Best RN Programs in Illinois for 2026

Illinois Wesleyan University's nursing program sits within the School of Nursing and Health Sciences and delivers a traditional four-year BSN rooted in the university's liberal arts tradition. The program is notable for two things its scraped page makes explicit: clinical placements begin in the sophomore year, earlier than most four-year programs, and students have access to study abroad opportunities that are unusual for a nursing curriculum. Clinical sites span local hospitals, large regional medical centers, residential units for older adults, community and home health agencies, and early childhood centers. Transportation to off-campus group sites is provided.

With a Hakia Score of 86.2, IWU ranks first among Illinois BSN programs in this index. It admits 39% of applicants, making it the most selective program on this list. The graduation rate stands at 75%. As a private institution, tuition is $57,500 regardless of residency. That price point is the steepest tradeoff here: students pay for small cohorts, early clinical access, and a faculty-to-student ratio that supports collaborative research opportunities. The program enrolls 1,582 students university-wide, which keeps nursing cohorts intimate. Nationally, BLS OEWS data puts the median annual wage for registered nurses at $97,550.

The University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing offers three pathways to a BSN: a traditional track for incoming high school graduates at its Chicago campus, a junior-level transfer entry pathway the program has refined over decades, and a fully online RN-to-BSN for licensed nurses. That third pathway is described on the program page as acclaimed for its level of student engagement. Having all three options under one accreditation umbrella makes UIC the most flexible entry point on this list, whether a student is starting from scratch or already holds an RN license.

UIC's Hakia Score of 85.5 places it second in Illinois on this index. The admit rate is 77%, making it considerably more accessible than IWU. The graduation rate is 62%, the lowest among these four programs, which is a real tradeoff worth noting for a large public research university enrolling 33,906 students. In-state tuition runs $12,789 per year, the lowest on this list by a wide margin; out-of-state tuition is $28,849. For Illinois residents weighing cost against outcomes, UIC's price-to-program ratio is the most favorable here. BLS OEWS data shows the national median wage for registered nurses at $97,550 annually.

Loyola University Chicago's Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing runs a direct-entry four-year BSN designed for high school graduates, with guaranteed admission to the nursing program upon acceptance to the university. The 123-credit curriculum covers four clinical pillars: general, medical/surgical, maternal/child, and community/mental health/administration. Students complete seven clinical rotations at healthcare organizations across Chicago, culminating in a Clinical Role Transition capstone built around preceptor-based learning. The program page also notes an Accelerated BSN pathway for students who are not incoming high school seniors, and internal transfer students are accepted. The school reports a No. 13 national ranking from U.S. News and World Report for its nursing program.

Loyola holds a Hakia Score of 85.2, third in Illinois on this index. The admit rate is 82%, the highest among these four programs. The graduation rate is 73%. As a private nonprofit, tuition is $52,230 regardless of residency. That is more affordable than IWU but still a significant commitment. Loyola's large enrollment of 17,384 university-wide means more campus resources, while the nursing school's direct-entry guarantee removes one layer of uncertainty that students at non-direct-entry programs face. BLS OEWS data puts the national median wage for registered nurses at $97,550.

Bradley University's BSN program in Peoria is a direct-admit program that accepts both students with no prior college experience and transfer students. Its defining differentiator is technology integration: Bradley is one of six nursing programs in the country to incorporate Epic's Lyceum student training platform into the curriculum, giving students hands-on experience with the electronic health record system used across major hospital networks before they ever enter a clinical rotation. The program logs 670-plus total training hours, broken down as 560-plus hours of direct patient care, 40-plus hours in simulation labs, and 60-plus hours in skills labs. Two pathways are offered: the standard BSN and a Transfer Entry track. The page also lists an Accelerated BSN (ABSN) among the school's nursing programs. Bradley's nursing programs carry ACEN, CCNE, ACME, and COA accreditation per the program page.

Bradley's Hakia Score is 83.1, fourth on this Illinois list. The admit rate is 77% and the graduation rate is 76%, the highest among all four programs here. Tuition is $41,210 for all students regardless of residency. Peoria's clinical ecosystem includes OSF HealthCare (the region's largest employer with nearly 13,500 employees), a Level 1 Trauma Center, Carle Health System, and the Jump Trading Simulation and Education Center, which the program describes as one of the world's largest simulation and innovation centers. That local infrastructure is a concrete advantage for a program grounded in experiential learning. BLS OEWS data puts the national median wage for registered nurses at $97,550.

The University of St. Francis (USF) in Joliet offers a traditional prelicensure BSN through its Leach College of Nursing. The program emphasizes small class sizes for individual attention, a simulation lab with four computerized mannequins of varying ages and genders, and clinical rotations across hospitals, home health, public health, hospice, long-term care, and mental health settings. The curriculum covers evidence-based practice, cultural awareness, informatics, and advocacy, with a stated special emphasis on care of older adults. The program is CCNE-accredited.

USF admits 65 percent of applicants, making it one of the more accessible private programs on this list. The graduation rate sits at 67 percent, meaning roughly one in three students who start does not finish, so academic preparation matters. Tuition is $38,110 per year with no distinction between in-state and out-of-state students, as USF is a private institution. The program's Hakia Score of 82 reflects solid outcomes against that cost and selectivity profile. The program page states NCLEX pass rates typically run 90 to 100 percent, though prospective students should verify current licensure board data independently via NCSBN.

This program fits students who want a smaller-cohort Catholic university environment with hands-on simulation and broad clinical placement diversity. The flat tuition means out-of-state applicants face no penalty, but at $38,110 annually, cost is the central tradeoff to weigh. Registered nurses nationally earn a median of $97,550 per year according to the BLS OEWS, the same benchmark available to graduates of any accredited program.

DePaul University in Chicago offers a single-track BSN designed for high-achieving high school graduates entering directly into nursing. The program is structured around quarter-hour credit and integrates ATI examinations throughout the curriculum, requiring a passing score for both progression and graduation. The catalog describes this as a deliberate strategy to increase first-attempt NCLEX-RN pass rates. Coursework spans medical-surgical nursing across three sequential courses, mental health, pediatrics, OB/maternity, critical care, community health, nursing informatics, research, and a capstone transition-to-practice course. Total program hours are 192 quarter credits, including a 72-hour liberal studies requirement built around DePaul's Vincentian core curriculum.

DePaul admits 76 percent of applicants, the highest admit rate among the four programs in this group, which means the program is relatively accessible for a private Chicago university. The graduation rate is 68 percent. Tuition is $44,601 per year, the highest on this list, and applies equally to all students since DePaul is private. Against that cost the Hakia Score of 81.7 reflects competitive but not top-tier outcomes. The ATI-embedded curriculum is the clearest differentiator: every course checkpoint is tied to licensure readiness, and students who cannot clear those checkpoints do not advance.

The program fits students who want a structured, assessment-driven pathway in a large urban institution with access to Chicago's dense healthcare network. The tradeoff is cost: $44,601 annually is a significant commitment, and a 68 percent graduation rate means the attrition risk is real. National median RN pay is $97,550 per the BLS OEWS, and NCLEX licensure requirements are governed by NCSBN.

Elmhurst University in Elmhurst, Illinois offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing under its Prelicensure Option, housed in the Diane Tyrrell Department of Nursing and Public Health. Students spend their first two years completing prerequisites in biology (anatomy and physiology I and II, microbiology), chemistry (general and organic), psychology (intro, lifespan development, psychopathology), mathematics, and liberal arts before applying to the nursing sequence. Formal admission to the program is required and is competitive, based on completion of prerequisites. The 16-course nursing sequence covers health assessment, adult health nursing across three levels, family health, pathophysiology-pharmacology across two courses, mental health, community health, research and evidence-based practice, and a synthesis capstone in complex care. The baccalaureate program is CCNE-accredited.

Elmhurst admits 74 percent of applicants and graduates 70 percent of students who enroll, the strongest completion rate of the four programs here. Tuition is $42,495 annually with no in-state/out-of-state difference. The Hakia Score of 81.1 reflects that combination: moderate selectivity, solid retention, and CCNE credentials. The prerequisite-then-apply structure means students spend two years before formal nursing coursework begins, which is a longer ramp than accelerated formats but builds a deeper science foundation. The program page notes eligibility to sit for the NCLEX-RN upon graduation.

Elmhurst suits students who want a structured, liberal-arts-grounded path at a smaller private university outside Chicago. The 70 percent graduation rate is the key differentiator versus the other programs in this cohort. Cost is the tradeoff: $42,495 per year at a school without in-state pricing. For salary context, the national RN median is $97,550 per the BLS OEWS. CCNE accreditation details are at AACN.

Lewis University in Romeoville offers a BSN through its College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CONHS) with two undergraduate tracks: a standard Prelicensure track and an Accelerated BSN (ABSN) track for students moving through faster. The program also includes an RN-to-BSN pathway for working nurses. Lewis describes its approach as developing a holistic patient care framework rather than purely technical training. Students draw clinical hours from 50 affiliated agencies in the region. The program page reports NCLEX pass rates by year going back to 2015; the most recent figures are 98 percent in both 2023 (88 of 90 candidates) and 2024 (85 of 87 candidates). The baccalaureate and graduate programs are CCNE-accredited. The page also notes a third-party ranking from RegisteredNursing.org listing Lewis among the top ten nursing programs in Illinois.

Lewis admits 71 percent of applicants and graduates 67 percent of enrolled students, similar to USF. Tuition is $38,800 annually, flat for all students. Transfer applicants must hold a 3.0 GPA and satisfy science prerequisites. The Hakia Score of 80.2 is the lowest of the four programs here, but the NCLEX pass rate history is the strongest publicly documented record in this group. Prospective students should verify current pass-rate data directly with NCSBN since the figures on the program page are self-reported.

Lewis fits students who want documented licensure performance, multiple entry tracks (traditional, accelerated, RN-to-BSN), and broad clinical site access in the Chicago metro area. The 67 percent graduation rate is the same as USF at a similar tuition point, so persistence and academic readiness are the variables most in a student's control. Registered nurses earn a national median of $97,550 per year according to the BLS OEWS.

Olivet Nazarene University offers a traditional four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at its Bourbonnais campus. The program is built around evidence-based practice, simulation-based learning, and clinical placements across acute care hospitals, community health agencies, long-term care facilities, and specialty environments. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN, and the program holds CCNE accreditation. ONU also offers accredited master's and post-graduate APRN certificate programs, giving students a visible path beyond the BSN.

ONU carries a Hakia Score of 80.2, ranking it ninth among Illinois BSN programs in this analysis. The admission rate is 56%, making it selectively competitive for a private institution. Graduation rate sits at 61%, a figure worth weighing against the $37,910 annual tuition (the same for all students, as ONU does not differentiate in-state from out-of-state). That price point is high relative to Illinois public options, so the fit here is strongest for students drawn to a faith-integrated environment who can access institutional aid or scholarships. The school reports 100% alumni job placement within six months, though prospective students should verify that figure directly with the admissions office.

With 3,339 total undergraduates, ONU is a small university by Illinois standards. Class sizes in nursing tend to reflect that scale, which can mean closer faculty access. The program's emphasis on diverse clinical rotations across the lifespan addresses one of the core practical gaps new nurses face entering a generalist role. National context: BLS data puts the median annual wage for registered nurses at $97,550, a figure that applies regardless of which accredited program a nurse graduates from.

Northern Illinois University's School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing on its DeKalb campus, preparing students as nursing generalists capable of direct and indirect patient care across individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. The program is currently structured as a competitive five-semester sequence; beginning fall 2026, it shifts to a four-semester course sequence. The curriculum is approved by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation and is CCNE-accredited. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. NIU's page notes the program was ranked a 2025 Best Undergraduate Nursing Program by U.S. News and World Report.

NIU earns a Hakia Score of 79.9, placing it tenth among Illinois programs here. The admit rate is 70%, but the school uses a selective internal application to enter the nursing program itself, requiring a minimum 2.75 prerequisite GPA and cumulative GPA. That two-stage filter means overall university admission does not guarantee nursing program entry. The graduation rate is 49%, the lowest among the top-ten Illinois programs in this dataset, which is a real tradeoff to weigh before enrolling. The payoff on cost is significant: in-state tuition runs $10,232 per year, a fraction of private-school alternatives, and the program reports over $200,000 in annual scholarships distributed to nursing students.

NIU enrolls 15,414 students, giving it the resources of a mid-size public research university. The School of Nursing operates from the Wellness and Literacy Center alongside audiology, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology, and construction on a new Baustert Bahwell Health Technology Center is slated to begin in 2026. The program partners with over 230 regional clinical sites and supports students through a dedicated advisor, a Student Success Program, and organizations including Sigma Theta Tau and the Black Student Nurse Organization. For Illinois residents who qualify for the nursing cohort, NIU represents one of the strongest cost-to-credential ratios in the state. BLS wage data sets the national median for registered nurses at $97,550 annually.