Registered Nurses salary in Rockford, IL
Median pay for registered nurses in Rockford, IL: $81,650/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $63,970 – $101,450 · about 4,290 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($80,810) by +$840 (+1%).
What it's really worth in Rockford
With Rockford's cost of living at 90 (US=100), that $81,650 has the buying power of about $90,555 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $63,834 · median home $221,368 · median rent $1,319/mo.
How Rockford ranks for this job
On raw pay, Rockford, IL is 82nd of the 187 metros we hold registered nurses wages for. Once Rockford's cost of living is applied, it ranks 54th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Rockford is one of the places where registered nurses gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Rockford
A median home in Rockford, IL costs $221,368 — about 2.7× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,319/mo works out at 19% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where registered nurses earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Rockford.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Rockford | Rent vs Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $187,080 | +129% | 1.8× |
| San Francisco, CA | $181,240 | +122% | 2.5× |
| San Jose, CA | $179,210 | +119% | 2.7× |
| Sacramento, CA | $157,810 | +93% | 1.7× |
Same job elsewhere in IL
| Metro | Median pay | vs Rockford | Rent vs Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $85,160 | +4% | 1.7× |
| Peoria, IL | $78,090 | −4% | 0.9× |
Staying in IL keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires registered nurses around Rockford
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Mercyhealth · Healthcare
- Swedish American Health System · Healthcare
- Rockford Public Schools · Education
Other jobs in Rockford
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.