Compare top-ranked BSN programs by cost, accreditation, outcomes, and format across Illinois.
Illinois anchors its RN pipeline with 29 ranked programs, from Chicago’s UIC to community colleges in Mattoon, Olney, and Dixon. The choice centers on NCLEX first-time pass rates, net price, and graduate earnings; together they reveal return far more accurately than any marketing claim.
Program types span traditional four-year BSNs, accelerated second-degree tracks, RN-to-BSN pathways, and online options. Illinois licensure standards are uniform, but clinical networks and faculty depth vary widely across schools.
The real differentiator is whether a school’s earnings justify its cost. Among Illinois nursing graduates, the earnings spread can exceed $60,000 even between accredited neighbors.
Our ranking highlights the top nursing programs in Illinois based on affordability, graduate earnings, and institutional metrics. The list includes both BSN and ADN options, offering pathways for every stage of a nursing career. All data comes from federal sources and independent research for 2026.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, IL | ~$11,000/yr (est.) | Illinois residents wanting a public nursing degree | |
University of Illinois Chicago offers a hybrid BSN across six Illinois campuses, providing wide access to a public flagship nursing program. The institution-wide graduation rate is 62%, and graduates see strong earnings: a median of $68,740 ten years post-enrollment. UIC's direct-entry MSN pathway also welcomes career changers with a bachelor's in another field, combining online and in-person learning for advanced nursing roles.
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| #2 | Lake Land College | Mattoon, IL | $2,000/yr (net price) | Budget-focused learners in rural Illinois | |
Lake Land College's associate nursing program is a low-cost entry point to RN licensure, with a net price of just $2,254 and a median graduate debt of $6,188. The school-wide graduation rate is 58%, and students can later transfer to a BSN through university partnerships. An extension campus in Effingham widens access for residents in southeastern Illinois.
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| #3 | Olney Central College | Olney, IL | ~$10,000/yr (est.) | Southeastern Illinois residents pursuing an affordable RN | |
Olney Central College's associate degree in nursing is ACEN-accredited and approved by the state, with a school-wide graduation rate of 63%. The net price is $10,092, and the median debt is a low $6,500. Graduates earn a median of $37,533 after ten years, making it a solid value for students in southeastern Illinois.
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| #4 | Chamberlain University-Illinois | Addison, IL | $32,000/yr | ||
Chamberlain University's Addison campus offers a three-year BSN with no prerequisites, letting students start nursing coursework immediately. The school-wide graduation rate is 42%, but graduates report strong median earnings of $92,405 a decade later, reflecting the career focus of its student body. Hands-on simulation in the SIMCARE CENTER and weekly clinicals build practical skills.
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| #5 | Richland Community College | Decatur, IL | $4,000/yr | ||
Richland Community College's ADN program reports a 95% NCLEX pass rate and a net price of only $3,741, making it one of the most affordable options in Illinois. The school-wide graduation rate is 60%, and graduates carry a median debt of $8,256. Ten-year median earnings reach $38,793.
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| #6 | Sauk Valley Community College | Dixon, IL | $8,000/yr | ||
Sauk Valley Community College's ADN program requires a CNA certificate and TEAS testing for admission, ensuring a prepared cohort. With a net price of $8,493 and median debt of $8,250, graduates earn a median of $40,458. The school-wide graduation rate is 49%.
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| #7 | Lewis University | Romeoville, IL | $17,000/yr | ||
Lewis University's BSN program posts a 98% NCLEX pass rate and places students in over 50 clinical sites across Chicagoland. The net price is $17,028, with median debt of $21,500; ten-year median earnings are $66,099. The institution-wide graduation rate is 67%, and the program is CCNE-accredited.
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| #8 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL | $23,000/yr | ||
Bradley University's direct-entry BSN begins clinical experiences in sophomore year, and an accelerated 15-month option is available for second-degree students. The institution-wide graduation rate is 76%, the highest on this list. Net price is $22,719, median debt is $27,000, and median ten-year earnings are $66,852.
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| #9 | Carl Sandburg College | Galesburg, IL | ~$4,000/yr (est.) | ||
Carl Sandburg College's ADN program reports a 100% job placement rate and a very low net price of $3,662. The school-wide graduation rate is 50%, and median debt is just $4,909. Ten-year median earnings stand at $35,274, offering strong immediate returns for a low upfront cost.
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| #10 | Rend Lake College | Ina, IL | $5,000 – $10,000/yr | ||
Rend Lake College's ADN program is ACEN-accredited and requires CNA certification. With a net price of $9,187 and median debt of $5,809, graduates earn a median of $35,775 after ten years. The school-wide graduation rate is 63%.
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Choosing a nursing program often comes down to a single tension: balancing affordability against long-term career returns. Our ranking embraces that tension, offering a straightforward comparison of Illinois schools based on the metrics that matter most: actual costs, student success, and earnings after graduation.
We source data directly from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS, focusing on five measures that reflect value for nursing students:
Accreditation by the CCNE or ACEN is a non-negotiable baseline. Every school on this list holds active programmatic accreditation, so you can skip the verification step and focus on fit.
We don’t fold in NCLEX pass rates as a ranking factor because those are covered separately in the next section. Likewise, graduation rates reflect the entire institution, not just nursing students, and program-level earnings aren’t available for every school. This ranking is a starting point, not a final verdict. For a deeper dive into weights and data limitations, visit our full methodology page.
What NCLEX-RN pass rate should you expect from an Illinois nursing school?
When you invest years into a BSN program, the bottom line is board readiness. The first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is the single best public indicator of how well a school prepares its graduates for licensure and entry-level practice. A high pass rate signals a coherent curriculum, effective clinical training, and strong student support, three things every aspiring nurse should demand.
Nursing boards in every state treat the NCLEX as the final gatekeeper. A program’s first-time pass rate directly reflects how well its coursework and clinical placements align with the test blueprint. When rates dip, it often points to outdated teaching methods, insufficient simulation hours, or a student body that isn’t receiving targeted remediation. Conversely, programs that consistently top the Illinois average graduate nurses who walk into the testing center with confidence.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) sets a minimum first-time pass rate of 75% for approved programs. Schools that fall below this threshold must submit improvement plans and risk losing their approval if they don’t recover. For students, that’s a clear red flag: a program on probation or in remediation may struggle to provide the stable, high-quality education you need.
In 2024, 6,910 first-time RN candidates tested in Illinois, earning an aggregate pass rate of 87%. That figure includes graduates from BSN, ADN, and diploma programs. Nationally, the 2024 first-time pass rate among all U.S. candidates (186,760 test-takers) was 91%. The gap between Illinois’s 87% and the national 91% suggests that the state’s nursing programs, on average, have room to strengthen their exam preparation.
For BSN programs specifically, the most recent national benchmark from 2023 shows an 82% first-time pass rate. Because BSN graduates are trained to manage complex patient scenarios and often take the NCLEX shortly after a rigorous capstone course, their pass rates typically run higher than the all-program aggregate. In Illinois, many BSN programs exceed the state’s 87% average, though official school-level data for 2024 is still being compiled.
While individual school pass rates are published periodically by the IDFPR, historical trends show that Illinois’s flagship public universities and selective private colleges frequently post first-time rates above 90%. These programs invest in low student-to-faculty ratios, simulation labs, and NCLEX predictor exams that flag students needing extra help early.
On the other end, a handful of programs fall below the 75% minimum, triggering state oversight. The IDFPR’s 2024 list of low-pass-rate programs highlights schools that must correct course quickly. If you’re evaluating a program that has hovered near that line, dig into its remediation policies, faculty turnover, and clinical placement stability before committing.
Beyond licensure, a strong pass rate protects your time and money. Failing the NCLEX means a 45-day waiting period to retest, lost wages from a delayed job start, and the emotional toll of repeating study. Employers in Illinois’s competitive metro markets, from Chicago to Peoria, also look at where you trained. A resume listing a program known for high pass rates can give you an edge during a hiring process where clinical reasoning is the name of the game.
The NCLEX isn’t the whole story of a nursing education, but it’s the clearest snapshot of whether a school consistently delivers on its promise to produce practice-ready nurses. Use these numbers as a launchpad to ask harder questions about faculty support, clinical hours, and graduate outcomes.
BSN programs in Illinois range widely in price. The table ranks them by net price, the average amount students pay after grants and scholarships, to give a clearer picture of real out-of-pocket costs. Saint Xavier University has the lowest net price at about $10,970, while Loyola University Chicago averages $36,079. Net price is an institution-wide figure, not a guaranteed individual quote; your personal aid package will vary.
| School | Type | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State Tuition | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Xavier University | Private | $38,945 | $38,945 | $10,970 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Public | $15,949 | $32,009 | $10,974 |
| University of St Francis | Private | $38,110 | $38,110 | $13,006 |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | Public | $13,334 | $13,334 | $13,297 |
| Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | Public | $12,092 | $12,092 | $14,889 |
| Lewis University | Private | $39,200 | $39,200 | $17,028 |
| Aurora University | Private | $29,170 | $29,170 | $18,838 |
| Bradley University | Private | $42,160 | $42,160 | $22,719 |
| Elmhurst University | Private | $42,955 | $42,955 | $24,185 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Private | $57,704 | $57,704 | $28,199 |
| DePaul University | Private | $45,405 | $45,405 | $30,902 |
| Chamberlain University-Illinois | Private | $21,536 | $21,536 | $31,837 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Private | $53,710 | $53,710 | $36,079 |
When choosing a nursing program in Illinois, you’ll encounter two main accreditation bodies: the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Both are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and meet the Illinois Board of Nursing’s requirements for licensure, so neither is 'better' from a regulatory standpoint. The differences lie in which programs they accredit and how employers and graduate schools view each. Always confirm a program’s current accreditation status directly with CCNE or ACEN before enrolling.
Baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs only BSN, MSN, DNP, and post-graduate APRN certificates Up to 10 years (5 years for new programs) Yes, meets IDFPR requirements No statewide preference; both are widely accepted Accepted by most graduate nursing programs
All levels of nursing education, from practical nursing through doctoral degrees LPN/LVN, diploma, ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, and doctoral programs Up to 8 years, with a site visit required within 2 years of candidacy Yes, meets IDFPR requirements No statewide preference; both are widely accepted Accepted by most graduate nursing programs
Most entry-level nursing students follow the traditional BSN path, which takes about four years of full-time study. This track is designed for students without a prior college degree and combines general education courses with nursing theory and clinical rotations. Among the top schools in Illinois, the majority offer this on-campus format, providing direct exposure to simulation labs and hospital-based training from the first or second year.
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, an accelerated BSN (ABSN) can get you to the NCLEX in roughly 12 to 18 months. Programs cram the core nursing curriculum into a fast-paced schedule:
All accelerated programs require a prior bachelor’s and often specific science prerequisites. Admission is competitive, with typical GPA minimums around 3.0.
Working registered nurses with an associate degree can build on their license through an RN-to-BSN program. These are built for flexibility, most are offered online or in hybrid formats with part-time, evening, and accelerated options. Because students are already licensed RNs, the curriculum focuses on leadership, community health, and evidence-based practice rather than clinical fundamentals. Many Illinois universities deliver RN-to-BSN tracks that let you complete coursework while working full time.
Among Illinois nursing schools, fully online prelicensure BSN programs are rare because state licensing boards mandate in-person clinical hours. Instead, you will see a mix of on-campus and hybrid arrangements. For example, the University of Illinois Chicago’s BSN uses a hybrid model, while most other ranked programs are campus-based. Fully online delivery is most common in RN-to-BSN and some graduate programs, but even there, clinical placements must be arranged at approved local sites. When evaluating any online or hybrid program, confirm how clinical rotations are coordinated and whether you have a say in the placement location.
Program-level earnings for the first few years after graduation are not yet reported, but median earnings 10 years after entering school reveal a clear range of outcomes. Chamberlain University graduates lead with $92,405, while the other top programs cluster between $63,926 and $71,530. For context, the national median annual wage for registered nurses was $93,600 in May 2024, and the Illinois mean wage reached $86,410, indicating that most programs' long-term earnings align closely with or exceed the statewide average. At these schools, median total debt after graduation ranges from $16,704 to $27,000, which translates into estimated monthly 10-year payments of roughly $175 to $280, a manageable fraction of the earnings shown.
Clinical training is no longer an afterthought in nursing education: it's the backbone of licensure readiness and early career traction. In Illinois, the strength of a school's hospital partnerships can directly shape the quality of your hands-on experience and your job prospects on graduation day.
Illinois nursing students train inside some of the country's most respected health systems. These affiliations matter because they provide the required clinical hours for RN licensure and often serve as a direct pipeline to employment. Key partners across the state include Northwestern Medicine, Advocate Aurora, Rush, OSF HealthCare, HSHS, Carle Health, UI Health, and Loyola Medicine. Specific recent examples show how deliberate these pairings are: Chamberlain University Chicago students complete rotations at Northwestern Memorial Hospital,1 Concordia University Chicago partners with RUSH Oak Park Hospital,2 and UIC's Urbana regional campus affiliates with Carle Foundation Hospital.3
Where you study often determines which hospitals you'll train in.
Not all clinical placements work the same way. During admissions, get clear answers to these questions:
Sticker tuition prices rarely tell the whole story. At Illinois public universities, the average net price after grants and scholarships is often thousands less than the published rate, while private schools may offer substantial institutional aid that closes gaps. Many nursing students end up paying far less than listed tuition, always compare net costs, not advertised rates.
Two gatekeepers stand between you and an RN license: the Illinois Board of Nursing and the nursing school admissions office. The state mandates the same licensure steps for everyone, but admission standards vary widely from program to program.
Illinois RN licensure is managed through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). You must graduate from a board-approved nursing program, pass the NCLEX-RN, and complete a criminal background check before your application is processed.2
The fees break down as follows:1 - Application fee: $50 - NCLEX exam fee: $200 (paid separately to Pearson VUE) - Temporary permit fee: $25 (for work while awaiting exam results) - Renewal fee: $80 (every two years, due by May 31 of even-numbered years) - Late renewal fee: $50 - Reinstatement fee: $130 (if license has lapsed) - Endorsement fee: $50 (for out-of-state nurses)
Illinois requires 20 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle.3 Mandatory topics include sexual harassment prevention, implicit bias awareness, and Alzheimer's/dementia care.3 Nurses renewing for the first time are exempt from CE requirements.1
Most BSN programs in Illinois set a minimum cumulative GPA between 2.75 and 3.0, though competitive schools often expect higher. Prerequisite coursework typically includes anatomy, physiology, microbiology, statistics, and chemistry. Entrance exams such as the TEAS or HESI are common, with required scores varying by school.
Acceptance rates can differ sharply: some high-demand programs admit fewer than 30% of applicants, while others maintain more open enrollment pathways. Researching each program's published profile is the best way to gauge your chances.
The 2 Nurse Practice Act defines the scope of RN practice and establishes the legal framework for licensure, discipline, and continuing education. Recent legislative sessions have focused on advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) authority and other workforce topics, but the RN licensure rules have remained largely stable. Staying informed through the IDFPR website helps you catch any changes that could affect your eligibility or practice.
Choosing a nursing program in Illinois raises many questions about cost, quality, and career preparation. Below are answers to common inquiries, each linked to the relevant in-depth section of this guide.
Beyond the top-ranked programs, Illinois is home to many more accredited nursing schools. This regional directory covers additional RN programs from the Chicago suburbs to downstate communities, with format details and net price estimates to help you compare your options.
