Illinois · Registered Nursing

Best institutions to study Registered Nursing in Illinois

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

Institutions
84
offering CIP 51.38
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
19,675
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$76,766
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
68
College Scorecard
Median net price
$19,888
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
47%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Registered Nurses
$94,360
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Chamberlain University - Illinois
Addison Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$83,18812,12842%$29,024$39,146
2Governors State University
University Park Public · Bachelor's degree
$80,3913122%$27,342
3Benedictine University
Lisle Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$80,1366850%$23,570$17,188
4Saint Xavier University
Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$78,28515157%$12,935$27,188
5Loyola University Chicago
Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$76,86930473%$33,454$27,000
6Lewis University
Romeoville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$76,76626967%$17,632$27,000
7Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$76,4461258%$15,126$27,000
8University of St Francis
Joliet Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$75,81113667%$15,591$30,700
9Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$75,6294075%$26,849$27,000
10Northern Illinois University
Dekalb Public · Bachelor's degree
$75,55719649%$31,000

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.9%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~189,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$93,600
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionMonitoringWriting

What Registered Nurses earn in Illinois

Jobs in Illinois
138,910
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$94,360
median $95,990
Best-paying metro
$97,930
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Related careers

Registered Nurses
$94,360 avg · 138,910 jobs
Medical and Health Services Managers
$139,160 avg · 22,460 jobs
Nurse Practitioners
$130,940 avg · 9,270 jobs
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
$78,320 avg · 4,940 jobs
Nurse Anesthetists
$251,600 avg · 1,140 jobs
Nurse Midwives
$113,800 avg · 280 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Illinois.

Which Registered Nursing program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Chamberlain University - Illinois tops the list at $83,188. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Registered Nurses earn in Illinois?+

The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Illinois is $94,360 (median $95,990), across about 138,910 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+

The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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