Best colleges for Practical Nursing in Illinois
Ranked by graduate earnings
Verve College, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges and CAAN Academy of Nursing are the top Practical Nursing programs in Illinois by graduate earnings. Verve College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $63,593, College Scorecard. William Rainey Harper College, College of Lake County and Illinois Central College award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Illinois: 640, 564 and 554 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 51 Illinois colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 8,689 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Verve College Oak Brook Private for-profit · Certificate | $63,593 | 102 | — | — | $14,933 |
| 2 | Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Olney Public · Certificate | $56,008 | 181 | 63% | — | $7,500 |
| 3 | CAAN Academy of Nursing Matteson Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $55,822 | 26 | — | — | $22,398 |
| 4 | Illinois Central College East Peoria Public · Certificate | $55,604 | 554 | 49% | — | $12,700 |
| 5 | MDT College of Health Sciences Chicago Private for-profit · Certificate | $54,894 | 144 | 50% | $27,375 | $26,250 |
| 6 | Shawnee Community College Ullin Public · Certificate | $54,323 | 108 | 60% | — | $11,162 |
| 7 | Capital Area Career Center Springfield Public · Certificate | $52,517 | 134 | 100% | — | $12,918 |
| 8 | Rend Lake College Ina Public · Certificate | $49,729 | 90 | 63% | — | — |
| 9 | Black Hawk College Moline Public · Certificate | $45,993 | 194 | 40% | — | $12,467 |
| 10 | Career Center of Southern Illinois Red Bud Public · Certificate | $45,941 | 42 | 57% | — | $16,978 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in Illinois
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine Public | 640 | $36,528 |
| 2 | College of Lake County Grayslake Public | 564 | Not reported |
| 3 | Illinois Central College East Peoria Public | 554 | $55,604 |
| 4 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills Public | 438 | Not reported |
| 5 | Rock Valley College Rockford Public | 301 | $27,497 |
| 6 | Oakton College Des Plaines Public | 286 | Not reported |
| 7 | Southwestern Illinois College Belleville Public | 268 | $22,351 |
| 8 | Kaskaskia College Centralia Public | 266 | $43,289 |
| 9 | McHenry County College Crystal Lake Public | 264 | Not reported |
| 10 | Lincoln Land Community College Springfield Public | 249 | $29,851 |
ShowHide the other 41 Illinois colleges offering Practical Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
William Rainey Harper College (640 graduates a year), College of Lake County (564 graduates a year) and Illinois Central College (554 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 51 Illinois colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in Illinois?+
By graduate earnings, Verve College leads among Practical Nursing programs in Illinois, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $63,593, College Scorecard. Illinois Eastern Community Colleges and CAAN Academy of Nursing follow. By degrees awarded, William Rainey Harper College is the largest, with 640 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Verve College tops the list at $63,593. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in Illinois?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Illinois is $45,230 (median $45,960), across about 68,640 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Practical Nursing program?+
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Nursing Assistants?+
The national job outlook is about +2.3% growth with around 204,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card