BSN Programs in Illinois

By EveryNurse Staff on June 14, 2021

Obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing allows graduates to assume more of an advanced role within the healthcare industry, as well as land higher-paying jobs. Attending an accredited BSN program, such as one offered at a college or university in Illinois, sharpens a nurse’s skills including critical thinking and clinical decision-making. In the end, the experience and training acquired create a more capable professional. Earning a bachelor’s degree also brings a nurse closer to pursuing graduate education in the future, if they wish.

Schools With BSN Programs in Illinois

Elmhurst College offers a four-year pre-licensure BSN program, where nursing majors complete two years of coursework centered on biology, chemistry, psychology, and communication. Gaining a liberal arts education helps students strengthen their experiences regarding the nursing field. Students typically apply to the nursing program at or near completion of pre-requisite courses (such as Elementary Organic and Biochemistry, and Human Anatomy and Physiology). Formal admission is required.

Classes for the BSN program at Illinois State University are taken through the school’s Mennonite College of Nursing, where a student pursues one of three nursing program options. The Traditional BSN takes four semesters of full-time study to complete, where each academic year is filled with a blend of the valuable lab, classroom, and clinical experience. The Accelerated BSN accommodates students who are seeking their second bachelor’s degree. The RN-to-BSN program provides full-time or part-time online instruction for current registered nurses.

Students seeking a BSN from Loyola University Chicago will gain instruction through the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, which offers the oldest baccalaureate program in the State of Illinois. In addition to a four-year direct entry bachelor’s degree program, the school offers an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (A.B.S.N.) and RN-to-BSN Degree Completion Program option. The ABSN program is for students who already have a baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field. Students must complete 37 hours of prerequisites before applying to the program, where they can then tackle a full-time day schedule of classes taken over the course of 16 months. Registered nurses in the RN-to-BSN program can earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in three semesters by completing a minimum of 30 credit hours of online courses.

With a campus in Bloomington, Illinois, students pursuing a BSN from Illinois Wesleyan University encounter a different enrollment process than most universities offering a nursing program. There is no additional application that needs to be filled out, and first–year students receive direct admission to the School of Nursing. The majority of students will earn his or her bachelor’s degree within four years without the need to study during the summer session. Examples of First Year courses that a student may encounter include Human Nutrition, Basic Chemistry with lab, and more than one Biology course.

Students pursuing a BSN degree at Northern Illinois University will take classes through the School of Nursing & Health Studies. The traditional four-year program is centered on concentrated clinical experiences that include more than 500 clinical hours with opportunities to gain an additional 160 to 460 clinical hours through summer internships. The University also has a flexible RN-to-BSN option that prepares a registered nurse for career advancement. The majority of nursing courses for this program are available online, as well as through face-to-face instruction offered at a number of convenient locations throughout the region.

The Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing is home to a BSN program consisting of 124 semester hours of coursework, which are broken up into 62 hours of liberal arts and sciences courses, and 62 hours of study regarding the nursing major. Pre-nursing course requirements for this program include Humanities & Fine Arts, Communication Skills, Social & Behavioral Sciences, Physical & Life Sciences, and Mathematics.

The School of Nursing at Western Illinois University offers a pre-licensure BSN program that provides more than 750 hours of clinical practice with faculty supervision. With clinical experiences taking place across a wide range of health care organizations, such as home health agencies, hospitals, and community health clinics, students receive instruction on how to best care for individuals, families and specific groups of people, such as women and the elderly.

Olivet Nazarene University offers a CCNE-accredited accelerated BSN program that combines full-time instruction with online theory courses and hands-on clinical experiences. Typically completed in 16 months, the curriculum consists of 63 hours of nursing core classes – along with an additional 9 hours of co-requisites. Classes are offered online with clinical hours completed in Oak Brook, Illinois. This program is designed to accommodate applicants with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field, or who have already earned at least 66 hours from an accredited college or university and possess an interest in becoming an RN.

Degree Guides

Accelerated BSN Programs

BSN Degree

RN to BSN Programs

Illinois BSN Checklist

Enter an accredited on-campus or online BSN program to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
Upon graduation, pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) exam in Illinois.
Gain licensure as a registered nurse in Illinois by applying to the Illinois Board of Nursing, and paying the initial fee of ~$91.
When applicable, renew RN license every two years, as well as complete 20 hours of approved continuing education.

Illinois Nurse Salary & Job Outlook

The more education a healthcare professional obtains, the more money they stand to make. A graduate of a bachelor’s degree program is equipped with the skills and experience that qualify him or her for higher-paying jobs. Graduates with a BSN are allowed to take an exam to become a licensed, registered nurse, which according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, have the potential to make a median salary of $66,260 in Illinois.

Not everyone who pursues a BSN degree in Indiana will enter a traditional four-year program or even set foot on a college campus. Instead, an increasing number of graduates will earn their credentials by taking online courses.