Entry Level ADN, BSN, & MSN Programs in Chicago, IL

In the Chicago area, there are some entry-level training programs for students who want to become registered nurses. These programs all prepare students to take the NCLEX RN licensing exam for their first jobs as RNs. Program options include LPN to RN bridge programs that help licensed practical nurses become RNs, Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs, and direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs.

LPN to RN Programs

Transitioning to an RN role is a popular career path for experienced LPNs, and some schools offer special LPN to RN bridge programs to help LPNs take the next step in their careers. Many of these programs provide course credit or proficiency credit for prior LPN coursework, which makes these bridge programs faster to complete than a traditional ADN or BSN program. The LPN to RN program at Ambria College of Nursing is one example of a Chicago area school that provides credit for prior coursework.

ADN Programs

ADN programs are offered at community colleges and vocational schools and provide a foundational education in nursing in around two years of study. Oakton Community College’s ADN program has coursework in nutrition, pharmacology, nursing care concepts, and pediatric nursing.

Direct-Entry BSN Programs

Another option for entry-level nursing programs for students new to nursing is traditional BSN programs. BSN programs are typically four-year bachelor’s programs that include liberal arts general education courses and nursing major courses. The BSN program at Robert Morris University in Chicago includes public education and career management coursework in addition to anatomy and physiology, organic chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, healthcare research, and the fundamentals of nursing careers across the lifespan, community nursing, and leadership.

Find out more about Illinois Accelerated BSN Programs.

Direct-Entry MSN Programs

A less common pathway to becoming a registered nurse is a direct-entry MSN program, which allows students with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing subject to earn a master’s in nursing. These programs are a good fit for students who want to transition careers into nursing and would like to make an advanced degree. The direct-entry MSN program at DePaul University is a two-year accelerated program that prepares students for administrative, educational, or advocacy roles in nursing.

Find out more about Illinois Accelerated MSN Programs.

Chicago RN Program NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

 ChicagoIllinois
NCLEX-RN Students Total3,0806,784
NCLEX-RN Students Passed2,5655,649
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate83.3%83.3%

Top Ranked Accredited Nursing Programs in Chicago

Listed below are the top nursing schools in Chicago based on our RegisteredNursing.org RN program rankings for Illinois out of 78 other accredited programs offered in the state:

  • Ambria College of Nursing - #4
  • College of DuPage - #16
  • Dominican University - #18
  • Harper College - #20
  • Lewis University - #5
  • Oakton Community College - #14
  • Rush University - #3
  • Trinity Christian College - #1
SchoolContact Information

Ambria College of Nursing

5210 Trillium Blvd
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192
(847) 397-0300

Benedictine University

5700 College Road
Isle, IL 60532
(630) 829-6000

CAAN Academy of Nursing

4747 Lincoln Mall Dr
Matteson, IL 60443
(708) 983-1645

Chamberlain University

3005 Highland Parkway
Downers Grove, IL 60515
(877) 751-5783

Chicago State University

9501 S King Dr
Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 995-2000

City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X

1900 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 850-7000

College of DuPage

  • ADN Campus
  • Top Ranked Illinois Program: #16 of 78
425 Fawell Blvd
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
(630) 942-2380

DePaul University

2320 N Kenmore Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 687-1000

Dominican University

  • BSN Campus
  • Top Ranked Illinois Program: #18 of 78
7900 West Division Street
River Forest, IL 60305
(708) 366-2490

Elmhurst College

190 S Prospect Ave
Elmhurst, IL 60126
(630) 617-3400

Harper College

  • ADN Campus
  • Top Ranked Illinois Program: #20 of 78
1200 W Algonquin Rd
Palatine, IL 60067
(847) 925-6000

Instituto College

2520 S. Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 890-0055

Lewis University

One University Parkway
Romeoville, IL 60446
(815) 836-5245

Loyola University Chicago

1032 W Sheridan Rd
Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 274-3000

Moraine Valley Community College

9000 W. College Pkwy
Palos Hills, IL 60465
(708) 974-4300

Morton College

3801 S Central Ave
Cicero, IL 60804
(708) 656-8000

North Park University

3225 W Foster Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(800) 888-6728

Northwestern College

7725 S. Harlem Ave
Bridgeview, IL 60455
(888) 205-2283

Oakton Community College

  • ADN Campus
  • Top Ranked Illinois Program: #14 of 78
1600 East Golf Road
Des Plaines, IL 60016
(847) 635-1600

Prairie State College

202 S Halsted St
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
(708) 709-3500

Rasmussen College

1400 West Normantown Road
Romeoville, IL 60446
(815) 306-2600

Robert Morris University Illinois

401 S. State Street
Chicago, IL 60605
(800) 762-5960

Roosevelt University

430 S. Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 341-3500

Rush University

  • MSN Campus
  • Top Ranked Illinois Program: #3 of 78
600 S Paulina St
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 942-5000

Saint Xavier University

3700 West 103rd Street
Chicago, IL 60655
(773) 298-3706

South Suburban College

15800 State St
South Holland, IL 60473
(708) 596-2000

Trinity Christian College

  • BSN Campus
  • Top Ranked Illinois Program: #1 of 78
6601 W College Dr
Palos Heights, IL 60463
(708) 597-3000

Triton College

2000 5th Ave
River Grove, IL 60171
(708) 456-0300

University of Illinois at Chicago

1200 W Harrison St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 996-7000

RN to BSN/MSN Programs in Chicago, IL

Many ADN-educated nurses decide to go back to school to pursue a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in order to earn a higher salary and move into more senior nursing positions. The best option for these nurses is a special RN to BSN or RN to MSN bridge program that builds on their previous nursing coursework and experience to deliver a higher degree in less time.

RN to BSN Programs

RN to BSN bridge programs help nurses with their associate’s degree earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing. Many of these programs are offered online, including the RN to BSN program at Chamberlain University, which can be completed in as little as three semesters of full-time study.

Find out more about Illinois RN to BSN Programs.

RN to MSN Programs

Another option for ADN-educated nurses is an RN to MSN program that provides a master’s degree in nursing without a BSN as a pre-requisite. The curriculum in these programs includes bachelor's level coursework in addition to MSN courses. The RN to MSN program at DePaul University is open to ADN-educated nurses with their bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing subject and includes only three bachelor's level nursing courses before allowing students to progress to masters-level work.

Find out more about Illinois RN to MSN Programs.

SchoolContact Information

Benedictine University

5700 College Road
Lisle, IL 60532
(630) 829-1153

Chamberlain University - Addison

1221 North Swift Road
Addison, IL 60101
(630) 953-3660

Chamberlain University - Chicago

3300 North Campbell Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 961-3000

Chamberlain University - Tinley Park

18624 West Creek Drive
Tinley Park, IL 60477
(708) 560-2000

DePaul University

1 E. Jackson
Chicago, IL 60604
(773) 325-1887

Elmhurst College

190 Prospect Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126
(630) 617-3314

Lewis University

One University Parkway
Romeoville, IL 60446
(815) 836-5245

Loyola University Chicago

1032 W Sheridan Rd
Chicago, IL 60660
(708) 216-3582

Parkland College

2400 West Bradley Ave
Champaign, IL
(217) 351-2200

Purdue University Global

550 West Van Buren St
Chicago, IL 60607
(866) 522-7747

Resurrection University

1431 North Claremont Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 252-6464 x5347

Rush University

600 S. Paulina St.
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 942-2308

Saint Xavier University

3700 W. 103rd Street
Chicago, IL 60655
(844) 468-6798

University of Illinois at Chicago

1200 W Harrison St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 996-7808

APRN & Nurse Practitioner Programs in Chicago, IL

For nurses who want to advance beyond their bachelor’s degree and seek leadership positions and advanced certifications, an advanced practice nursing program is the next step. APRN programs in the Chicago area include traditional MSN programs, post-graduate certificate programs, and doctoral programs.

MSN Programs

Traditional MSN programs are designed to prepare nurses with their BSN for advanced practice careers such as nurse practitioners, nurse educators, administrators, and clinical nurse leaders. Most MSN programs allow students to concentrate their studies in a particular practice area and prepare students to take the relevant certification exam for that specialty. Lewis University offers an MSN program with specialties in nursing education, healthcare systems leadership, adult/gerontology acute care and primary care nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialist, family nurse practitioner, psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner and school nurse.

Find out more about Illinois Nurse Practitioner Programs.

Post-Master's Certificate Programs

Graduate certificate programs are designed to help BSN and MSN-educated nurses become certified in a new specialty of advanced practice nursing. For instance, Loyola University Chicago has graduate certificate programs for BSN-educated nurses in oncology nursing and infection control, as well as APRN programs for nurses with their master’s degrees who would like to be certified as a particular type of nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist.

Find out more about Illinois Post-Master's Certificate Programs.

DNP & Ph.D. Programs

Doctoral programs in nursing are the highest level of education available to nurses. In the Chicago area, nurses can choose from Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) depending on their career goals. DNP programs prepare nurses for independent practice and other leadership roles, and Ph.D. programs prepare nurses for careers in nursing research or academia. Chicago's Rush University offers a variety of DNP specialty programs, as well as a Ph.D. program for interested students.

Find out more about Illinois DNP Programs.

SchoolContact Information

Benedictine University

5700 College Road
Lisle, IL 60532
(866) 295-3104

Chamberlain University

MSN Programs
3005 Highland Parkway
Downers Grove, IL 60515
(877) 751-5783

Lewis University

One University Parkway
Romeoville, IL 60446
(815) 838-0500

Loyola University of Chicago

1032 W. Sheridan Rd
Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 274-3000

Rush University

600 S. Paulina St.
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 942-7100

University of Illinois at Chicago

845 South Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 996-7800

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)

845 South Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 996-7800