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Illinois has over 150,000 registered nurses (RNs), and this number continues to grow each year. The average salary of $82,220 per year makes a career as an RN a popular choice in the state.
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Requirements to Become an RN in Illinois
To become an RN in Illinois, you can earn either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). The ADN is the fastest path to becoming an RN, and it provides all the training you need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam.
The NCLEX-RN is a two-part exam that assesses your knowledge and skills in nursing. If you pass both parts of the exam, you can apply for an RN license from the Illinois Board of Nursing.
Accredited RN Programs in Illinois
Illinois has a wide range of excellent RN programs, so to help you choose, here are some of the best:
Ambria College of Nursing
5210 Trillium Blvd, Hoffman Estates, IL 60192(847) 397-0300Aurora University
347 S Gladstone Ave, Aurora, IL 60506(630) 892-6431Benedictine University
5700 College Rd, Lisle, IL 60532(630) 829-6000Black Hawk College
6600 34th Ave, Moline, IL 61265(309) 796-5000Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing
3609 N Marx Dr, Quincy, IL 62305(217) 228-5520Bradley University
1501 W Bradley Ave, Peoria, IL 61625(404) 975-5000CAAN Academy of Nursing
4747 Lincoln Hwy Ste 420, Matteson, IL 60443(708) 983-1645Carl Sandburg College
2400 Tom L. Wilson Blvd, Galesburg, IL 61401(309) 344-2518Chamberlain University
3005 Highland Pkwy, Downers Grove, IL 60515(877) 751-5783Chicago State University
9501 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60628(773) 995-2000City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X
7500 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60652(312) 850-7000College of DuPage
425 22nd St, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137(630) 942-2380College of Lake County
19351 W Washington St, Grayslake, IL 60030(847) 543-2000Danville Area Community College
2000 E Main St Ste 4, Danville, IL 61832(217) 443-3222DePaul University
2400 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60614(773) 687-1000Dominican University
7900 Division St, River Forest, IL 60305(708) 366-2490Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Ave, Charleston, IL 61920(217) 581-5000Elgin Community College
1700 Spartan Dr, Elgin, IL 60123(847) 697-1000Elmhurst College
190 S Prospect Ave, Elmhurst, IL 60126(630) 617-3400Graham Hospital School of Nursing
210 W Walnut St, Canton, IL 61520(309) 647-5240Harper College
1200 W Algonquin Rd, Palatine, IL 60067(847) 925-6000Heartland Community College
1500 W Raab Rd, Normal, IL 61761(309) 268-8000Highland Community College
2998 W Pearl City Rd, Freeport, IL 61032(815) 235-6121Illinois Central College
1 College Dr, East Peoria, IL 61635(309) 694-5422Illinois State University
Campus Box 5810, Normal, IL 61790(309) 438-7400Illinois Valley Community College
815 N Orlando Smith St, Oglesby, IL 61348(815) 224-2720Illinois Wesleyan University
1312 Park St, Bloomington, IL 61701(309) 556-1000John A. Logan College
700 Logan College Dr, Carterville, IL 62918(618) 985-3741John Wood Community College
1301 S 48th St, Quincy, IL 62305(217) 224-6500Joliet Junior College
1215 Houbolt Rd, Joliet, IL 60431(815) 729-9020Kankakee Community College
100 College Drive, Kankakee, IL 60901(815) 802-8100Kaskaskia College
27210 College Rd, Centralia, IL 62801(618) 545-3000Kishwaukee College
21193 Malta Rd, Malta, IL 60150(815) 825-2086Lake Land College
5001 Lake Land Blvd, Mattoon, IL 61938(217) 234-5253Lakeview College of Nursing
903 N Logan Ave, Danville, IL 61832(217) 709-0920Lewis & Clark Community College
5800 Godfrey Rd, Godfrey, IL 62035(618) 468-4401Lewis University
1 University Pkwy, Romeoville, IL 60446(815) 838-0500Lincoln Land Community College
5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703(217) 786-2437Loyola University Chicago
1032 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660(773) 274-3000McHenry County College
8900 Northwest Hwy #14, Crystal Lake, IL 60012(815) 455-3700Methodist College
7600 N Academic Dr, Peoria, IL 61615(309) 672-5513Millikin University
1184 W Main St, Decatur, IL 62522(217) 424-6211Moraine Valley Community College
9000 College Pkwy, Palos Hills, IL 60465(708) 974-4300Morton College
3801 S Central Ave, Cicero, IL 60804(708) 656-8000North Park University
3225 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60625(800) 888-6728Northern Illinois University
1425 W Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL 60115(815) 753-1231Northwestern College
9400 S Cicero Ave, Oak Lawn, IL 60453(888) 205-2283Oakton Community College
1600 E Golf Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60016(847) 635-1600Olivet Nazarene University
1 University Ave, Bourbonnais, IL 60914(800) 648-1463Parkland College
2400 W Bradley Ave, Champaign, IL 61821(217) 351-2200Prairie State College
202 S Halsted St, Chicago Heights, IL 60411(708) 709-3500Rasmussen College
1400 Normantown Rd, Romeoville, IL 60446(815) 306-2600Rend Lake College
468 North Ken Gray Pkwy, Ina, IL 62846(618) 437-5321Resurrection University
3 Erie St, Oak Park, IL 60302(773) 252-6464Richland Community College
1 College Park, Decatur, IL 62521(217) 875-7200Robert Morris University Illinois
401 S State St, Chicago, IL 60605(800) 762-5960Rock Valley College
3301 N Mulford Rd, Rockford, IL 61114(815) 921-7821Rockford University
5050 E State St, Rockford, IL 61108(815) 226-4000Roosevelt University
430 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605(312) 341-3500Rush University
600 S Paulina St # 1080, Chicago, IL 60612(312) 942-5000Saint Anthony College of Nursing
3301 N Mulford Rd, Rockford, IL 61114(815) 282-7900Saint Xavier University
3700 W 103rd St, Chicago, IL 60655(844) 468-6798Sauk Valley Community College
173 IL-2, Dixon, IL 61021(815) 288-5511Shawnee Community College
8364 Shawnee College Rd, Ullin, IL 62992(618) 634-3200South Suburban College
15800 State St, South Holland, IL 60473(708) 596-2000Southeastern Illinois College
3575 College Rd, Harrisburg, IL 62946(618) 252-5400Southern Illinois University
1263 Lincoln Dr, Carbondale, IL 62901(618) 536-6666Southern Illinois University Carbondale
1263 Lincoln Dr, Carbondale, IL 62901(618) 453-7211Southwestern Illinois College
2500 Carlyle Ave, Belleville, IL 62221(618) 235-2700Spoon River College
23235 County Hwy 22, Canton, IL 61520(309) 647-4645St. John's College of Nursing
729 E Carpenter St, Springfield, IL 62702(217) 525-5628Trinity Christian College
6601 W College Dr, Palos Heights, IL 60463(708) 597-3000Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences
2122 25th Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201(309) 779-7700Triton College
2000 5th Ave, River Grove, IL 60171(708) 456-0300University of Illinois at Chicago
1200 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607(312) 996-7000University of St. Francis
500 Wilcox St, Joliet, IL 60435(800) 735-7500Waubonsee Community College
4S783 IL-47, Sugar Grove, IL 60554(630) 466-7900Western Illinois University
1 University Cir, Macomb, IL 61455(309) 298-1414
RN Job Outlook and Salary in Illinois
Illinois RNs are in high demand, with Projections Central forecasting a 4.6% job growth rate from 2020 to 2030. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, RNs in Illinois earn an average annual salary of $82,220 per year, equivalent to $39.53 per hour.
The following table shows the total number of RNs employed in Illinois, and their average wage and salary, by area.
Area | Total Employment | Avg Hourly Wage | Avg Annual Salary |
---|---|---|---|
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | 94,640 | $40.99 | $85,260 |
Kankakee | 1,450 | $38.94 | $80,980 |
Champaign-Urbana | 3,440 | $38.13 | $79,310 |
Danville | 640 | $37.69 | $78,390 |
Springfield | 3,720 | $37.8 | $78,630 |
Decatur | 1,240 | $37.48 | $77,960 |
Rockford | 3,900 | $37.11 | $77,190 |
Bloomington | 1,540 | $35.86 | $74,600 |
Carbondale-Marion | 2,120 | $35.86 | $74,590 |
Peoria | 5,520 | $34.93 | $72,650 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2022
Illinois Board of Nursing
The Illinois Board of Nursing is the primary resource for RNs in Illinois for all nursing-related questions and concerns.