Top 34 Best BSN Programs in Illinois [2023]

If you want to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or BSN, degree, Illinois could be just the place for you. Registered nurses (RNs) are retiring much faster than new nurses are entering the workforce in this state. If you look at the trends, this situation is likely to get worse over time. More than a third of RNs in Illinois are over the age of 55. Half of all licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in the state are also expected to retire within 10 years.

Illinois is not currently a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. This makes an Illinois nursing license less valuable than one from an NLC state. However, this issue will most likely go away in the near future. The Illinois government has been moving towards joining the NLC for several years. By the time you finish a four-year BSN degree, there’s a great chance that Illinois will be a member of the compact.

Nurses in Illinois earn an average salary of $78,260. The current state population is 12.5 million, which is projected to go down in the next ten years. It’s interesting to note that Illinois is the only state in America whose population is shrinking.

The Best BSN Programs in Illinois

The people of Illinois are working hard to attract new students for the state’s accredited BSN programs. Fortunately, there are many great programs to pick from. It’s a good idea to look at graduation rates and NCLEX-RN pass/fail numbers when considering the schools on this list.

1. Saint Xavier University

   3700 W 103rd St, Chicago, IL 60655 (773) 298-3000

2. Lakeview College of Nursing

   903 N Logan Ave, Danville, IL 61832 (217) 709-0920

3. Robert Morris University Illinois

   401 S State St, Chicago, IL 60605 (312) 935-6800

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

   601 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607 (312) 996-7000

5. Western Illinois University

   1 University Cir, Macomb, IL 61455 (309) 295-1414

6. Eastern Illinois University

   600 Lincoln Ave, Charleston, IL 61920 (217) 581-5000

7. Illinois State University

   100 N University St, Normal, IL 61761 (309) 438-2111

8. Trinity Christian College

   6601 W College Dr, Palos Heights, IL 60463 (708) 597-3000

9. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

   1125 Lincoln Dr, Carbondale, IL 62901 (618) 453-2121

10. Elmhurst College

    190 S Prospect Ave, Elmhurst, IL 60126 (630) 617-3500

11. Illinois Wesleyan University

    1312 N Park St, Bloomington, IL 61701 (309) 556-1000

12. Methodist College

    7600 N Academic Dr, Peoria, IL 61615 (309) 672-5513

13. Loyola University Chicago

    1032 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660 (773) 274-3000

14. DePaul University

    1 E Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 362-8000

15. Bradley University

    1501 W Bradley Ave, Peoria, IL 61625 (309) 676-7611

16. University of St Francis

    500 Wilcox St, Joliet, IL 60435 (815) 740-3360

17. North Park University

    3225 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 (773) 244-6200

18. McKendree University

    701 College Rd, Lebanon, IL 62254 (618) 537-4481

19. Millikin University

    1184 W Main St, Decatur, IL 62522 (217) 424-6211

20. Rush University

    600 S Paulina St UNIT 440, Chicago, IL 60612 (312) 942-7100

21. Rockford University

    5050 E State St, Rockford, IL 61108 (815) 226-4186

22. Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

    1 Hairpin Dr, Edwardsville, IL 62026 (618) 650-2000

23. Benedictine University

    5700 College Rd, Lisle, IL 60532 (630) 829-6000

24. Olivet Nazarene University

    1 University Ave, Bourbonnais, IL 60914 (815) 939-5011

25. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

    3301 N Mulford Rd, Rockford, IL 61114 (815) 395-5091

26. Governors State University

    1 University Pkwy, University Park, IL 60484 (708) 534-5000

27. Oak Point University

    1431 N Claremont Ave, Chicago, IL 60523 (630) 537-9600

28. Dominican University

    7900 Division St, River Forest, IL 60305 (708) 366-2490

29. St. John's College-Department of Nursing

    729 E Carpenter St, Springfield, IL 62702 (217) 525-5628

30. Chamberlain University-Illinois

    1221 N Swift Rd, Addison, IL 60101 (630) 953-3680

31. Lewis University

    1 University Pkwy, Romeoville, IL 60446 (815) 838-0500

32. Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences

    2122 25th Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201 (309) 779-7700

33. Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing

    511 NE Greenleaf St, Peoria, IL 61603 (309) 655-2201

34. Northern Illinois University

    1425 W Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL 60115 (800) 892-3050