Registered Nurse Operating Room Jobs in Illinois

Registered Nurse Operating Room jobs in Illinois are in strong and consistent demand, concentrated across hospital systems, academic medical centers, and surgical specialty practices, with openings at every level from new graduate perioperative nurses through senior scrub RNs and OR charge nurses. The busiest hiring markets are Chicago, Peoria, and Springfield, where major employers like Northwestern Medicine, Advocate Aurora Health, and OSF HealthCare maintain large surgical programs. The most sought-after specialties in Illinois OR settings include cardiac, orthopedic, and robotic-assisted surgical nursing. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles87
Top employerAmerican Traveler
Top cityChicago, IL
Cities hiring34
Work type100% On-site
Top industryHealthcare

Showing 5 of 87+ Registered Nurse Operating Room jobs

Advocate Aurora Health
Registered Nurse (RN) Operating Room
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Advocate Aurora Health
Added 1d ago
Registered Nurse (RN) Operating Room
Advocate Aurora Health
Libertyville, Illinois
Healthcare Administration
Nursing
Patient Services & Wellbeing
$38.2 - $57.3/hr
BLS Certification
10,000+

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White Glove Placement, Inc.
RN Operating Room
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White Glove Placement, Inc.
Added 1d ago
RN Operating Room
White Glove Placement, Inc.
Chicago, Illinois
Healthcare Administration
Nursing
Patient Services & Wellbeing
NRP Certification
1,001-5,000

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BJC HealthCare
Assistant Nurse Manager Operating Room
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BJC HealthCare
Added 1d ago
Assistant Nurse Manager Operating Room
BJC HealthCare
Belleville, Illinois
Communications
Content & Communications
Public Relations (PR)
$84k - $128k.2/yr
Managed Registered Nurses (RNs)
10,000+

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SCA Health
Registered Nurse Operating Room II - Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery
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SCA Health
Added 1d ago
Registered Nurse Operating Room II - Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery
SCA Health
Mokena, Illinois
Healthcare Administration
Nursing
Patient Services & Wellbeing
$35 - $45/hr
PALS Certification
10,000+

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T
RN - Cardiovascular Operating Room (CVOR)
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T
Added 1d ago
RN - Cardiovascular Operating Room (CVOR)
Trital Care
Rockford, Illinois
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
Robotics Engineering

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See All 87 Registered Nurse Operating Room Jobs in Illinois

Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Registered Nurse Operating Room Jobs by City in Illinois

Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Chicago
23 jobs
Rockford
8 jobs
Carbondale
5 jobs
Oak Lawn
4 jobs
Springfield
4 jobs
Mokena
3 jobs
Libertyville
3 jobs
Downers Grove
3 jobs
Elk Grove Village
3 jobs

Registered Nurse Operating Room Job Market in Illinois

A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

  • American Traveler
    American Traveler12
  • Advocate Aurora Health
    Advocate Aurora Health8
  • UChicago Medicine
    UChicago Medicine7
  • Endeavor Health
    Endeavor Health6
  • SCA Health
    SCA Health5

Top Industries Hiring

  • Healthcare & Medical Services14
  • Technology & Software1
  • Transportation & Logistics1
  • Consulting & Professional Services1

What Illinois Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in registered nurse operating room jobs across Illinois.

  • Active Illinois RN license issued or recognized by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
  • Current BLS certification and ACLS certification required by most Illinois surgical employers
  • Minimum one to two years of perioperative or OR nursing experience for most positions
  • CNOR certification preferred or required for senior and charge RN roles in Illinois
  • Demonstrated scrub and circulating experience across multiple surgical specialties
  • Ability to work rotating shifts including weekends and on-call as required by Illinois hospitals

Registered Nurse Operating Room Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a registered nurse operating room in Illinois?

You become a registered nurse operating room in Illinois by first earning an Associate Degree in Nursing or Bachelor of Science in Nursing, passing the NCLEX-RN, and obtaining an active RN license through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. From there, most Illinois hospitals require completion of a perioperative nursing orientation or new-grad OR residency program before independent practice in the surgical suite.

How much do registered nurse operating rooms make in Illinois?

Registered nurse operating rooms in Illinois earn a median of about $95,990 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $69,170 for the lowest 10% to over $118,190 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire registered nurse operating rooms in Illinois?

Employers hiring registered nurse operating rooms in Illinois right now include American Traveler, Advocate Aurora Health, and UChicago Medicine, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Illinois's large integrated health systems operate multiple surgical campuses across the state, creating ongoing OR nursing demand well beyond the Chicago metro.

Which Illinois cities have the most registered nurse operating room jobs?

Chicago, Rockford, and Carbondale have the most registered nurse operating room openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates due to its concentration of Level I trauma centers and academic medical systems, while Peoria and Springfield reflect the large regional health systems, including OSF HealthCare and HSHS Medical Group, that anchor surgical services in central and downstate Illinois.

Are there remote registered nurse operating room jobs in Illinois?

Yes, but they're rare. Registered nurse operating room work is hands-on and conducted entirely in a sterile surgical environment, making true remote roles nearly nonexistent. About 0% of registered nurse operating room openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to be perioperative case management or surgical utilization review roles rather than direct OR nursing.

How can I get hired as a registered nurse operating room in Illinois with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is applying directly to perioperative new-graduate residency programs, which Northwestern Medicine, Advocate Aurora Health, and OSF HealthCare run on a rolling or cohort basis across Illinois. These programs accept newly licensed RNs with no OR background and provide structured scrub and circulator training. Candidates who hold CNOR candidacy status or have completed a perioperative clinical rotation gain a measurable edge in Illinois hiring.

Where can I find and apply to registered nurse operating room jobs in Illinois?

You can find and apply to registered nurse operating room jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings across hospital systems, surgical centers, and specialty practices. Find the roles that fit your experience and location and apply directly.

See All 87 Registered Nurse Operating Room Jobs in Illinois

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