2023 Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
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. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Nursing Degree Search has created the Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 35 schools in Illinois to see which ones offered the best value basic certificate programs for nursing students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found John A Logan College to be the best value school for nursing students who want to pursue a basic certificate in Illinois. Carterville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 164 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at John A Logan College are $6,980 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at John A Logan College. In 2019-2020 about 46% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Kaskaskia College is a great place for nursing students working on their basic certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in Centralia, Illinois, the small public school handed out 240 basic certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Kaskaskia College are $12,330 per year.
Online courses are available at Kaskaskia College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 54% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Kaskaskia College also made our Best Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list, coming in at #4.
Out of the 35 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, Lincoln Land Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Lincoln Land Community College is a small public school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 238 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
LLCC undergraduate students pay an average of $10,068 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that LLCC does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 81% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, LLCC also is in the top 15% of our Best Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking.
Out of the 35 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, College of Lake County landed the # 4 spot on the list. Grayslake, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 511 students in 2020-2021.
College of Lake County undergraduate students pay an average of $12,824 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at College of Lake County. In fact, around 91% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
College of Lake County also made our Best Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list, coming in at #3.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Highland Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Highland Community College is a small public school located in Freeport, Illinois that handed out 114 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Highland Community College are $6,846 per year.
Highland Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 52% took at least some of their classes online.
William Rainey Harper College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate nursing programs. Harper College is located in Palatine, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 327 basic certificates to qualified students.
Harper College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,682 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Harper College. In 2019-2020 about 86% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Harper College is ranked #2 for overall quality in Illinois.
With a ranking of #7, Oakton Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their basic certificate. Located in Des Plaines, Illinois, the medium-sized public school awarded 185 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Oakton Community College are $12,462 per year.
Online courses are available at Oakton Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 91% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Oakton Community College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our Best Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list.
With a ranking of #8, Black Hawk College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their basic certificate. BHC is a public institution located in Moline, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 85 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BHC are $7,650 per year.
BHC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 71% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
BHC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list.
Rend Lake College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Rend Lake College is a small public school located in Ina, Illinois that handed out 49 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Rend Lake College are $6,750 a year.
Rend Lake College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 72% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Elgin Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #10 on the list. Elgin Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Elgin, Illinois that handed out 22 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at ECC are $9,516 a year.
ECC 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 2019-2020 about 74% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Moraine Valley Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in Palos Hills, Illinois, the fairly large public school awarded 180 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at MVCC are $9,334 a year.
Some students may be able to take online classes at MVCC. During the 2019-2020 year, about 78% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #12, Lake Land College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their basic certificate. This small public school is located in Mattoon, Illinois, and it awarded 47 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Lake Land College are $13,906 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Lake Land College. In fact, around 69% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #13, Waubonsee Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their basic certificate. Waubonsee is a public institution located in Sugar Grove, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 91 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
Waubonsee undergraduate students pay an average of $10,076 in tuition and fees each year.
Waubonsee 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. During the 2019-2020 year, about 70% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #14, Morton College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their basic certificate. Morton College is located in Cicero, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 82 basic certificates to qualified students.
Morton College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,524 in tuition and fees each year.
Morton College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 94% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #15, Kishwaukee College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their basic certificate. Located in Malta, Illinois, the small public school awarded 72 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Kishwaukee College are $13,800 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Kishwaukee College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 98% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Prairie State College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Prairie State College is located in Chicago Heights, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 116 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Prairie State College are $11,064 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Prairie State College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 80% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. Malcolm X College is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 204 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Malcolm X College are $14,430 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Malcolm X College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 97% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Malcolm X College also made our Best Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list, coming in at #5.
Read full report on City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College
Richland Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. This small public school is located in Decatur, Illinois, and it awarded 84 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Richland Community College are $19,260 per year.
Richland Community College 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. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 59% took at least some of their classes online.
Southwestern Illinois College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Belleville, Illinois, the medium-sized public school awarded 188 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2020-2021.
SWIC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,940 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at SWIC. In 2019-2020 about 53% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
South Suburban College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. South Holland, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 52 students in 2020-2021.
SSC undergraduate students pay an average of $12,683 in tuition and fees each year.
SSC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 79% took at least some of their classes online.
Heartland Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Heartland Community College is located in Normal, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 229 basic certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Heartland Community College are $14,550 per year.
Online courses are available at Heartland Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 75% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Rock Valley College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #22 on the list. Rock Valley College is a medium-sized public school situated in Rockford, Illinois. It awarded 132 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Rock Valley College are $17,564 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Rock Valley College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 86% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Parkland College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate nursing programs. Parkland College is a medium-sized public school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 142 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
Parkland College undergraduate students pay an average of $15,930 in tuition and fees each year.
Online courses are available at Parkland College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 61% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #24, Sauk Valley Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their basic certificate. Sauk Valley Community College is a small public school situated in Dixon, Illinois. It awarded 112 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Sauk Valley Community College are $12,840 per year.
Sauk Valley Community College 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, 84% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Joliet Junior College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Joliet Junior College is a fairly large public school situated in Joliet, Illinois. It awarded 78 basic certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Joliet Junior College are $13,410 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Joliet Junior College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
Joliet Junior College also claimed a spot on our Best Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Best Value Nursing Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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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