Illinois requires a minimum of 120 hours of IDPH-approved CNA training — one of the higher minimums in the Midwest — split between classroom instruction and supervised clinical practice in a long-term care setting. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) maintains the state's Health Care Worker Registry, which covers not only CNAs but also nursing home administrators and other healthcare workers — a broader registry than the nurse aide-only systems used by most states. What makes Illinois uniquely distinctive is its exam administrator: the CNA competency exam is administered by SIU School of Medicine (Southern Illinois University), not Prometric or Pearson VUE as in nearly every other state. Illinois CNAs earn $30,000–$38,000 annually, with Chicago metro employers consistently paying above the state average. Illinois offers free reciprocity — there is no fee to transfer a CNA certification from another state — and the state does not require re-testing for candidates with valid out-of-state credentials in good standing. With over 50,000 working CNAs across the state, the Chicago metropolitan area — home to Northwestern Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Advocate Aurora Health, and the University of Chicago Medicine — is by far the largest job market.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Northern Illinois suburbs — including Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Elgin, and Waukegan — represent a large secondary CNA market serving Chicago's suburban population. Advocate Aurora Health dominates the northern and western suburbs, with major facilities at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital (Downers Grove), Advocate Sherman Hospital (Elgin), and Advocate Condell Medical Center (Libertyville). Northwestern Medicine has a major suburban presence at Delnor Hospital (Geneva) and Kishwaukee Hospital (DeKalb). Edward-Elmhurst Health, a major independent system, operates Edward Hospital (Naperville) and Elmhurst Hospital. Waukegan and Lake County are served by Vista Medical Center and Advocate Condell. Aurora CNA training is available at Waubonsee Community College, which offers an IDPH-approved program at competitive tuition. Many suburban long-term care facilities — particularly in Will County (Joliet) and DuPage County (Naperville/Wheaton) — actively recruit new CNAs and sometimes offer sponsored training. Suburban CNAs typically earn $14.50–$18/hour depending on setting and employer.
Central Illinois is anchored by Springfield (the state capital) and Peoria, which together form the largest healthcare markets outside the Chicago metro. HSHS St. John's Hospital and Memorial Medical Center are the dominant employers in Springfield, along with multiple long-term care facilities serving the state government workforce and surrounding communities. Springfield is home to Lincoln Land Community College, which offers an IDPH-approved CNA program. The SIU School of Medicine — which administers the Illinois CNA exam — is headquartered in Springfield, so candidates in Central Illinois are particularly close to testing and administrative resources. Peoria is served by OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center (the largest employer in central Illinois) and UnityPoint Health Methodist. Illinois Central College in Peoria offers CNA training. CNA salaries in Central Illinois are lower than Chicago — typically $13–$16/hour — but cost of living is significantly more affordable, and many facilities offer sign-on bonuses or tuition reimbursement to attract candidates.
Southern Illinois — the region south of I-70, including Carbondale, Marion, Belleville, and the Metro East St. Louis area — has a smaller but active CNA job market driven primarily by rural critical access hospitals, long-term care facilities, and the large Veteran population in the region. Herrin Hospital and Memorial Hospital of Carbondale (both part of SIH Health) are major employers. HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital and HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital serve the Belleville/O'Fallon Metro East area. Southern Illinois University Carbondale and John A. Logan College in Carterville offer healthcare training programs, though CNA program availability varies by semester. Many southern Illinois CNAs cross the border into Missouri (St. Louis metro) for higher-wage employment, and Illinois' free reciprocity makes it easy for CNAs to hold active registries in multiple states simultaneously. The IDPH also maintains a list of approved programs in this region, updated quarterly.
Rockford is Illinois' third-largest city and a significant standalone CNA market. OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center and SwedishAmerican Hospital (a division of UW Health) are the anchor healthcare employers, along with a growing network of long-term care facilities serving Winnebago County's aging population. Rock Valley College in Rockford offers an IDPH-approved CNA program with multiple start dates per year. Western Illinois — including Galesburg, Quad Cities (Rock Island/Moline), and Bloomington-Normal — is served by OSF HealthCare (which operates multiple western Illinois facilities), UnityPoint Health, and Carle Health. CNA jobs in Bloomington, IL have seen strong demand growth due to Illinois State University's affiliated healthcare network. Black Hawk College in Moline offers CNA training serving the Quad Cities region, and many programs in this area maintain active employer partnerships that facilitate job placement upon certification.
Visit the IDPH website (dph.illinois.gov) to search the official list of approved nurse aide training programs by county or zip code. Illinois has hundreds of IDPH-approved programs statewide. Verify the program appears on the current IDPH-approved list before enrolling — programs not on the list cannot submit candidates to SIU School of Medicine for the competency exam.
Complete a TB test (PPD or chest X-ray), physical examination, hepatitis B vaccination series (or signed declination), and CPR/BLS certification. Initiate the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check through IdentoGO — this can take 2–4 weeks and must be complete before you can begin clinical placement. Gather required immunization records (MMR, varicella, flu) per facility requirements.
Attend your IDPH-approved program: minimum 80 hours of classroom instruction and 40 hours of supervised clinical practice. Topics include basic nursing skills, resident rights, infection control, anatomy, personal care, mental health, and safety procedures. Illinois programs range from intensive 3–4 week daytime tracks to 10–12 week evening and weekend formats. Most programs cost $800–$2,500 at community colleges; some employer-sponsored programs are free.
Your training program submits your completion record to IDPH, which authorizes SIU School of Medicine to schedule your exam. Contact SIU Medicine's testing program directly (siusom.edu) to register. The combined fee is approximately $60–$80 for both written and clinical skills components. Testing sites are available statewide, including Chicago metro, Springfield, Peoria, and Rockford.
Complete the SIU-administered written knowledge test (multiple-choice, 90 minutes, 70% passing score) and the clinical skills evaluation (5 randomly selected skills, all must pass). Candidates who fail one component can retake it within 24 months of training completion. Use free CNA practice resources to prepare for the skills evaluation, which is graded on a standardized checklist.
After passing both exam components, IDPH processes your registry listing within 2–4 weeks. You can verify your registry status at dph.illinois.gov. Provide your registry confirmation number to your employer before beginning paid nursing work. Keep your address current with IDPH to receive renewal notices — the registry is tied to your identity and background check on file.
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:
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.