10 Best Nursing Schools in Illinois

DePaul University is the nation’s largest Catholic school in the middle of Chicago. Its mission statement says it focuses on education, and while that might sound obvious, its nursing schools show why. Though DePaul does not offer a traditional BSN program, it does offer a five-year combined BS and MSN program.

Current RNs can also bypass their BSN entirely and enroll in the RN to MSN program, which most schools don’t offer. You’ll have to pay to go to this private school, but the nursing options are vast.

As you might have guessed, Saint Xavier University is another Chicago-based Catholic school. And, as you might also have guessed, SXU is home to one of Illinois’ top nursing programs. Students can choose from a traditional BSN, an online RN to BSN, or a second-degree BSN. An MSN is also offered by SXU, both as an entire program and as a graduate certificate.

Nursing scholarships are also offered to help cover tuition, so this can be an affordable degree for some students. Saint Xavier University has earned the prestigious center of excellence in nursing education from the National League of Nursing every year since 2007.

Not only is the University of Illinois at Chicago home to one of the top nursing programs in the state, but it also offers in-state tuition to Illinois residents. That makes earning a traditional BSN here much more affordable than at other schools. Six campuses are also available to nursing students in Northern and Central Illinois, including Chicago, Peoria, Quad Cities, Rockford, Springfield, and Urbana.

Some first-year students can also get guaranteed admission into the College of Nursing, so you could know if you’re set to become a nurse before you start your freshman year. Also, don’t worry about the relatively low NCLEX pass rate; this doesn’t represent the program's overall quality.

As a college (rather than a university), Elmhurst is going to have much smaller class sizes than you’d see at other schools. However, as a college, you can practically be guaranteed that what they offer is well worth the tuition. Elmhurst’s Department of Nursing has six main programs, including three at the undergraduate and three at the graduate level. The Master’s Entry in Nursing Practice is meant for students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree who would prefer to earn a master’s degree instead of another bachelor’s degree.

Yet another Catholic school, the University of St. Francis, sets itself apart from others in two ways: they aren’t based in Chicago, and they have a unique BSN program. The traditional BSN boasts an impressive NCLEX pass rate, likely due to the emphasis on experiential learning. Students are connected to the field they’re most interested in, such as long-term care or mental health, and are allowed to gain clinical experience. If you’re interested in a specific nursing niche, then St. Francis is definitely worth considering. 

Loyola may be one of the more expensive universities on this list, but it's also among the top private Catholic schools in the nation. The university also has an incredible network of local healthcare facilities for clinical rotations. Although the school assigns clinical locations at random, students are guaranteed to gain experience at top-notch facilities. 

The university also invests in diversity and inclusion. Most recently, the Sisters of the Resurrection gave a $4 million endowment that supports scholarships for students in the CARE (Collaboration, Access, Resources, and Equity) Pathway, increasing the ability for students from diverse backgrounds to attend this prestigious program.

Illinois State University is relatively small for a public school, with only 18,000 undergraduate students. This means students can get a small school atmosphere without the high costs of private schooling. For nursing students, particularly BSN students, small classes often mean more attention from professors.

Of course, small classes won’t mean much to students earning the online RN to BSN, online Master’s in Nursing Systems Administration, or online DNP. However, the small class sizes could be one of the reasons graduates tend to pass the NCLEX at such a high rate.

The name says it all. Not to be confused with another school by a similar name on this list, Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing offers just about every type of nursing degree you can think of. However, before applying to the BSN program, students should know that SFMC doesn’t offer any of the required liberal arts courses. Instead, they must complete all their pre-requisite courses at a different accredited institution.

After two years of school, students can transfer to SFMC to complete a comprehensive nursing degree. The college also offers the opportunity for qualified students who have completed their junior year of high school to apply for early acceptance.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1, nursing students will get a more personalized education at Lewis University. The highlight of Lewis’ nursing program is the traditional BSN, a program that consistently sees graduates pass the NCLEX with a rate of over 90%.

Additionally, Lewis taps into Chicago’s extensive network of healthcare facilities so students can get clinical experience that relates directly to their career goals. Also, the annual tuition rate could be much worse, considering Lewis University is a private Catholic school based in Chicago.

The tuition looks high, but, on average, Illinois Wesleyan University students earn enough scholarships and grants to cover over half the tuition. This can make earning a BSN from Illinois Wesleyan pretty affordable. But the coolest thing about the school is the BSN program.

The curriculum is structured so nursing students can study abroad and still graduate on time. Minors in health, human services management, and Hispanic studies are also available to BSN students. This degree is unlike any other, and plenty of students can find a reason to like what Illinois Wesleyan is offering.