Updated August 29, 202624 min read

Best Online NP Programs in Illinois for 2027

Ranked by cost, outcomes, and flexibility — with FNP, PMHNP, and more specialties across Illinois schools

Illinois grants full practice authority to nurse practitioners after 4,000 hours of supervised practice, a policy that puts experienced NPs on equal footing with physicians for diagnosing, prescribing, and managing patient care. That autonomy, combined with persistent primary-care shortages from Rockford to Carbondale, has made Illinois one of the strongest job markets for NPs in the Midwest.

Across the state, 18 ranked schools now offer online or hybrid pathways to NP certification, including online MSN programs in Illinois and DNP programs in Illinois. Tuition spans from under $30,000 to well over $100,000, and program formats range from fully asynchronous coursework to weekend immersions with local clinical placements. The FNP concentration dominates, though a handful of programs offer acute care and psychiatric-mental health tracks.

Federal data show median graduate debt at some Illinois NP programs exceeds $115,000, while others keep it below $35,000, which makes cost comparison essential for long-term ROI.

Best Online Nurse Practitioner Programs in Illinois, Ranked for 2027

Illinois has an unusually deep bench of nurse practitioner pathways, from public research universities in Chicago to hospital-affiliated colleges downstate. Between them they cover family, adult-gerontology, pediatric, women's health, and psychiatric-mental health practice, and most can be completed largely online with clinical hours arranged near your home. Graduation rates and net prices shown on each card are institution-wide figures rather than program-specific outcomes, so read them as context alongside each program's own admission rules and clinical requirements.

How we ranked these
Factors considered
  • Earnings ten years after entry
  • Graduation and retention rates
  • Online and hybrid delivery flexibility
  • Specialty pathways and certification alignment
  • Accreditation and clinical placement support
Data sources
  • Original research on individual programs
  • NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Economic Analysis cost-of-living index by state — bea.gov
  • College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • In-house program catalog data

University of Illinois Chicago

#1

Chicago, IL · ~$18,000/yr (est.)

Hispanic-Serving Institution

Best for: Chicago-area RNs pursuing doctorate-level NP practice

UIC is Illinois's flagship public nursing school for advanced practice, and its DNP portfolio covers nearly every major NP role: family, adult-gerontology primary and acute care, pediatric primary and acute care, women's health, and psychiatric-mental health. Courses are blended, clinical placements are arranged by faculty, and several tracks report a 100% licensure pass rate; post-master's DNP and post-DNP certificate routes let certified NPs add a population focus without repeating a full doctorate. The college also runs dual-admission agreements with several Illinois community colleges and a tuition-coverage initiative for eligible graduate students.

CCNE accredited
  • Part-time option available
  • 100% licensure pass rate reported
  • Practicum sites arranged by faculty
  • Focus on underserved communities
  • Prepares for ANCC or AANP certification
  • Offered at multiple Illinois campuses
CCNE accredited
  • Directed by Tracey Curtner Ogdon, an experienced PNP-AC
  • Care for children with complex acute and chronic conditions
  • Clinical experience in hospital-based settings
  • Certification through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board
  • Post-master's DNP and post-DNP certificate options
CCNE accredited
  • Post-master's DNP option
  • Post-DNP certificate option
  • Certification through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board
  • Primary care focus across childhood
CCNE accredited
  • Lifespan focus curriculum
  • Diagnostic reasoning, psychotherapy, and pharmacotherapy
  • Available at six UIC campuses
  • Prior psychiatric clinical experience preferred
  • Prepares for PMHNP certification
CCNE accredited
  • Eligible for National Certification Corporation certification
  • Clinical sites arranged by program staff
  • Well-woman, reproductive, and gynecological care
  • Campuses in Chicago, Rockford, and Urbana
  • Health promotion focus
CCNE accredited
  • 77 total credit hours
  • 1,000 clinical hours
  • Faculty arranges clinical placements
  • BSN-to-DNP pathway available
  • Offered at four Illinois campuses
  • Prepares for ANCC certification
CCNE accredited
  • Practicum sites arranged by faculty
  • Post-master's DNP entry available
  • Post-DNP certificate entry available
  • Preparation for acute care certification exams

Lewis University

#2

Romeoville, IL · $16,000/yr

Hispanic-Serving Institution

Best for: Post-master's nurses adding NP certification

Lewis offers a full MSN in adult-gerontology primary care alongside a cluster of post-master's certificates in family, psychiatric-mental health, and adult-gerontology acute care practice, which suits nurses who already hold a master's and need one more credential. The Romeoville campus uses a hybrid model that keeps coursework flexible while clinical work is arranged locally. Alumni scholarships, employer tuition assistance, and graduate assistantships all help offset the cost.

  • For nurses who already hold an MSN
  • 3.0 GPA and current RN licensure required
  • Two recommendation letters and a 500-word essay
  • Primary care focus serving all age groups
  • Competitive tuition with alumni scholarships
  • Covers psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy skills
  • Focus on lifespan mental health conditions
  • Employer tuition assistance accepted
  • 20% alumni scholarship available
  • Graduate assistantship options
  • Post-master's certificate for acute care practice
  • Clinical experiences included
  • Prepares graduates for intensive care settings
  • Financial aid available
CCNE accredited
  • Seven concentration options within the MSN
  • Full-time and part-time enrollment
  • Online or Oak Brook location
  • Nurse Faculty Loan Forgiveness eligible
  • 12:1 student-faculty ratio
  • Membership discounts available
CCNE accredited
  • 73 total credit hours
  • Capstone required
  • Two DNP immersions
  • DNP residencies included

Chamberlain University-Illinois

#3

Addison, IL · $15,000/yr

Best for: Working RNs needing fully online coursework

Chamberlain built its nursing school around working adults, and the Addison campus supports fully online MSN tracks in family, adult-gerontology primary and acute care, and psychiatric-mental health practice, plus a post-master's acute care certificate and an RN-to-MSN bridge. Its family nurse practitioner track is one of the largest in the country, and the school provides dedicated practicum placement support rather than leaving students to find preceptors alone. Multiple start dates and roughly two-and-a-half to three-year completion windows keep the pace realistic for nurses who keep working.

  • Complete in as few as three years
  • One of the largest MSN FNP programs in the U.S.
  • Dedicated academic advisors and practicum support
  • Integrated certification exam preparation
  • Immersion skills event
  • Scholarships and partner tuition savings
  • Finish in about 2.5 years
  • No GRE required
  • 625 clinical practicum hours
  • In-person immersion events
  • Board exam preparation included
  • As few as three years to finish
  • 750 total clinical hours
  • One year of RN experience required
  • Multiple start dates available
  • Curriculum designed by practicing nurses
  • 650-hour practicum spanning age groups
  • 45 credit hours
  • Two in-person visits required
  • Virtual simulations included
  • Save up to $9,168 on tuition
Rolling admissions
  • 36 credit hours over six semesters
  • Two on-ground immersion weekends
  • Rolling admissions for master's-prepared nurses
  • Commitment to Completion Grant available
  • No mandatory login times
  • Bridge pathway for associate-prepared RNs
  • Nine MSN concentrations offered at the school
  • Fully online for Illinois residents
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice also offered

Illinois State University

#4

Normal, IL · $10,000/yr

Illinois State's Mennonite College of Nursing runs an MSN family nurse practitioner track and a BSN-to-DNP family nurse practitioner option, both built around clinical placements inside Illinois, generally within about an hour of the Normal campus. The master's route requires 44 credit hours and 660 clinical hours, and both pathways prepare graduates for FNP certification. Preceptors must hold an active license and an affiliation agreement with the college, so site planning starts well before the first practicum.

CCNE accredited
  • 44 credit hours plus 660 clinical hours
  • Two or three year completion options
  • Clinical placements must be completed in Illinois
  • Priority application window October 1 to February 1
  • Synchronous and asynchronous coursework
  • Prepares for FNP certification
CCNE accredited
  • 99% national certification rate reported
  • Mid-program FNP certification eligibility
  • Doctoral-prepared faculty
  • Requires a CCNE or ACEN accredited BSN
  • 3.0 minimum undergraduate GPA

Northern Illinois University

#5

Dekalb, IL · $5,000 – $10,000/yr

Hispanic-Serving Institution

NIU runs one of the state's more affordable NP routes, with an online MSN family nurse practitioner specialization and DNP options priced at $792 per credit. Coursework is delivered online alongside in-person internships, skills courses, and DNP practicums, and a preceptor coordinator helps students line up placements. The FNP program is designed to meet licensure requirements in Illinois and Wisconsin only, which keeps it squarely aimed at nurses practicing in the region.

CCNE accredited
  • 50 credit hours at $792.18 per credit
  • Illinois RN license required
  • 3.0 GPA and three recommendation letters
  • Fall and spring start terms
  • Preceptor coordinator assists with placements
  • Prepares for national FNP certification
CCNE accredited
  • Hybrid coursework with online classes
  • Two entry pathways available
  • Clinical placement assistance provided
  • Starts fall and spring
  • Evidence-based practice focus
CCNE accredited
  • Online coursework with in-person experiences
  • Evening synchronous sessions available
  • 16-week fall and spring, 8-week summer courses
  • Clinical partnerships with local health organizations
  • Full-time and part-time options

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

#6

Edwardsville, IL · $10,000/yr

SIUE's psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specialization sits inside the DNP, delivered in a blended format that mixes online coursework with on-campus immersions and an open clinical skills lab. The 19-credit-hour sequence charges a single tuition rate regardless of residency and finishes with eligibility for ANCC or AANP certification. The program was created in response to a documented shortage of mental health providers, a shortage felt acutely across southern Illinois.

CCNE accredited
  • $15,481 total program tuition
  • $700 per credit across 19 credit hours
  • Full-time and part-time options
  • BSN to DNP, post-master's DNP, and post-master's certificate pathways
  • Open lab for clinical skills practice
  • Prepares for PMHNP certification
  • Single tuition rate regardless of residency

University of St Francis

#7

Joliet, IL · $15,000/yr

Hispanic-Serving Institution

The University of St. Francis delivers online MSN tracks in family and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner practice, using cohort groups that start every semester. Federal ANEW funding has supported scholarships for students who commit to training at partner clinical sites around Chicago and Joliet, and a 20% alumni discount applies to returning graduates. Because of state board rules and clinical site limits, enrollment is restricted to residents of Illinois and a handful of nearby states.

CCNE accredited
  • $830 per credit
  • Complete in 24 to 36 months
  • Five start dates per year
  • Cohort-based eight-week course cycles
  • Prepares for AANP or ANCC certification
  • RN to MSN option for associate-prepared nurses
  • 20% alumni discount available
CCNE accredited
  • $810 per credit hour
  • 24 to 48 month completion window
  • 16-week class cycles with new cohorts each semester
  • Covers psychosocial assessment, therapy planning, medication management
  • Post-master's certificate option available
  • Prepares for ANCC certification

Bradley University

#8

Peoria, IL · $20,000/yr

Bradley has been preparing nurse practitioners for more than 60 years and now runs nearly every NP pathway online, from MSN and RN-to-MSN tracks to DNP degrees and post-master's certificates. Students choose their own preceptors and complete clinical hours locally, with no campus residency required, and the university offers ADN, BSN, and MSN entry points into family practice. Family, adult-gerontology primary care, and adult-gerontology acute care concentrations are all available, each finishing with a capstone or mentored DNP project.

CCNE accredited
  • Three entry pathways for ADN, BSN, and MSN nurses
  • 65 credit hours for BSN-prepared students
  • Clinical practicums plus a research capstone
  • Prepares graduates for FNP certification in primary care
  • Locally arranged clinical placements
CCNE accredited
  • 47 credit hours and 600 clinical hours
  • Focus on adolescents through geriatrics
  • Prepares for AGPCNP certification
  • 3.0 GPA and accredited BSN required
CCNE accredited
  • 56 semester hours for RN-prepared applicants
  • 600 clinical hours in acute care settings
  • Qualified preceptor supervision required
  • Includes advanced pharmacology and diagnostic reasoning coursework
CCNE accredited
  • 74 total credit hours
  • Four bridge courses required
  • Five practicums with preceptors
  • Community health and ethics coursework
  • Admission from an accredited ADN program
CCNE accredited
  • Nine undergraduate bridge hours
  • Choose your own preceptors
  • Complete clinicals in your local area
  • Designed so students keep working
CCNE accredited
  • 72 credit hours over about 3.3 years
  • 1,000 clinical hours and a mentored DNP project
  • No entrance exam required
  • $40 application fee
  • Fall and summer start terms
CCNE accredited
  • 70 credit hours and 1,000 clinical hours
  • 600 hours in acute care settings
  • Prepares for ANCC AGACNP certification
  • Evidence-based DNP project required
CCNE accredited
  • 70 credit hours with 1,000 clinical hours
  • Eligible for ANCC or AANP certification
  • Flexible clinical hours with approved preceptors
  • Focus on adolescent to geriatric populations
  • 44 credit hours for MSN holders
  • Six semesters of study
  • Five clinical practicums included
  • Prepares graduates for FNP certification
  • Completes in 1.3 to 2 years
  • Flexible clinical hour arrangements
  • Prepares for acute care certification exams
  • Built for MSN-prepared nurses
  • One of four certificate options at Bradley
  • Focus on chronic condition management
  • Flexible clinical placements
  • Health assessment and counseling coursework

Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing

#9

Peoria, IL · $5,000 – $10,000/yr

This Peoria college is part of OSF HealthCare, which gives students clinical exposure across a large central Illinois health system, from a federally qualified health center to rural clinics and VA outpatient sites. Its MSN tracks in family practice and adult-gerontology acute care use hybrid coursework with about one campus visit per semester for hands-on skills, and clinical hours can be completed near home. An 8:1 student-faculty ratio is among the lowest of any NP program in the state, and graduates are eligible for AANP or ANCC certification.

CCNE accredited
  • Campus visits each semester
  • Four practicum courses
  • Advanced health assessment and pharmacology
  • Differential diagnosis training
  • Eligible for AANP or ANCC certification
CCNE accredited
  • Practicums completed in acute care settings
  • Campus sessions each semester
  • Advanced pathophysiology and acute care diagnostics
  • Leadership, finance, and policy coursework
  • Prepares for AGACNP certification

North Park University

#10

Chicago, IL · $14,000/yr

Hispanic-Serving Institution

North Park's online MSN in adult-gerontology primary care prepares RNs for practice from adolescence through older adulthood, with courses in health promotion, population-based care, and chronic condition management. Students complete 765 clinical hours in settings such as private practices and hospitals, plus a required on-campus skills immersion, and the program reports a 100% pass rate on the AGPCNP certification exam. Applicants must hold an unencumbered Illinois RN license, and the 48-credit sequence runs about 32 months with multiple start dates.

CCNE accredited
  • $44,400 total program tuition ($925 per credit)
  • 48 credit hours over about 32 months
  • 765 clinical hours across practicum and residency courses
  • On-campus skills immersion required
  • 100% AGPCNP certification pass rate reported
  • Unencumbered Illinois RN license required
  • Transfer up to 9 credits
  • Military benefits accepted

What Do Illinois NP Programs Actually Cost?

Cost is one of the biggest factors when choosing a nurse practitioner program, and the price gap across Illinois schools is substantial. Based on U.S. Department of Education data from 2024, the difference between the most affordable and most expensive options on this list exceeds $25,000 in average net price after financial aid. Public universities tend to cluster at the lower end of the spectrum, while private institutions span a much wider range, with some private schools still offering competitive pricing through generous aid packages.

SchoolCitySectorIn-State TuitionOut-of-State TuitionAvg. Net Price After Aid
Saint Xavier UniversityChicagoPrivate$37,940$37,940$10,970
University of Illinois ChicagoChicagoPublic$14,338$29,884$10,974
Governors State UniversityUniversity ParkPublic$12,004$12,004$12,329
University of St. FrancisJolietPrivate$38,110$38,110$13,006
Northern Illinois UniversityDeKalbPublic$13,248$13,248$13,391
Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsvillePublic$12,922$12,922$14,889
North Park UniversityChicagoPrivate$36,710$36,710$16,948
Lewis UniversityRomeovillePrivate$39,200$39,200$17,028
Illinois State UniversityNormalPublic$16,144$28,210$19,398
Olivet Nazarene UniversityBourbonnaisPrivate$38,900$38,900$20,729
North Central CollegeNapervillePrivate$45,726$45,726$21,044
Millikin UniversityDecaturPrivate$26,892$26,892$21,989
Bradley UniversityPeoriaPrivate$42,160$42,160$22,719
DePaul UniversityChicagoPrivate$45,999$45,999$30,902
Chamberlain UniversityAddisonPrivate (for-profit)$21,536$21,536$31,837
Loyola University ChicagoChicagoPrivate$53,710$53,710$36,079

Online Vs. Hybrid NP Programs: What Illinois Students Should Expect

Every NP program in Illinois requires hands-on clinical hours regardless of whether you choose online nurse practitioner schools or a hybrid format, so understanding how each model handles the classroom portion and placement logistics is essential before you enroll.

What "Fully Online" and "Hybrid" Actually Mean

Fully online NP programs deliver didactic content through asynchronous lectures, discussion boards, and virtual simulations. You complete readings and assignments on your own schedule each week. Hybrid programs add periodic campus intensives, typically two to four times per year, where you attend skills labs, simulation days, or intensive seminars in person. Both formats still mandate direct patient care clinicals, often 500 to 1,000 or more hours depending on the degree level. UIC's BSN-to-DNP Adult-Gerontology Primary Care track, one of the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Programs in Illinois, requires 1,000 clinical hours spread across multiple semesters.1

Working While Enrolled

Most programs expect 15 to 25 hours of study time weekly for didactic coursework alone. Once clinical rotations begin, you add another 16 to 24 hours per week at your preceptor site. Full-time employment becomes difficult during clinical semesters, though part-time tracks that stretch the program to three or four years can help. Many students reduce work hours or shift to per-diem roles once rotations start.

Clinical Placement: Who Finds Your Preceptor?

This is where Illinois programs diverge sharply. UIC assigns faculty to arrange clinical sites and preceptors, relieving students of that burden, though you must hold an RN license in the state where clinicals occur.1 Rush University, at least for some tracks, requires distance students to identify their own preceptors; the school then helps negotiate contracts, but placement is not guaranteed and depends on state board authorization.2 Loyola offers some placement assistance, though specifics are less documented.2 For schools with unclear policies, request the current clinical handbook before committing.

FNP and Other NP Specialties You Can Earn Online in Illinois

The online NP market in Illinois has consolidated around one credential: the family nurse practitioner. FNP remains the dominant and most widely available specialty in the best family nurse practitioner programs in Illinois, largely because it prepares graduates to treat patients across the lifespan and fits the state's heavy demand for primary care providers. Nearly every ranked program in this guide includes an FNP track, and several online offerings are built around it.

Where the other NP specialties fit

Psychiatric-mental health NP (PMHNP), adult-gerontology acute care NP (ACNP), adult-gerontology primary care NP (AGNP), pediatric NP (PNP), and women's health NP (WHNP) are more selective in Illinois. PMHNP focuses on psychiatric and mental health needs; ACNP prepares graduates for hospital and critical care settings; PNP serves children and adolescents; and WHNP centers on reproductive, gynecologic, and menopausal care. UIC and Rush are common starting points for these tracks, often through hybrid formats that pair online coursework with specialized clinical placements. Chamberlain and several private universities lean more heavily toward online FNP and AGNP delivery.

Matching the specialty to your goals

Your specialty choice changes the patient population, practice setting, and job market you enter. FNP and AGNP graduates usually move toward primary care and community clinics, while PMHNP remains one of the strongest demand areas in Illinois. ACNP roles concentrate in hospitals, and PNP or WHNP roles narrow to pediatric or women's health settings. If you later want a second population focus, many schools offer post-graduate certificate programs in Illinois instead of requiring another full graduate degree.

NP Program Pathways: BSN-To-MSN, RN-To-NP, and DNP Options

Choosing the right pathway from your current degree to nurse practitioner practice is one of the biggest decisions you will make. If you hold a BSN and want to start practicing as quickly as possible, a BSN-to-nurse-practitioner MSN track is the most direct route, typically taking two to three years. A BSN-to-DNP adds doctoral-level coursework that positions graduates for leadership roles, faculty appointments, and a higher long-term earning ceiling, but it requires roughly twice the credit hours. For ADN-prepared RNs exploring ADN-to-NP programs, bridge coursework covers the baccalaureate-level foundations before advancing into graduate study, extending the overall timeline. Post-master's certificates, meanwhile, offer the fastest on-ramp for nurses who already hold an MSN in a different specialty.

Side-by-side credit hours and timelines for four Illinois NP pathways, from 26 credits for post-master's certificates to 78 credits for BSN-to-DNP

Earnings and ROI After Graduating From an Illinois NP Program

Program-level earnings for Illinois NP completers are not yet reported in the current federal scorecard release, so the strongest available ROI signal comes from comparing each Illinois nursing school's median graduate debt to its schoolwide median earnings, then checking those figures against statewide NP wages.

Debt vs. Earnings at Top Illinois NP Programs

  • Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing reports $15,000 in median debt and $72,850 in schoolwide median earnings, which is roughly a 4.9-to-1 earnings-to-debt ratio.
  • Chamberlain University-Illinois shows $20,919 in median debt and $92,405 in schoolwide median earnings, about 4.4-to-1.
  • University of Illinois Chicago carries $16,704 in median debt and $68,740 in earnings, 4.1-to-1.
  • Rush University has $21,988 in median debt and $75,194 in earnings, 3.4-to-1.

These schoolwide earnings are not specific to NP completers, but they offer a broad debt-to-earnings gauge for graduates of each institution.

Statewide NP Pay Benchmark

State-level wage data from May 2025 put the Illinois median annual wage for nurse practitioners at $130,680, with the 10th percentile at $102,440 and the 90th at $161,470.1 Earlier BLS data for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area put the median at $131,690, with the 25th percentile at $114,540 and the 75th at $141,010. Most schoolwide median earnings in the list above fall below the NP median, which is expected because they include all graduates, not just nurse practitioners, and may include early-career workers.

What to Keep in Mind

Program-level median earnings at 1, 2, 4, and 5 years after completion are not currently available for these NP programs, so the ratios above use institution-wide earnings and median debt. Even when scorecard earnings are reported, they capture completers working in any role, including non-clinical positions, so treat them as a floor rather than a direct NP salary measure. For this reason, recent statewide and metro wage data offer a more reliable earnings benchmark for Illinois NPs.

NP Salary Across Illinois Metro Areas

Nurse practitioner wages in Illinois vary meaningfully by metro area, driven largely by cost of living, employer competition, and local demand. The Chicago metro commands the highest average pay and accounts for the vast majority of NP employment in the state, with roughly 6,930 NPs working in the region. Smaller metros such as Champaign-Urbana and Decatur offer lower average salaries but also come with a lower cost of living, and areas like Champaign-Urbana show an above-average concentration of NPs (reflected in a location quotient of 2.72), suggesting strong local demand that may be tied to serving surrounding rural communities. With Illinois projecting about 41% NP job growth through 2032 and an estimated 847 annual openings statewide, opportunities are expanding across both urban hospital systems and underserved regions.

Metro AreaNP EmploymentMean Annual Wage25th PercentileMedian Wage75th Percentile
Chicago, Naperville, Elgin6,930$131,580$114,540$131,690$141,010
Springfield400$124,390$119,870$125,510$130,100
Rockford340$125,060$109,450$130,130$136,550
Peoria260$124,000$107,160$122,290$135,160
Champaign-Urbana230$118,410$110,550$124,740$135,500
Bloomington160$125,720$109,150$129,270$136,240
Decatur80$119,080$106,930$116,950$132,800
Kankakee80$123,030$118,260$123,700$126,580

Steps to Earning Your Illinois APRN License

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) oversees APRN licensure in the state. Below is the credentialing ladder every aspiring nurse practitioner should plan for, from earning your BSN through achieving full practice authority. Illinois is one of a growing number of states that grants NPs full practice authority after completing a supervised transition period.

Six-step credentialing timeline from BSN through full practice authority for Illinois APRNs, including 4,000 clinical hours and 250 CE hours

State Licensing Snapshot: Illinois APRN Requirements

More Online NP Programs to Explore in Illinois

The schools below sit just outside our ranked list, but they are worth a look, whether you are searching near Chicago, in the Kankakee area, or downstate. Each entry notes the campus city, the delivery format, and the most recent average net price reported for the institution, so you can weigh location, cost, and specialty focus at a glance.

Chicago Area

DePaul University
DePaul's MSN Family Nurse Practitioner track combines online coursework with in-person clinical placements and 500 clinical hours. The curriculum covers primary care across the lifespan, including pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, and management of acute and chronic illness. Average net price is about $30,900.
  • Family Nurse Practitioner Track, Nursing (MSN)
  • Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
  • Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Track
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) (Family Nurse Practitioner)
  • Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Track, Nursing Practice (DNP)
Chicago, IL · Hybrid
Saint Xavier University
Saint Xavier's MSN Family Nurse Practitioner major spans 47 credits over three years in a hybrid format that pairs online courses with on-campus skills intensives. Students complete 600 clinical hours at outpatient sites and prepare for national certification exams. Average net price is about $11,000.
  • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
Chicago, IL · Hybrid
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola's graduate NP offerings include a post-graduate Family Nurse Practitioner certificate for doctorally prepared nurses, along with DNP tracks in psychiatric mental health, women's health, and adult-gerontology acute care. Formats are hybrid, with immersion weekends and Chicago-area clinical placements. Average net price is about $36,100.
  • Post-Graduate Certificate Programs (Family Nurse Practitioner)
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Women's Health/Gender Related Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Chicago, IL · Hybrid
Governors State University
Governors State's online MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program spans 44 credits and covers primary care across the lifespan, with 540 clinical hours in family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and OB/GYN settings. A post-master's FNP certificate option is also available. Average net price is about $12,300.
  • Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Masters Certificate
University Park, IL · Online
Rush University
Rush offers DNP tracks in primary care pediatric, family, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner practice, delivered online with two on-campus visits for hands-on skills. Pediatric and family NP students complete clinical experiences at Rush and other Chicago-area sites. Average net price is not reported for this institution.
  • Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner DNP
  • Family Nurse Practitioner DNP
  • Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner DNP
Chicago, IL · Online
North Central College
North Central's MSN Family Nurse Practitioner track runs 47 credits with 525 clinical hours in a hybrid format: asynchronous online courses plus two or three on-campus immersions. Post-graduate APRN certificates in family and psychiatric mental health NP practice are also offered. Average net price is about $21,000.
  • Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Post-Graduate APRN Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Post-Graduate APRN Certificate: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Naperville, IL · Hybrid

Kankakee Area

Olivet Nazarene University
Olivet Nazarene's FNP options are fully online, including a 52-credit MSN that can be finished in as little as 24 months and a post-graduate FNP certificate. Classes start every eight weeks, and students complete 750 clinical hours with approved preceptors. Average net price is about $20,700.
  • Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
  • Post-Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
  • Master of Science in Nursing FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner)
Bourbonnais, IL · Online

Central Illinois

Millikin University
Millikin's DNP Family Nurse Practitioner program accepts both BSN and MSN entrants, with full-time and part-time options and 800 clinical hours arranged by faculty. The hybrid curriculum blends online classes with on-campus orientation and covers advanced health assessment, pharmacology, and evidence-based care. Average net price is about $22,000.
  • DNP Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Decatur, IL · Hybrid

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