CNA in Illinois 2026: Training, Certification, Salary, and Requirements
Illinois CNA guide: 120-hour IDPH training, SIU Medicine exam, IDPH Health Care Worker Registry, free reciprocity, salary $30K–$38K, top Chicago employers.
Illinois Key Facts and Figures
Illinois Important Details
Illinois requires a minimum of 120 hours of training at an IDPH-approved nurse aide training program — higher than the federal 75-hour minimum and above many neighboring states. At least 80 hours must be classroom or lab instruction covering basic nursing skills, anatomy and physiology, infection control, resident rights, mental health and social service needs, personal care, safety, and emergency procedures. The remaining 40 hours must be supervised clinical practice in an IDPH-approved long-term care facility. Programs are offered at community colleges, vocational schools, Red Cross chapters, hospitals, and nursing homes across Illinois. The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) oversees many of these programs at the state's 48 community colleges.
- Classroom Instruction: Minimum 80 hours
- Clinical Training: Minimum 40 hours supervised
- Clinical Setting: IDPH-approved long-term care facility
- Background Check: Required before clinical placement
Illinois uses the SIU School of Medicine (Southern Illinois University School of Medicine) to administer the CNA competency exam — making Illinois one of a very small number of states that does not use Prometric or Pearson VUE. This arrangement is unique in the country. The written knowledge test consists of multiple-choice questions covering all areas of basic nursing care. The clinical skills evaluation tests 5 randomly selected skills from the IDPH skills checklist, with each skill graded on a pass/fail basis. Candidates must pass both components within 24 months of training completion. Testing sites are located throughout Illinois, with the highest concentration in the Chicago metro and Central Illinois.
- Written Exam: Multiple-choice, 90 minutes
- Skills Evaluation: 5 randomly selected skills
- Passing Score: 70% written; all 5 skills passed
- Exam Fee: ~$60–$80 total
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) manages the Health Care Worker Registry — which is broader than a standard nurse aide registry because it includes CNAs, healthcare workers in long-term care, day training facilities, and other settings. This is a meaningful distinction: IDPH, not the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) or the Board of Nursing, controls CNA certification in Illinois. The Background Check Act (225 ILCS 46) requires all healthcare workers, including CNAs, to pass a criminal background check before being listed on the registry. CNAs must renew every 24 months by demonstrating 8 hours of paid nursing-related work and completing 12 hours of annual in-service training.
- Registry Name: IL Health Care Worker Registry
- Who It Covers: CNAs + other healthcare workers
- Managed By: IDPH (not Board of Nursing)
- Renewal Required: Every 24 months
Illinois imposes a mandatory criminal background check under the Health Care Worker Background Check Act (225 ILCS 46) for all applicants seeking to work as CNAs in licensed healthcare facilities. This fingerprint-based background check is processed through IdentoGO (formerly Fieldprint) and sent to the Illinois State Police and FBI. Unlike some states where a background check is conducted only by employers, Illinois mandates IDPH-level registry screening — meaning candidates with disqualifying convictions will be denied registry listing regardless of employer preference. Candidates should initiate the background check early in their training to avoid delays between program completion and exam scheduling.
- Authority: Illinois Department of Public Health
- Fingerprinting: Required via IdentoGO/Fieldprint
- Processing Time: 2–4 weeks typical
- Disqualifying Factors: Per IDPH prohibited offenses list
Illinois Detailed Breakdown
Chicago and Cook County is Illinois' dominant CNA job market by a wide margin, with hundreds of approved training programs and a massive concentration of healthcare employers. The top employers in the region include Northwestern Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Advocate Aurora Health (headquartered in Downers Grove, with major Chicago facilities), University of Chicago Medicine, and Loyola Medicine (Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood). Chicago is also home to Cook County Health, which operates Stroger Hospital and Provident Hospital and is a major public-sector CNA employer. Training programs are widely available at community colleges including Olive-Harvey College, Richard J. Daley College, Malcolm X College, and Kennedy-King College — all part of the City Colleges of Chicago system, which offers IDPH-approved CNA programs at heavily subsidized tuition rates, often under $1,000. The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago also runs frequent CNA training sessions. Chicago CNAs earn $15–$19/hour in most settings, with hospital system CNAs — particularly at Northwestern and Rush — reaching $18–$22/hour for experienced staff.
Illinois Costs and Pricing
Illinois Step-by-Step Process
Find an IDPH-Approved Training Program
Meet Prerequisites and Health Requirements
Complete 120 Hours of IDPH-Approved Training
Register for the SIU School of Medicine Exam
Pass Both Exam Components
Obtain IDPH Health Care Worker Registry Listing
Illinois Essential Checklist
Illinois CNA Reciprocity — Free ($0 Fee), No Retesting
Illinois offers one of the most accessible CNA reciprocity processes in the country: there is no fee ($0) to transfer your CNA certification to Illinois from another state. This is a significant advantage over states that charge $25–$75 for reciprocity applications. Out-of-state CNAs with a valid, unencumbered nurse aide certification can apply directly through the IDPH Health Care Worker Registry without retesting, as long as their current certification is in good standing and they have no substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation on any state registry.
The reciprocity process involves:
- Step 1: Obtain a letter of good standing from your current state's nurse aide registry
- Step 2: Complete the IDPH reciprocity application (available at dph.illinois.gov)
- Step 3: Submit proof of training program completion
- Step 4: Complete the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check (225 ILCS 46)
- Processing time: 4–8 weeks — generally faster than most states
- Fee: $0 — Illinois does not charge a reciprocity application fee
Note that while there is no reciprocity fee, the background check through IdentoGO does have a fingerprinting cost (approximately $40–$60). Illinois does not participate in a multi-state CNA compact, so each state must be registered separately. See the full CNA reciprocity guide for complete state-by-state requirements.
Illinois Advantages and Disadvantages
- +Free reciprocity ($0 fee) — one of the most accessible transfer processes nationally
- +SIU School of Medicine exam is well-supported with resources specific to Illinois test content
- +Chicago metro offers one of the largest CNA job markets in the Midwest
- +Northwestern Medicine, Rush, and Advocate Aurora offer strong benefits and career ladder programs
- +Illinois minimum wage increases ($15/hr by 2025) benefit CNA pay floors statewide
- +City Colleges of Chicago offer IDPH-approved programs under $1,000 — among the most affordable
- +IDPH Health Care Worker Registry covers broader healthcare roles — more career flexibility
- +Strong SEIU Healthcare Illinois/Indiana presence in Chicago raises wages at major facilities
- +CNA to RN bridge programs available at multiple community colleges and universities
- −120-hour minimum is higher than the federal 75-hour floor — takes longer to certify
- −SIU School of Medicine exam is less familiar to out-of-state candidates than Prometric/Pearson VUE
- −IDPH Background Check Act requires IdentoGO fingerprinting — adds 2–4 weeks and ~$40–$60 cost
- −Downstate CNA salaries ($13–$15/hr) are significantly below Chicago metro wages
- −Chicago cost of living can offset higher wages — housing costs consume a large share of take-home pay
- −IDPH registry processing can take 2–4 weeks after passing exams
- −Annual 12-hour in-service requirement adds ongoing training obligation compared to some states
- −Illinois' broader HCWR registry means more administrative complexity for workers across multiple settings
CNA in Illinois Questions and Answers
About the Author
Registered Nurse & Healthcare Educator
Johns Hopkins University School of NursingDr. Sarah Mitchell is a board-certified registered nurse with over 15 years of clinical and academic experience. She completed her PhD in Nursing Science at Johns Hopkins University and has taught NCLEX preparation and clinical skills courses for nursing students across the United States. Her research focuses on evidence-based exam preparation strategies for healthcare certification candidates.