Best Illinois Nursing Schools

The state of Illinois is home to some of the best nursing schools in the country. In this article, we’ll talk about how to choose a school and list some of our favorites.

Rank School Location 1

The top Illinois nursing schools are located across the state, from Evanston to Chicago and Carbondale. The top-ranked school is Northwest University in Illinois, which has been educating nurses since 1928. Other well-regarded schools include Saint Xavier University, Loyola University Chicago and Rush University.

Ranking: 1st Northwest University Illinois Evanston, IL

The rankings are based on a number of factors, including surveys, reviews and statistics. They also take into account reputation, accreditation and student satisfaction. Additional criteria include student services and reputation as well as retention rate.

2nd Saint Xavier University Chicago, IL

Saint Xavier University is a private, coeducational Catholic university located in Chicago, Illinois. The school was founded in 1846 by the Vincentian Fathers and Brothers.

Saint Xavier University offers baccalaureate degrees at the undergraduate level as well as master’s and doctoral degrees through its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Health Professions, Graduate School of Management, Nanovic Institute for European Studies, Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics & Health Policy Research Center (NIHBPC).

3rd Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL

Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit university in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1898 by the Jesuits as Loyola Academy and has since grown into an institution with over 12,000 students from around the world.

Loyola University Chicago is the largest Catholic university in the United States and third largest in total enrollment (behind Notre Dame and USC). In addition to its main campus at 3501 S Halsted St., the school also operates satellite campuses throughout Illinois (Chicago), Indiana (Indianapolis) and Maryland (Washington D.C.).

4th University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL

The University of Illinois at Chicago is a public research university in Chicago, Illinois. It is the largest medical school in the United States, as well as one of the largest universities in the United States. The university is organized into seven colleges and seven professional schools; its campus includes more than 100 major buildings and 25 libraries.

UIC’s main campus (formerly called Chicago Circle) sits on 265 acres near downtown Chicago’s Magnificent Mile district, 60 miles away from Evanston (northwest suburban community), 180 miles away from St Louis MO (southeast suburb), and 255 miles away from Rockford IL (northwest suburbs).

5th Rush University Chicago, IL

Rush University College of Nursing is a private institution, and a member of the Association of American Medical Colleges. They are ranked #1 for research in the Chicago area, and #2 in the Midwest region. The college has been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education since 1978 (Degree Granting).

6th Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale, IL

If you’re interested in attending a school that’s close to home, consider Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois—a small town just over 100 miles from St. Louis and about 300 miles from Chicago. The school has an enrollment of about 12,000 students with about 3,000 graduate students. Its nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and is one of the oldest programs in the state. It offers many other majors as well as undergraduate degrees for both men and women including business administration; human resource management; recreation management; social work; computer information systems; accounting/finance; criminal justice administration; education/teaching elementary education K-8th grade science or biology courses within secondary education schools offering teacher licensure programs

7th Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL

Eastern Illinois University was founded in 1857, making it the oldest university in the state. Located in Charleston, it is a public institution with an impressive 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a strong alumni network. There are more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to choose from at Eastern Illinois University, including nursing. The school has one of the largest nursing departments in IL with over 2,200 students enrolled annually.

The bachelor’s program offers three tracks for students hoping to become nurses: general health care (pre-licensure), acute care hospital (pre-licensure) and community health care (post-licensure). Graduates from these programs have an excellent chance of being admitted into advanced or accelerated nursing programs at other schools; many graduates go on to earn their master’s degrees as well!

8th Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais, IL

8th Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, IL

The small-town charm of Bourbonnais makes this a great place for touring the campus. In addition to its stately brick buildings, students enjoy beautiful flower gardens and lakeside trails. The university offers two nursing degree programs: an RN-to-BSN program that can be completed online or on campus; and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program with tracks in neonatal/pediatrics, adult clinical care, or public health. The BSN program also includes optional concentrations such as forensic nursing or occupational health nursing.

9th Lutheran School of Nursing at Advocate Health Care Park Ridge, IL

The Lutheran School of Nursing at Advocate Health Care Park Ridge, IL is located in Park Ridge, Illinois. The school offers the following programs:

• Associate Degree Nursing program (ADN)
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing program (BSN)

For more information on financial aid and admission requirements, visit the Lutheran School of Nursing website.

The Lutheran School of Nursing at Advocate Health Care Park Ridge, IL has an enrollment population of approximately 106 students. The student body consists primarily of women who are 24 years old or younger. The average student to faculty ratio is 14:1 at the Lutheran School of Nursing at Advocate Health Care Park Ridge, IL and most classes have fewer than 20 students enrolled each semester.

10th Aurora University Aurora, IL

Aurora University is a private university in Aurora, Illinois. It is a liberal arts university with a focus on undergraduate education. The university has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1913 and has been nationally ranked for its excellent academic reputation by U.S. News & World Report for many years running. The school is also a member of the NCAA Division III, which includes athletic programs like basketball, baseball, cross country and football (to name just a few). Aurora University offers over 70 majors across several fields of study—from psychology to business management—and boasts an impressive alumni network that includes former president Ronald Reagan!

The total enrollment at Aurora University is about 4,700 students; there are more than 15 sports teams representing both men’s and women’s athletics programs across campus

The above colleges are the best nursing schools in Illinois.

Here are the top nursing schools in Illinois, ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

1 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: College of Nursing – This public university offers both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing, as well as a doctorate degree program for post-baccalaureate students who have earned their bachelor’s degrees elsewhere but want to continue their education with a focus in professional nursing practice (the doctorate program is not designed to prepare nurses for doctoral work).

2 Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine – Located on Chicago’s South Side, this private institution offers two undergraduate degrees: one in pre-licensure nursing, which prepares students for careers as registered nurses, and another that provides greater depth of knowledge in leadership skills and clinical competence but does not lead directly into an RN career path; these two tracks can also be combined into one program called Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Nursing Studies (IPCNS). As far as graduate programs go, LUCMSOM offers an MSN degree through its School of Health Sciences programs—this school was actually founded before LUCMSOM itself was established!

The above colleges are the best nursing schools in Illinois.