Healthcare Recruiting
Healthcare Recruiting in Illinois 2026: Top Employers, Pay, and Demand
Illinois combines a top-tier academic medical center pool in Chicago (Northwestern, Rush, UChicago, UIC, Loyola) with a massive community-hospital network via Advocate Aurora (the largest system in the Midwest) and significant rural shortage areas downstate.
Top Healthcare Employers in Illinois (2026)
| System | HQ | Employees | Hiring Focus 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advocate Aurora Health | Downers Grove | 45,000+ IL | Primary care, hospitalists, nursing, behavioral health |
| Northwestern Medicine | Chicago | 34,000+ | Academic subspecialties, research, oncology, transplant |
| Rush University Medical Center | Chicago | 11,000+ | Academic subspecialties, primary care |
| UChicago Medicine | Chicago | 12,000+ | Academic subspecialties, research, trauma |
| UI Health (Univ of Illinois) | Chicago | 6,000+ | Academic subspecialties, safety-net care |
| Endeavor Health (formerly NorthShore) | Evanston | 15,000+ | Primary care, cardiology, oncology |
| Loyola Medicine | Maywood | 6,000+ | Academic subspecialties, transplant |
| OSF HealthCare | Peoria | 24,000+ IL | Primary care, cardiology, rural coverage |
| Carle Health | Urbana | 15,000+ | Primary care, academic subspecialties |
| Memorial Health (Springfield) | Springfield | 4,000+ | Primary care, emergency medicine |
Illinois Salary Benchmarks (2026)
| Role | Chicago Metro | Downstate IL |
|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine | $282,000 | $295,000 |
| Internal Medicine | $290,000 | $305,000 |
| Hospitalist | $325,000 | $345,000 |
| General Cardiology | $515,000 | $555,000 |
| Interventional Cardiology | $645,000 | $695,000 |
| Psychiatry | $360,000 | $385,000 |
| Emergency Medicine | $385,000 | $400,000 |
| Orthopedic Surgery | $585,000 | $625,000 |
| OB/GYN | $352,000 | $370,000 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $120,000 | $112,000 |
| RN (ICU) | $98,000 | $84,000 |
| CRNA | $222,000 | $212,000 |
Downstate premium reflects rural shortage designation and less competition for physician pipeline.
Where the Demand Is Highest
Chicago (North Side, West Loop, South Side): Northwestern, Rush, UChicago, UIC all compete. Pay is tight at academics; Advocate Aurora pays better for same role in the suburbs.
Chicago Suburbs: Endeavor Health (formerly NorthShore) + Advocate aggressively recruit primary care and specialty for suburban outpatient sites. Strong sign-on bonuses.
Central IL (Peoria, Springfield, Champaign): OSF HealthCare, Carle Health, Memorial Health. Rural shortage loan repayment available. Competitive hospitalist and primary care demand.
Southern IL: Physician-shortage designations across most counties. SIU School of Medicine trains residents who often stay. HRSA loan repayment pairs with state programs.
Licensing Notes
- IL Dept of Financial & Professional Regulation processes physician licenses in 60-120 days
- IMLC member, expedited option available
- NP practice: IL grants full practice authority after 4,000 hours supervised (transition-to-full)
- eNLC member, out-of-state RNs practice immediately on multistate license
How Ava Health Helps IL Recruiters
Contact us for IL openings or opportunities matched to your specialty.
Hiring in this space?
Ava Health places physicians, nurses, and therapists nationwide
Permanent, locum, and travel placement. No fees to candidates.
Explore staffing services →Be on the launch list
Salary data, hiring plays, and market trends. We'll email you when issue 1 ships. Free, unsubscribe anytime.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We never share your email.