Explore Illinois' Top BSN Programs: Online & Campus

We’ve written this guide to introduce you to the many benefits of earning your bachelor’s in nursing through a quality BSN programs in Illinois. Below we’ll explore the various types of BSN programs in Illinois, explain why employers prefer to hire baccalaureate-prepared nurses, and address students’ most frequently asked questions about BSN programs.

So, if you’re ready to discover the ins and outs of a BSN, keep reading to get started by taking a look at our list of top programs.

Top Online BSN Programs in IL

A Look at the Benefits of Earning a BSN Program in Illinois

There are quicker and less costly ways of getting the education you need to launch your nursing career (like earning an ADN degree), but there’s no better way to do it than by earning your bachelor’s in nursing. Consider just three of the many benefits you’ll gain by enrolling in one of the BSN programs in Illinois:

Diverse Population

It should come as no surprise that colleges and universities with BSN programs tend to have larger, more diverse student populations. A diverse student body, and school diversity and inclusion efforts (like those at Illinois State University), help students develop greater cultural sensitivity in their academic pursuits. They also expose students to a wider presentation of medical conditions and array of healthcare challenges—a major plus in an ever-diversifying nursing practice environment.

Research and Innovation Opportunities

One very important but often overlooked advantage that BSN students (like those at Loyola University Chicago) have over students in ADN or nursing diploma programs is the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with faculty members on their nursing research. Being able to add research experience to your resume can pay big dividends during your job search, especially if you decide to continue on to graduate school.

Strong Professional Associations

Professional nursing associations provide an almost endless number of support services and networking opportunities, and are a tremendous resource for BSN students. There are many excellent national and state associations available to all nursing students, regardless of their degree level, but BSN students in Illinois (like those at the University of Illinois Chicago) often have the additional advantage of having access to student nurse organizations within their own schools.

Criteria to Consider When Choosing BSN Programs in Illinois

Once you’re certain that a BSN is the best option for starting or advancing your nursing career, it’s time to find the specific program that’s right for you. As you explore your program choices, there are several important elements to look for, including these three:

Accreditation

Proper accreditation is a crucial feature of any Illinois BSN program you consider. There are two forms of accreditation to look for. The first, institutional accreditation, concerns the academic quality of a postsecondary school overall. The second is programmatic accreditation, which concerns the vetting of specific degree programs offered by colleges and universities. Institutional accreditation is overseen by a number of independent U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agencies, while the programmatic accreditation of Illinois BSN programs is administered primarily by two accrediting bodies: the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

You can check the current accreditation status of schools and degree programs using this Department of Education accreditation search engine.

NCLEX Preparation & Pass Rates

One of the primary goals of all BSN programs in Illinois is to successfully prepare its students to take the NCLEX-RN exam, which is a primary requirement for obtaining an RN license in every state and U.S. Territory. One of the very best ways to gauge how successfully a school prepares its students is to look at a program’s NCLEX exam pass rate. Programs with notably high pass rates often note those rates on their program websites. If you’re not finding them there, you can check the most current (2022) pass rates here.

Well-Rounded Curriculum

One of the big reasons that employers prefer to hire registered nurses with a BSN degree is that they know most BSN graduates have received a solid, well-rounded education. That includes the coursework that provides the specific nursing knowledge and skills needed for RN practice as well as the general education courses–in English, math, the humanities, and the natural and social sciences–that help turn students into competent professionals. Be sure that the program you ultimately choose provides you with that well-rounded educational experience.

Types of BSN Programs in Illinois

Once you start looking into the many BSN programs in Illinois, you’ll soon realize that there many different types of programs out there, each serving students with different academic backgrounds and career goals. In this section, we’ll examine the most common BSN program types to help you determine the one that’s best for you.

FAQs About BSN Programs in Illinois

If you’ve read this far, then hopefully you have a solid understanding of what Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs are all about. To help fill in any gaps you might still have, here are the answers to a few of the most common questions asked by prospective BSN students:

Can I work while pursuing a BSN in Illinois?

You can work while pursuing your BSN, but it’s not always a good idea. Most pre-licensure programs (traditional BSN, ABSN, LPN to BSN) are full-time and, therefore, require a substantial time commitment, in terms of study and clinical rotation hours. As a result, working a job while pursuing a pre-licensure BSN degree is strongly discouraged. Conversely, most RN to BSN programs in Illinois are specifically designed to accommodate RNs who want or need to work full-time while earning their degrees.

Are there specific prerequisite courses I need to take?

Virtually all pre-licensure BSN programs in Illinois require students to complete some number of prerequisite courses prior to starting the program’s nursing curriculum. Exactly which courses, and how many of them you’ll be required to take depends on the specific program you choose. For example, most traditional BSN students will first complete a pre-nursing curriculum (typically during their first two years of study) before entering the BSN program proper where they’ll complete all of the nursing courses, labs, and clinical rotation hours needed to earn their degrees. Pre-nursing curriculums (like the one at the Illinois State University) commonly include a number of foundational courses in subjects like biology, psychology, chemistry, nutrition, and statistics. ABSN, LPN to BSN, and RN to BSN students may not have to complete an entire pre-nursing curriculum but will typically be required to complete some prerequisite courses.

Are online BSN programs in Illinois accredited?

Absolutely. In fact, online BSN programs in Illinois have the same institutional and programmatic accreditation as their on-campus counterparts. Examples of online BSN programs in Illinois accredited by the CCNE include the fully-online RN to BSN program at Illinois College and hybrid-formatted BSN program on Chamberlain University’s Addison campus. As we mentioned earlier, proper accreditation is a critical factor in choosing any BSN program. If you can’t confirm both the institutional and programmatic accreditation of an online program you’re considering, it’s time to cross that one off your potential program list.

How do BSN programs differ from other nursing programs?

We touched earlier on the fact that there are quicker ways to start your nursing career than with a BSN degree, but what are those ways and how do they differ from BSN programs? Here’s a look:

• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Programs: LPN certificate of completion (or achievement) programs prepare graduates to take the NCLEX-PN exam to become Licensed Practical Nurses (or Licensed Vocational Nurses, for California and Texas graduates). Programs typically require 12 months (full-time) to 24 months (part-time) to complete. The mean annual salary (as of May 2022) for LPNs in Illinois is $58,840.
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Programs: Certified Nursing Assistant certificate programs in Illinois prepare students to take the state’s CNA competency exam and become eligible for employment as CNAs. Typical completion times for CNA certificate programs are anywhere from eight weeks to six months. The mean annual salary (as of May 2022) for nursing assistants in Illinois is $36,750.
• Nursing Diploma and Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Programs: Both nursing diploma and ADN programs in Illinois offer quicker routes (about 12 months full-time for nursing diploma programs and two years full-time for ADN programs) to the NCLEX-RN exam and registered nurse licensure than BSN programs do. However, neither of these program types offers the substantial academic and career benefits of having a BSN degree, as we’ve discussed.

Employment and Salary Trends for Illinois BSN Nurses

Are you on the fence about going to nursing school? We have data to help you decide. In terms of salary, RNs in Illinois make an average of $82,470. The top earners make $105,140, while the lowest earn $63,900. It's also important to consider what you’ll earn in a specific area of the state. For example, the 90th percentile of earners in Decatur make $97,480, with the 10th percentile earning $60,820. The average is $80,970. Similarly, in Kankakee, the average salary for registered nurses is $85,850, with the 10th percentile of earners making $64,990, and the 90th percentile making $112,280. In terms of job growth, there will be a 3.10% increase in jobs in the state, which means 7,960 new jobs will be added to the profession each year. Around the country, 193,100 new jobs will be created annually, which is a 5.60% increase. For more information, review the tables below.