2023 Best Value Nursing Undergraduate 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.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. This report analyzed 22 schools in Illinois to see which ones offered the best value undergraduate 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 Undergraduate 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 undergraduate certificate in Illinois. John A Logan College is located in Carterville, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 82 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
John A Logan College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,980 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $15,389 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at John A Logan College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 46% took at least some of their classes online.
The excellent undergraduate certificate programs at Rend Lake College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value nursing schools in Illinois. Ina, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 36 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Rend Lake College are $6,750 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $10,002 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Rend Lake 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 72% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Out of the 22 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, Kaskaskia College landed the # 3 spot on the list. This small public school is located in Centralia, Illinois, and it awarded 31 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Kaskaskia College are $12,330 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,996 in student loans.
Kaskaskia 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. In 2019-2020 about 54% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Kaskaskia College also made our Best Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list, coming in at #5.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lake Land College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Mattoon, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 51 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Lake Land College are $13,906 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,767 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Lake Land College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 69% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Lake Land College also took the #4 spot in our Best Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois rankings.
Out of the 22 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, Lincoln Land Community College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Lincoln Land Community College is a small public school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 24 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at LLCC are $10,068 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $10,607 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at LLCC. In fact, around 81% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
William Rainey Harper College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate nursing programs. Harper College is located in Palatine, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 53 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
Harper College undergraduate students pay an average of $11,682 in tuition and fees each year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $15,896 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Harper 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 86% took at least some of their classes online.
Harper College not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #1 on our Best Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list.
Black Hawk College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Located in Moline, Illinois, the small public school awarded 14 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
BHC undergraduate students pay an average of $7,650 in tuition and fees each year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $18,698 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at BHC, 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, 71% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Elgin Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #8 on the list. Elgin Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Elgin, Illinois that handed out 1 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at ECC are $9,516 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,701 in student loans.
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. During the 2019-2020 year, about 74% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Oakton Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. Oakton Community College is a public institution located in Des Plaines, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Oakton Community College are $12,462 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $17,358 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Oakton 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. During the 2019-2020 year, about 91% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Oakton Community College not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #3 on our Best Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list.
Carl Sandburg College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. Carl Sandburg College is located in Galesburg, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Carl Sandburg College are $8,760 per year.
Carl Sandburg College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 83% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #11, Joliet Junior College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their undergraduate certificate. Joliet Junior College is a fairly large public school situated in Joliet, Illinois. It awarded 99 undergraduate 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. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,047 in student loans.
Joliet Junior 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 96% took at least some of their classes online.
Joliet Junior College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list.
Olney Central College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #12 on the list. Located in Olney, Illinois, the very small public school handed out 58 undergraduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Olney Central College are $12,082 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,619 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Olney Central College does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 39% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Illinois Central College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for nursing students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #13 on the list. Illinois Central College is a medium-sized public school located in East Peoria, Illinois that handed out 44 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at ICC are $11,497 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,029 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since ICC does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 62% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 19 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Malcolm X College undergraduate students pay an average of $14,430 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,095 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Malcolm X College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 97% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Read full report on City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College
With a ranking of #15, Richland Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their undergraduate certificate. Richland Community College is located in Decatur, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 undergraduate certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Richland Community College are $19,260 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Richland Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 59% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Parkland College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 23 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Parkland College are $15,930 a year. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from this school accumulate an average of $13,293 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Parkland College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 61% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Sauk Valley Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Sauk Valley Community College is a small public school located in Dixon, Illinois that handed out 12 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Sauk Valley Community College are $12,840 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $4,936 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Sauk Valley Community College. In 2019-2020 about 84% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Illinois Valley Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. IVCC is a small public school situated in Oglesby, Illinois. It awarded 15 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at IVCC are $13,942 per year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,432 in student loans.
IVCC 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 73% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #19, Danville Area Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their undergraduate certificate. Danville Area Community College is a small public school located in Danville, Illinois that handed out 17 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
DACC undergraduate students pay an average of $8,650 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,931 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since DACC does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 57% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #20, Heartland Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for nursing students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in Normal, Illinois, the small public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Heartland Community College are $14,550 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,431 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Heartland Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 75% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Kankakee Community College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value undergraduate certificate nursing programs. Kankakee Community College is a small public school situated in Kankakee, Illinois. It awarded 9 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Kankakee Community College are $25,560 per year. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $21,502 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Kankakee Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 67% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Rock Valley College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Illinois list. Rock Valley College is a public institution located in Rockford, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Rock Valley College are $17,564 a year. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,594 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Rock Valley College. In fact, around 86% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Best Value Nursing Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 22 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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