Healthcare Recruiting
Illinois PA License 2026: Physician Assistant Requirements, Supervision, and Salary
Illinois physician assistants are licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). The state requires PA practice under physician supervision, though supervision agreement specifics are managed at the institutional level rather than through a mandatory state filing. Illinois's healthcare market is dominated by Chicago — one of the largest PA employment markets in the country — with a mix of academic medical centers, large community health systems, and rapid suburban growth.
Practice Model: Supervision Required
Illinois PAs must practice under physician supervision. The supervising physician relationship is typically documented through the employing hospital or practice credentialing process rather than a state-filed agreement. Large health systems (Northwestern, Rush, Advocate) have standardized supervision and credentialing frameworks in place.
- Supervision: Required; managed through institutional credentialing
- Prescriptive authority: Schedule III–V directly; Schedule II with written order in most settings
- On-site requirement: No mandatory on-site physician presence for routine PA practice
Application Requirements
- Active NCCPA certification
- Graduation from ARC-PA accredited program
- IDFPR application and $190 fee
- Background check
- DEA registration (separate)
Processing Timeline
The IDFPR processes complete PA applications in 6–10 weeks. Total time to practice-ready including DEA: approximately 8–10 weeks.
PA Salary in Illinois (2026)
| Setting | Median Base | Typical Sign-On |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital / Inpatient (Chicago) | $128,000 | $8,000–$20,000 |
| Surgical First-Assist | $140,000 | $10,000–$22,000 |
| Emergency Medicine | $135,000 | $8,000–$20,000 |
| Primary Care / Outpatient | $118,000 | $5,000–$12,000 |
| Downstate / Rural Illinois | $118,000 | $10,000–$22,000 |
Top PA Employers in Illinois
Northwestern Medicine (Chicago and suburbs) is the state's leading academic employer, offering subspecialty and research-affiliated PA roles across its flagship and community campuses. Rush University Medical Center (Chicago) recruits for high-acuity academic and surgical PA positions. University of Chicago Medicine operates the South Side academic health system. Advocate Health (post-Atrium merger — Lutheran General, Good Samaritan, Condell, and 10+ hospitals) is the largest community health system employer. NorthShore University HealthSystem covers the North Shore suburbs. OSF Healthcare and Carle Foundation anchor Downstate Illinois. Rural southern Illinois has NHSC-eligible shortage areas.
What We See at Ava Health
Chicago's academic PA market is among the most competitive nationally — Northwestern, Rush, and UChicago recruit nationally for subspecialty positions. Community hospital roles at Advocate and NorthShore are more accessible for new graduates but have significant supply from local PA programs (Midwestern, Rosalind Franklin, Northwestern). Downstate and rural Illinois offer notably larger sign-ons and NHSC eligibility relative to the Chicago metro.
Related: NP License Illinois 2026, PA Salary by State 2026, Healthcare Recruiting in Illinois 2026.
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