Compare NCLEX pass rates, tuition, and outcomes for accredited BSN programs within commuting distance of Mokena.
Illinois healthcare employers increasingly prefer BSN-prepared nurses, giving Mokena residents a geographic advantage. More than a dozen accredited BSN and ADN programs sit within a 45-minute drive, from community college ADN tracks to university BSN programs.
Prospective students weighing cost, NCLEX performance, and clinical site locations will find that some south suburban programs deliver strong outcomes relative to their net price. Public university tuition can start under $15,000, while private BSN programs may exceed $30,000, though aid packages often narrow the difference.
Because clinical hour requirements and program accreditation directly affect licensure eligibility, verifying CCNE or ACEN status is a necessary filter before applying.
These are the top nursing programs serving the Mokena area, ranked with a focus on first-year retention and student-to-faculty ratio. The list includes a mix of BSN, ADN, and direct-entry MSN options at schools within commuting range for many Will County residents. Each card highlights the school's strengths and where it fits for your goals.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Lewis University | Romeoville, IL | ~$17,000/yr (est.) | Southwest suburban commuter students | |
Lewis University sits in Romeoville, about 17 to 18 miles from Mokena, and reports a university-wide graduation rate around 67%. The CCNE-accredited BSN program reports a 98% NCLEX pass rate and clinical rotations at 50 affiliate sites across the Chicago suburbs. Its cohort-based structure and holistic patient care emphasis suit students who want a traditional campus experience close to home. Published tuition is about $39,200 per year, with an estimated average net price near $17,000. CCNE accredited
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| #2 | Chamberlain University-Illinois | Addison, IL | ~$32,000/yr (est.) | Working adults needing flexible scheduling | |
Chamberlain's Illinois locations include Addison and Tinley Park, putting a campus within convenient reach of Mokena. The BSN uses a hybrid learning format with day, evening, and weekend classes and no prerequisite courses, which can shorten the path for career changers. Students complete 122 credit hours with simulation training and Chicago-area clinical placements. The school's overall graduation rate is about 42%, and published tuition is roughly $21,500 per year with an average net price near $31,800. Military benefits
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| #3 | University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, IL | ~$18,000/yr (est.) | Transfer students with community college credits | |
University of Illinois Chicago offers a public BSN with three entry pathways, including an online RN to BSN track, and a direct-entry MSN for non-nurses. The College of Nursing maintains strong clinical partnerships across the Chicago area and uses simulation labs to build hands-on skills. In-state tuition is about $14,300 per year, with an average net price near $11,000. The university's overall graduation rate is about 62%. CCNE accredited
CCNE accredited
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| #4 | DePaul University | Chicago, IL | ~$23,000/yr (est.) | ||
DePaul's Lincoln Park campus in Chicago is within commuting distance for many south suburban students. The BSN reports a 97% NCLEX pass rate and uses small classes with high-fidelity simulation labs. DePaul also offers a Master's Entry to Nursing Practice for career changers who already hold a bachelor's degree. Published tuition is about $46,000 per year, with an average net price near $30,900, and the university's overall graduation rate is roughly 68%. CCNE accredited
CCNE accredited
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| #5 | William Rainey Harper College | Palatine, IL | ~$12,000/yr (est.) | ||
Harper College in Palatine offers a 68-credit ADN that can be completed in a two-year sequence, with a reported 93% NCLEX pass rate and 91% job placement. Limited-enrollment admission and prerequisite courses make it competitive, but the lower community college tuition keeps the total cost approachable. Published tuition is about $9,500 per year for in-district students and around $11,300 for others. The college's overall completion rate is about 48%.
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| #6 | Elgin Community College | Elgin, IL | ~$6,000/yr (est.) | ||
Elgin Community College's Associate of Applied Science in Nursing has more than 50 years of history and is ACEN accredited. The campus-based program covers patient care, pharmacology, and clinical skills, with partnerships for RN to BSN and RN to MSN completion. In-district tuition is about $7,100 per year, and the average net price is near $6,000. The college reports an institution-wide graduation rate of about 41%. ACEN accredited
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| #7 | Lake Land College | Mattoon, IL | $2,000/yr (est. net price) | ||
Lake Land College's ADN is based in Mattoon, roughly 180 miles from Mokena, so it is not a commuter option for most Mokena residents. The ACEN-accredited program is consistently ranked among the top three in Illinois and uses a three-year sequence with clinical rotations. Tuition for in-district students is about $7,300 per year, with an average net price near $2,300. The college's overall graduation rate is about 58%. ACEN accredited
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| #8 | Illinois State University | Normal, IL | ~$19,000/yr (est.) | ||
Illinois State University's Mennonite College of Nursing has educated nurses for more than 100 years and offers traditional, RN to BSN, and accelerated BSN paths. The traditional program is campus-based in Normal, about 100 miles from Mokena, while the RN to BSN can be completed online. Published in-state tuition is about $16,100 per year, with an average net price near $19,400. The university's overall graduation rate is about 65%.
Rolling admissionsFully online option
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| #9 | Saint Anthony College of Nursing | Rockford, IL | $25,000 – $30,000/yr (est.) | ||
Saint Anthony College of Nursing in Rockford offers a BSN with a reported 98% NCLEX pass rate and a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The program is about 90 miles from Mokena, so it may appeal to students who plan to relocate or prefer a smaller, focused health sciences setting. Published tuition is about $27,800 per year. Graduation rate data is not currently reported for this institution.
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| #10 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL | ~$23,000/yr (est.) | ||
Bradley University in Peoria offers a traditional BSN and a 15-month accelerated BSN for students who already hold a bachelor's degree. The CCNE-accredited program places students in clinical rotations at two major Peoria hospital systems, though the campus is roughly 150 miles from Mokena. Published tuition is about $42,200 per year, with an average net price near $22,700. The university's overall graduation rate is about 76%. CCNE accredited
CCNE accredited
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Ranking schools by cost alone misses long-term value; ranking by earnings alone ignores debt burden. Our methodology balances both, combining multiple data points to surface programs that offer strong outcomes at a reasonable cost.
These factors are weighted to favor affordability and earnings performance. NCLEX pass rates are not part of the algorithmic ranking; we cover those results separately in the following section for readers who want to compare licensure exam outcomes directly.
All data comes from public federal sources: College Scorecard for program-level earnings and completion information, and IPEDS for tuition and institutional metrics. Every school listed holds regional accreditation and is within reasonable commuting distance of Mokena, Illinois.
The table below compares in-state and out-of-state tuition alongside the average net price after financial aid for nursing programs near Mokena. Net price reflects institution-wide averages and may differ for specific BSN tracks, which are not listed here as these associate degree programs are the primary nursing offerings in the area. The spread from the lowest net price ($2,232) to the highest ($6,477) highlights significant cost variation.
| School | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State Tuition | Net Price (After Aid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Valley Community College | $15,239 | $16,385 | $2,232 |
| Lake Land College | $8,342 | $14,301 | $2,254 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | $8,502 | $9,846 | $2,829 |
| Carl Sandburg College | $8,000 | $8,900 | $3,662 |
| Richland Community College | $10,800 | $17,070 | $3,741 |
| Kishwaukee College | $9,120 | $13,680 | $4,574 |
| Danville Area Community College | $7,440 | $7,440 | $4,777 |
| Highland Community College | $7,216 | $7,360 | $5,713 |
| Elgin Community College | $7,140 | $9,516 | $6,026 |
| Kaskaskia College | $7,770 | $12,570 | $6,477 |
What are the first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for BSN programs near Mokena, and how do they compare to state or national averages?
For nursing students, NCLEX performance is a critical indicator of a program's effectiveness. In Illinois, the official source for program-specific pass rates is the Illinois State Board of Nursing (ISBON), which publishes annual reports online through the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation. These reports break down pass rates by school and degree level, letting you verify outcomes for nearby institutions like Lewis University, University of St. Francis, or Olivet Nazarene University. Many schools also post recent pass rates on their own websites, typically under accreditation or student outcomes sections.
As context, the 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for Illinois BSN graduates was 85 percent, and nationally the average stood at 87 percent.1 These figures offer a baseline: programs near Mokena that consistently match or exceed the state average demonstrate solid preparation for licensure. Keep in mind that rates can fluctuate year to year, so reviewing multi-year trends provides a more reliable picture than a single annual snapshot.
Because NCLEX success is one piece of a program's quality picture, pair pass rates with other factors like clinical placements, faculty support, and graduate satisfaction.
Admission to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program involves more than meeting a minimum GPA. Each nursing school sets its own prerequisites, entrance exam policies, and cohort tracks, which can differ significantly between traditional, accelerated, and second-degree pathways. For students near Mokena, understanding these requirements early helps avoid last-minute surprises and can influence whether you apply to a traditional four-year BSN, an accelerated program for career changers, or an evening/weekend schedule designed for working adults.
The facts below reflect publicly available information for two colleges within reach of Mokena. Always verify with the school's nursing department before applying.
For other area programs such as the University of St. Francis, Governors State University, Trinity Christian College, and Saint Xavier University, requirements vary. Some may require the TEAS or HESI exam, minimum GPAs ranging from 2.5 to 3.0, and specific science prerequisites. Official nursing department websites are updated annually and should be your primary resource.
Program requirements can change from year to year. To ensure you're working with current information:
Staying proactive with deadlines and exact prerequisites will strengthen your application to a BSN program near Mokena.
Program-level earnings shortly after graduation are not yet reported for these BSN programs. However, federal College Scorecard data shows that graduates of top schools near Mokena command strong salaries a decade out. For example, Chamberlain University-Illinois BSN alumni earn a median of $92,405 ten years after enrollment, with manageable student debt loads.
Choosing a nursing program involves verifying accreditation, NCLEX performance, and degree options. Below, we answer common questions about nursing schools near Mokena, from board pass rates to salary expectations.
