From 1 posting, the employer’s site and nurse reviews · Employer research Aug 25, 2026Sources
The short version
You would be stepping into Northwestern Medicine, the academic health system around this Chicago campus. Nursing jobs are advertised at hundreds of Illinois locations, and nine of the hospitals hold Magnet designation.
Employer research, Aug 25, 2026
You start in the New Graduate Nurse Residency Program, which mixes education, hands-on work, and a mentor as you move toward independent practice.
For new gradsSources
As of 2026Source: jobs.nm.orgYou would be working in an academic health system where nine hospitals hold Magnet designation and nursing jobs are posted at hundreds of Illinois sites.
For experienced nursesSources
As of 2026Source: jobs.nm.orgIf you are a Northwestern Medicine employee, the careers page lists $10,000 a year in tuition reimbursement and $10,000 in student loan repayment, or about half those amounts if you work part-time.
For experienced nursesSources
As of 2026Source: jobs.nm.org
Who it fits
Best fit
- New grads: Nurse residency: New Graduate Nurse Residency Program
Nursing here
- Nurse residency
New Graduate Nurse Residency Program
Northwestern University · employer research
Sources
As of 2026Source: jobs.nm.org- Preceptors and orientation
New graduate residency includes professional mentorship intended to support transition to independent practice.
Northwestern University · employer research
Sources
As of 2026Source: jobs.nm.org- Career development
NM cites professional/academic growth and a shared decision-making model giving nurses an active voice; student nurse intern/extern program (summer 2027 apps open Dec 2026).
Northwestern University · employer research
Sources
As of 2026Source: jobs.nm.org- Tuition support
$10,000 tuition reimbursement per year ($5,700 part-time)
Northwestern University · employer research
Sources
As of 2026Source: jobs.nm.org- Loan assistance
$10,000 student loan repayment ($5,000 part-time)
Northwestern University · employer research
Sources
As of 2026Source: jobs.nm.org- Charting system
Epic
From employer postings
- Floating
Optional Internal Agency Nursing Team float pool providing care at all Northwestern Medicine hospitals on a rotating basis.
Northwestern University · employer research
Sources
As of 2026Source: jobs.nm.org
Benefits
$10,000 tuition reimbursement per year ($5,700 part-time), $10,000 student loan repayment ($5,000 part-time), and $1,000 professional development per year ($500 part-time) for Northwestern Medicine employees; these figures may not apply to Northwestern University research-nurse roles.
Published pay and benefits
- Sign-on bonus
$10,000 sign-on bonus for night-shift Respiratory Care Practitioner at NM Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital
As of 2026
- Relocation
Relocation bonuses referenced for Respiratory Care Practitioner roles at NM Lake Forest; amount not stated
As of 2026
- Benefits
$10,000 tuition reimbursement per year ($5,700 part-time) for Northwestern Medicine employees
As of 2026
Sources
- Benefits
$10,000 student loan repayment ($5,000 part-time) for Northwestern Medicine employees
As of 2026
Sources
- Benefits
$1,000 professional development per year ($500 part-time) for Northwestern Medicine employees
As of 2026
Sources
The units
System-wide nursing (Northwestern Medicine)
NM says nursing jobs exist at hundreds of Illinois sites and that nine hospitals hold Magnet designation.
Sources
Source location unconfirmedSource: jobs.nm.orgInternal Agency / system float pool
NM Internal Agency Nursing Team is a float pool rotating across all Northwestern Medicine hospitals.
Sources
Source location unconfirmedSource: jobs.nm.org
What nurses say
Themes from public reviews
Summaries of published reviews, with the original sources.
- Overall Glassdoor recommendation
- Northwestern Medicine sits at 3.8 from about 3,029 reviews, with 69% saying they would recommend the employer and 68% seeing a positive outlook.
Sources
- Registered nurse ratings vs company overall
- RN-tagged reviews are stronger: 4.0 overall, 76% would recommend, and 77% positive outlook across 240 nurse reviews.
Sources
As of 2026Source: glassdoor.com- Large site-to-site rating gap
- McHenry IL reviews drop to 3.5 with only 39% recommending and 51% positive outlook (37 reviews), well below the system average.
Sources
As of 2026Source: glassdoor.com
More review themes
- Demographic rating disparities
- Glassdoor scores are lower for Black staff (3.6), women (3.6), LGBTQ+ (3.0), disabled employees (3.0), caregivers (2.9), and trans/non-binary staff (3.0) than for Asian (4.2) or men (3.9).
Sources
As of 2026Source: glassdoor.com- Offers below posted pay ranges
- A public Facebook thread asked whether Northwestern Hospital offers came in much lower than the posted range.
Sources
As of 2026Source: facebook.com
The hard parts
Reviews are not even across the system: McHenry, Illinois sits at 3.5 with only 39% recommending the employer, well below the system average.
What to ask
- How is base pay set for the role, and which differentials apply?
- Which shifts are open, and what are the weekend, holiday and call rules?
- How long is orientation, and will I have one preceptor?
- What is the usual patient load, and how often do nurses float?
- Which hospital or site, and which unit, would I work on?
Living in Chicago, IL
In Chicago, world-class clinical shifts in Streeterville and the Illinois Medical District give way to post-work runs along Lake Michigan. With a cost of living just about 4% above the national average, you can easily commute via the ‘L’ and comfortably plant roots in vibrant neighborhoods like Lincoln Park and Logan Square.
Browse roles in Chicago- Metro price level · Chicago area
- 4% above the national average
- BEA index 103.6 (100 = national)
- Median gross rent
- $1,440/mo
- rent and tenant-paid utilities
- Median household income
- $77,902/yr
- all local households, not nurse pay
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · 2024 metro Regional Price Parities · Census ACS 2024
Common questions
Does Northwestern University hire new grads?
Its nurse residency: New Graduate Nurse Residency Program.
How do I apply?
Choose a role and press Apply. Your application comes to our team, we send it to Northwestern University, and we tell you what happens next.
Roles from Northwestern University
Clinical Research Nurse
$70,000–$88,000/year
- RN
Sources
- facebook.com/groups/888040157965727/posts/26674357638907292
What nurses say · as of 2026
- glassdoor.co.uk/Overview/Working-at-Northwestern-Medicine-EI_IE120846.11,32.htm
What nurses say, The hard parts · as of 2026
- glassdoor.com/Reviews/Northwestern-Medicine-Reviews-E120846.htm
What nurses say, The hard parts · as of 2026
- glassdoor.com/Reviews/Northwestern-Medicine-Registered-Nurse-Reviews-EI_IE120846.0,21_KO22,38.htm
What nurses say · as of 2026
- glassdoor.com/Reviews/Northwestern-Medicine-McHenry-IL-Reviews-EI_IE120846.0,21_IL.22,32_IC1128913.htm
What nurses say, The hard parts · as of 2026
- jobs.nm.org/nursing
The short version, Nursing here · as of 2026
- northwestern.edu
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Three or four years went by before the overwhelmed feeling lifted, and close to six before I felt expert at the bedside. Measure this in years, not months.
“I do not see that I do much good to these wounded and dying; but I cannot leave them.”