Clinical Nurse Leader Salary in Chicago, Illinois

How much does a Clinical Nurse Leader make in Chicago, IL?

As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Clinical Nurse Leader in Chicago, IL is $133,005. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $109,302 to a high of $160,367, with most professionals earning between $120,598 and $147,327.

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Salary range for a Clinical Nurse Leader

$120,598 to $147,327

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What is a Clinical Nurse Leader?

Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) is a relatively new nursing role that was developed in the United States to prepare highly skilled nurses focused on the improvement of quality and safety outcomes for patients or patient populations. The CNL is a registered nurse, with a Master of Science in Nursing who has completed advanced nursing coursework, including classes in pathophysiology, clinical assessment, finance management, epidemiology, healthcare systems leadership, clinical informatics, and pharmacology. CNLs are healthcare systems specialists that oversee patient care coordination, assess health...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 09/06/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Clinical Nurse Leader in Chicago, IL

What does a Clinical Nurse Leader do?

Common responsibilities of a Clinical Nurse Leader

Develops and documents plan of care, treatment and services which is individualized and appropriate for the patient needs, strengths, limitations and goals.

October 11, 2022

Demonstrates clinical and operational leadership skills and is able to organize, manage, and evaluate the function of the team and foster a safe environment for staff and patients.

January 12, 2023

Supports staff in autonomous problem solving regarding unit based and patient care issues including the application of evidence based information.

January 20, 2023

Maintains open communication with managers whose departments provide support services to the clinical area in order to ensure the appropriate level of service at all times.

January 26, 2023

Assists Nurse Manager in developing, justifying and implementing the long-term staffing pattern, personnel needs, budget negotiation and recruitment plan.

February 12, 2023

Participates in the collection and analysis of patient care outcomes to improve quality, safety and experience for patients.

April 08, 2023

Provides team leadership, management and collaboration with other health professional team members to improve patient care to work together to continually challenge and improve processes, systems, and create highly reliable teams.

April 22, 2023

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Clinical Nurse Leader Salary By Experience Levels in Chicago, IL

How much should you be earning in Clinical Nurse Leader in Chicago, IL based on your current experience?

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RELEVANT JOB EXPERIENCE

Length of experience is a pay differentiator. Those with greater experience may have an advantage in negotiating salary. For those with less experience, other factors such as education or special skills could impact your pay. Please visit Professional Salary Report for more details.

Clinical Nurse Leader Salary By Level of Education in Chicago, IL

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LEVEL OF EDUCATION

Depending on the job, educational levels may have a significant impact on pay levels. Be informed and understand how things like education and certifications can help to increase potential earnings for the career you are interested in. Please visit Professional Salary Report for more details.

Average Salary Range for Clinical Nurse Leader in Chicago, IL

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

120598

147327

133005

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

120840

147687

133245

What is the average salary for Clinical Nurse Leader in 2025?

These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Clinical Nurse Leader in Chicago, IL. The base salary for Clinical Nurse Leader ranges from $120,598 to $147,327 with the average base salary of $133,005. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $120,840 to $147,687 with the average total cash compensation of $133,245.

View Average Salary for Clinical Nurse Leader as table

	Average Salary	Average Salary Range
Base Salary	$133,005	$120,598 - $147,327
Bonus	$240	$242 - $359
Total Pay	$133,245	$120,840 - $147,687

* Base Salary represents gross income before taxes and deductions. It does not include additional pay such as benefits, bonuses, profit sharing or commissions.

* Total Pay combines base salary, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job.

Clinical Nurse Leader Salary Near Chicago, IL

CITY, STATE	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE	COMPARE TO Chicago, IL
CITY, STATE Cicero, IL	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $120,598 - $147,327	COMPARE TO Chicago, IL 0%
CITY, STATE Oak Park, IL	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $120,598 - $147,327	COMPARE TO Chicago, IL 0%
CITY, STATE Oak Lawn, IL	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $120,458 - $147,156	COMPARE TO Chicago, IL
CITY, STATE Evanston, IL	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $120,552 - $147,270	COMPARE TO Chicago, IL
CITY, STATE Skokie, IL	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $120,552 - $147,270	COMPARE TO Chicago, IL
CITY, STATE Arlington Heights, IL	AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $118,078 - $144,248	COMPARE TO Chicago, IL

See salaries for Clinical Nurse Leader in locations close to Chicago, IL. Pay for the same job may vary based on the location and on the location and on other factors such as the size of company, the industry, and other local conditions.

About Chicago, Illinois

Chicago (/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ (listen), locally also /-ˈkɔː-/), officially the City of Chicago, is the most populous city in Illinois, as well as the third most populous city in the United States. With an estimated population of 2,716,450 (2017), it is the most populous city in the Midwest. Chicago is the principal city of the Chicago metropolitan area, often referred to as Chicagoland, and the county seat of Cook County, the second most populous county in the United States. The metropolitan area, at nearly 10 million people, is the third-largest in the United States, and the fourth largest in North A...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/11/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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The Clinical Nurse Leader job could be listed using titles that are not exactly the same, but actually are for the same or very similar job. Here are some job titles in Chicago, IL that might be a good fit for the type of job and salary you are looking for.

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