May, Jun | $644 | 54 |
East St. Louis / O'Fallon / Fairview Heights St. Clair | $1,092 flat all year | $602 | 3 |
Oakbrook Terrace DuPage | $861 flat all year | $560 | 8 |
Bolingbrook / Romeoville / Lemont Will | $833 flat all year | $518 | 3 |
Everywhere else Standard CONUS rate | $791 | $476 | 109 |
Got an offer? Decode it against the ceiling for your work ZIP and dates →
Illinois nursing license
Illinois: not a compact state. No pending NLC legislation. A multistate license from another state doesn't cover Illinois; you need a Illinois license by endorsement before you start.
Typical endorsement steps
- Apply for licensure by endorsement on the Illinois board of nursing's site.
- Verify your current license through Nursys (or your original board if it doesn't use Nursys).
- Complete the criminal background check and fingerprints if the board requires them.
- Ask whether a temporary license is available while the full application processes, and how long processing takes now.
Requirements and timelines vary. Illinois board contact details (NCSBN) →
Where can your license take you?
Source: NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact map, checked 2026-10-11. Covers RN/LPN compact licensure for the 50 states and DC. Confirm with the state board before you accept an assignment.
Charting systems in Illinois
Certified EHR reported to CMS by 161 of 177 hospitals (16 not reported, including VA hospitals). Know the system before day one.
- Epic94 · 58%
- MEDITECH23 · 14%
- Oracle Health22 · 14%
- TruBridge10 · 6%
- MEDHOST7 · 4%
- athenaOne3 · 2%
- Altera2 · 1%
Top travel-nurse markets in Illinois
- Chicago, IL
- Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center · Epic$1,416/wk
- Advocate Trinity Hospital · Epic$1,416/wk
- Amita Health Resurrection Medical Center · Epic$1,416/wk
- Ann & Robert H Lurie Childrens Hospital Of Chicago$1,416/wk
- Community First Medical Center$1,416/wk
- Holy Cross Hospital · Epic$1,416/wk
- Humboldt Park Health · MEDITECH Expanse$1,416/wk
- Insight Hospital And Medical Center Chicago$1,416/wk
- Jackson Park Hospital$1,416/wk
- John H Stroger Jr Hospital · Oracle Health (Cerner)$1,416/wk
- Loretto Hospital · MEDITECH MAGIC$1,416/wk
- Louis A Weiss Memorial Hospital · Oracle Health (Cerner)$1,416/wk
- Methodist Hospital Of Chicago · MEDITECH MAGIC$1,416/wk
- Mt Sinai Hospital Medical Center · Epic$1,416/wk
- Northwestern Memorial Hospital · Epic$1,416/wk
- Presence Saint Joseph Hospital - Chicago · Epic$1,416/wk
- Presence Saints Mary And Elizabeth Medical Center · Epic$1,416/wk
- Provident Hospital Of Chicago · Oracle Health (Cerner)$1,416/wk
- Roseland Community Hospital · MEDITECH 6.x$1,416/wk
- Saint Anthony Hospital$1,416/wk
- South Shore Hospital · MEDITECH Client/Server$1,416/wk
- St Bernard Hospital · MEDITECH Expanse$1,416/wk
- The University Of Chicago Medical Center · Epic$1,416/wk
- Thorek Memorial Hospital · MEDITECH MAGIC$1,416/wk
- University Of Illinois Hospital And Clinics · Epic$1,416/wk
Questions
- What is the maximum tax-free housing stipend in Illinois?
- Under GSA FY2027 rates it ranges from $791/week (the standard rate for counties not listed) to $1,666/week in Chicago at peak season. The meals and incidentals ceiling is $476/week or more depending on the area.
- Is Illinois a compact nursing license state?
- Not a compact state (No pending NLC legislation), per the NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact map checked 2026-10-11.
- How many hospitals are in Illinois?
- CMS lists 177 acute care, critical access, children's and VA/DoD hospitals in Illinois. TravelNurseMap has living guides for 25 of them in the top travel-nurse markets.
- What EHR do hospitals in Illinois use?
- Of the 161 Illinois hospitals that reported a certified EHR to CMS for 2023–2024, 58% use Epic, 14% use MEDITECH, 14% use Oracle Health. Each hospital guide shows its own system.