Compare tuition, NCLEX pass rates, and program formats for accredited nursing programs near Addison, IL.
Registered nurses in the Chicago metro area earn a median annual wage of $85,440, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Addison sits in DuPage County, within commuting distance of major healthcare employers like Advocate Health, Northwestern Medicine, and Loyola Medicine, a geography that gives nursing students access to clinical rotations in high-acuity settings earlier than in many other regions.
Within a 75-mile radius, BSN programs range from traditional campus tracks at state universities to accelerated online and hybrid options. While proximity to Chicago’s medical centers is an advantage, the real differentiators are NCLEX pass rates and net price. Evaluating programs on those outcomes, not just location or reputation, separates the strongest top nursing schools in Illinois from the rest.
The following ranking highlights the top nursing programs accessible to Addison, IL, residents, balancing academic quality, cost, and proximity. Whether you prefer a BSN from a campus within Addison itself or an affordable ADN that can lead to seamless BSN completion, these schools represent the strongest options in and around DuPage County.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
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| #1 | Chamberlain University-Illinois | Addison, IL | $32,000/yr | Local career changers needing no waitlist | |
Chamberlain University's Addison campus offers a CCNE-accredited BSN that fast-tracks students into nursing in as few as three years, with no prerequisites required to begin core nursing courses. The program combines high-tech simulation labs and local clinical rotations across the Chicago suburbs, and multiple start dates each year mean no waiting list for qualified applicants. Although the private tuition is uniform for all students, the Addison location provides unmatched convenience and networking for DuPage County residents.
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| #2 | University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, IL | ~$11,000/yr (est.) | Illinois residents seeking public flagship value | |
University of Illinois Chicago's College of Nursing is the state's premier public nursing school, offering a hybrid BSN that couples online coursework with on-campus labs and clinical placements throughout the Chicago area. Three distinct pathways accommodate traditional prelicensure students, transfer students, and RNs seeking a BSN, all supported by UIC's strong state funding and high NCLEX pass rates. In-state tuition and a solid reputation make it a top value for Illinois residents, with graduates earning a median annual wage of $68,740 ten years after enrollment.
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| #3 | Lewis University | Romeoville, IL | $17,000/yr | Suburban students wanting high NCLEX performance | |
Lewis University, located in nearby Romeoville, offers a rigorous campus-based BSN program recognized as one of Illinois' top ten nursing schools. With a 98% first-time NCLEX pass rate and clinical rotations across more than 50 healthcare agencies in the Chicago suburbs, students gain robust hands-on experience. The curriculum stresses holistic patient care and ethical decision-making, and Lewis's supportive nursing community fosters strong professional networks for new graduates.
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| #4 | Lake Land College | Mattoon, IL | $2,000/yr (net price) | ||
Lake Land College in Mattoon, IL, offers an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) that prepares students to become licensed RNs in three years. The program boasts a strong reputation, having trained nurses for over 30 years with a focus on laboratory skills and clinical experience. Graduates are eligible for the NCLEX-RN and can seamlessly transition to online BSN completion programs through partnerships with Illinois universities, making it an affordable entry point into the profession.
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| #5 | Olney Central College | Olney, IL | ~$10,000/yr (est.) | ||
Olney Central College's ACEN-accredited Associate Degree in Nursing provides a solid foundation for entry-level nursing, with hands-on clinical training and a focus on meeting community healthcare needs. Graduates are prepared to sit for the NCLEX-RN and benefit from articulation agreements that facilitate RN-to-BSN completion at four-year Illinois institutions. The program's low net price and high Pell Grant enrollment reflect its commitment to accessible education.
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| #6 | Richland Community College | Decatur, IL | $4,000/yr | ||
Richland Community College in Decatur offers an ADN program known for its high NCLEX pass rate, reported at 95%, and a curriculum that blends classroom instruction with clinical practice over four semesters. The college's exceptionally low net price of $3,741 and strong completion rate make it a budget-friendly path to becoming an RN, with credits that often transfer to Illinois BSN programs.
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| #7 | Sauk Valley Community College | Dixon, IL | $8,000/yr | ||
Sauk Valley Community College's ADN program in Dixon, IL, is a two-year pathway that demands a CNA certificate and strong academic prerequisites, ensuring students are well-prepared for the rigors of nursing. The program's clinical and classroom components, coupled with a net price below $8,500, offer a cost-effective route to RN licensure, with graduates thriving in diverse healthcare environments.
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| #8 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL | $23,000/yr | ||
Bradley University in Peoria provides a direct-entry BSN and an accelerated BSN for those seeking a swift transition into nursing, with clinical rotations beginning early and a curriculum that includes comprehensive science courses. The program's high NCLEX pass rates and strong professional development emphasis, alongside a supportive campus community, prepare graduates for diverse nursing roles, though its private tuition and distance from Addison may require relocation.
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| #9 | Carl Sandburg College | Galesburg, IL | ~$4,000/yr (est.) | ||
Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg offers an ACEN-accredited ADN that reports a 100% job placement rate, underscoring its effectiveness in preparing nurses for immediate employment. The two-year program emphasizes patient-centered care and critical thinking, with a low net price of $3,662 making it one of the most affordable nursing credentials in the state.
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| #10 | Rend Lake College | Ina, IL | $5,000 – $10,000/yr | ||
Rend Lake College in Ina, IL, hosts an ACEN-accredited ADN that spans four semesters and requires a CNA certification for entry. The curriculum builds critical thinking and clinical judgment, with a recent reported NCLEX pass rate of 75%, and graduates can advance to online RN-to-BSN programs offered by Illinois universities.
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What factors go into ranking nursing schools near Addison, IL? We focused on practical measures that reflect affordability, student success, and flexibility.
This is the average amount undergraduates pay after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total costs. It’s an institution‑level figure, not a guaranteed price for every student, but it offers a useful gauge of relative affordability across schools.
We use the college‑wide completion rate because nursing‑specific data aren’t widely available. A strong overall graduation rate often signals effective academic advising, tutoring, and other support systems that benefit nursing students as well.
Schools offering traditional, accelerated, online, or evening BSN tracks received preference because multiple pathways make it easier to balance work, family, and coursework.
Only regionally accredited programs made the list. Accreditation is essential for licensure eligibility, federal financial aid, and graduate study.
A program's first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is a straightforward indicator of how effectively its curriculum prepares students for licensure. While no single metric defines quality, consistently strong pass rates suggest that graduates leave with the clinical judgment and test-taking readiness to succeed on exam day.
Based on 2022 data, these BSN programs within a 75-mile radius of Addison, IL, reported the following first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates:1
These figures represent a single year’s results, and annual fluctuations are normal. When available, reviewing multi-year trends or the most recent Illinois Board of Nursing reports can offer a more stable picture of a program’s performance.
The total cost of a nursing degree isn't just the tuition on the website. Net price, what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is often far lower, especially at public community colleges. Below we compare net price against median student debt for eight affordable nursing programs near Addison, Illinois.
A high starting salary means little if you're buried in loan payments. That's why comparing earnings after graduation against debt is essential, and BSN programs in the Addison area vary notably in how well they set students up for financial stability.
The simplest way to gauge a program's value is its earnings-to-debt ratio: how median graduate earnings stack up against typical student borrowing. Among nursing schools near Addison, Chamberlain University-Illinois leads the pack. Its graduates report median earnings of around $92,400 a decade after starting college, while carrying median debt of just under $21,000. That yields a ratio of roughly 4.4 times debt in annual earnings, a figure that significantly outpaces every other school in the region.
By contrast, other well-regarded programs show more modest ratios. University of Illinois Chicago, for example, combines median earnings near $68,700 with debt around $16,700, for a ratio of about 4.1. Loyola University Chicago, Lewis University, and the University of St Francis all land in the 3.0 range. While still strong, these numbers underscore why sticker price and location don't tell the whole story. Graduates from some schools in the area are likely to see a faster return on their tuition investment.
Of course, raw median earnings matter, too. Chamberlain graduates report median wages over $92,000, well above figures from other area programs like Aurora University ($58,700) or Elmhurst University ($61,500). However, those figures reflect institutional data across all majors, not nursing alone. Program-level earnings data are not yet available for BSN completers specifically, so these numbers should be viewed as a broad signal rather than a precise nursing salary.
When available, direct nursing graduate earnings, especially early-career wages one and two years out, will provide the clearest picture of how quickly nurses in Addison-area programs recoup their education costs. For now, prospective students can use earnings-to-debt ratios and median borrowing levels to identify schools that tend to produce solid financial outcomes for their graduates.
Here are answers to the most common questions about nursing schools in Addison, Illinois. We’ve gathered details on programs, costs, and outcomes to help you make an informed decision.
In addition to the top-ranked options, Illinois is home to a wide range of accredited BSN programs that might be a good fit for your goals. These schools offer competitive net prices and strong NCLEX outcomes, serving students from Addison and across the state. For a complete, searchable directory of nursing schools in Illinois, visit the main Illinois schools page.
