2023 Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in Illinois
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which nursing program is right for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Also, there are a number of trade schools and bootcamp with offerings that you might find attractive.
The Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in Illinois ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 29 schools in Illinois to see which ones offered the best bachelor's degree programs for nursing students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in Illinois
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Loyola University Chicago the best school in Illinois for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,286 students in 2021-2022.
Loyola Chicago does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $49,498. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,633 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Loyola Chicago. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 32% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 29 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Illinois Wesleyan University landed the # 2 spot on the list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Bloomington, Illinois, and it awarded 404 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Illinois Wesleyan is $53,814. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend McKendree University. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. McKendree is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lebanon, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 440 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at McKendree is $33,430. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,750 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at McKendree. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 55% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 29 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Illinois State University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in Normal, Illinois, the large public school handed out 4,495 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend Illinois State full time pay an average of $13,941 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $23,209. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $19,765 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Illinois State. In fact, around 42% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Concordia University, Chicago. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. Located in River Forest, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 329 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Concordia University, Chicago, expect to pay an average of $34,964 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,139 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Concordia University, Chicago, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 69% took at least some of their classes online.
University of St Francis ranked #6 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. University of St Francis is a small private not-for-profit school located in Joliet, Illinois that handed out 437 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,804 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since University of Saint Francis does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 79% took at least some of their classes online.
Bradley University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Bradley University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 1,190 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Bradley is $37,800. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,974 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Bradley does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 45% took at least some of their classes online.
Lewis University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. Lewis is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Romeoville, Illinois. It awarded 1,124 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Lewis does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $36,530. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Lewis accumulate an average of $21,218 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Lewis does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 75% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Aurora University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Aurora is located in Aurora, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,249 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $27,420 to cover tuition and fees at Aurora. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,160 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Aurora. In 2020-2021 about 16% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Dominican University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Dominican U is located in River Forest, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 525 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $36,350 to cover tuition and fees at Dominican U. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,099 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Dominican U. During the 2020-2021 year, about 86% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Elmhurst University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. Elmhurst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 831 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Elmhurst is $40,232. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Elmhurst accumulate an average of $18,784 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Elmhurst does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 55% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the large public school handed out 5,250 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UIC is $15,472. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $30,841. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,464 in student loans.
Online courses are available at UIC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 97% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Governors State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. This small public school is located in University Park, Illinois, and it awarded 665 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $10,468 in tuition and fees if they attend GSU full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $17,980. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $20,201 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at GSU. During the 2020-2021 year, about 81% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #14, Benedictine University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Benedictine University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Lisle, Illinois that handed out 686 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $32,441 to cover tuition and fees at Benedictine U. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Benedictine U accumulate an average of $23,356 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Benedictine U. In fact, around 87% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #15 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. SIUE is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,385 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $11,748 to cover tuition and fees at SIUE. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,328 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since SIUE does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 86% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
With a ranking of #16, Roosevelt University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Roosevelt is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 687 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Roosevelt accumulate an average of $23,910 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Roosevelt does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 58% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #17, Trinity Christian College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Palos Heights, Illinois is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 220 students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Trinity Christian, expect to pay an average of $34,325 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,071 in student loans.
Trinity Christian does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 42% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Millikin University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. Millikin University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Decatur, Illinois that handed out 414 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at Millikin is $41,532. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $26,681 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Millikin does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 45% took at least some of their classes online.
North Park University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 369 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend North Park, expect to pay an average of $34,020 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $25,848 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at North Park. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 36% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #20, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wheaton, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 648 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Wheaton College Illinois, expect to pay an average of $42,240 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 694 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
Olivet Nazarene does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $37,940. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,440 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Olivet Nazarene. In 2020-2021 about 33% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Northern Illinois University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #22 on the list. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,844 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at NIU is $12,472. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,475 in loans while pursuing their degree.
NIU does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 74% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Quincy University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Quincy University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Quincy, Illinois that handed out 226 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,791 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Quincy U. During the 2020-2021 year, about 67% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Western Illinois University landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. WIU is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,237 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend WIU, expect to pay an average of $13,661 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,033 in student loans.
WIU does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 83% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Eastern Illinois University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. Located in Charleston, Illinois, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,132 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
Students from Illinois who attend EIU full time pay an average of $12,809 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $15,274. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,026 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at EIU. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 39% took at least some of their classes online.
View Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools Nationwide >
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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