If you’re searching for accelerated nursing programs Illinois, it’s likely that you have two things in mind: creating a career path that allows you to help others and doing so quickly. When you choose an accelerated nursing program, you’re on the fast track to an in-demand medical career (career opportunities for nurses are growing much, much faster than other career paths in the United States) that allows you to make a lasting difference in the lives of your patients. Whether you’re already working in nursing and want to work toward an advanced degree, or you’re just getting started in the field and have yet to treat a patient, earning your accelerated degree shows future employers that you know how to manage your time, work through stress, and get the job done fast.
Top 5 Accelerated Nursing Programs in Illinois
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lakeview College of Nursing – Accelerated BSN Program | Danville, Illinois |
| 2 | Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing & Health Sciences | Quincy, Illinois |
| 3 | Illinois State University | Normal, Illinois |
| 4 | Elmhurst College – Accelerated MSN/Entry-level Masters Program | Elmhurst, Illinois |
| 5 | Rush University – Accelerated MSN/Entry-level Masters Program | Chicago, Illinois |
Illinois is a fantastic place for nurses to get started in their careers. Whether you want to work in a rural area or you’re craving the hustle and bustle of Chicago, Illinois offers many settings for nurses to work. Since nursing is such a high-demand career field, you won’t be stuck with the setting you initially choose (unless you want to be). You can get your start in a rural area and move to the city, or vice versa. You may even want to consider becoming a home health care nurse, or another option that allows you to work through several different settings each day. The options are endless when you earn your nursing degree.
Here, we’ll take a look at the best options for accelerated nursing programs Illinois, helping you to sift through all of the information available to help you decide which school is the best fit for you. You’ll want to consider tuition, program length, and accreditation, so we’ve broken down each of those factors into easy to find bullet points for you. If you’re thinking about becoming a nurse, you’re making a smart choice. From incredible earning potential to high opportunities for advancement, you’re setting yourself up for a career that can take you to a comfortable retirement. Your first step: choosing the right school.
Best Accelerated Nursing Programs in Illinois
Lakeview College of Nursing – Accelerated BSN Program
This pre-licensure track allows students who are ready to get started in the field of nursing to complete their BSN in just four full-time semesters. This includes a ten-week summer semester. During this program, students work hard, and days are filled with both coursework and hands-on clinical work.
School Overview
Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing & Health Sciences
This program is ideal for students who have already earned their bachelor’s degree but are ready for a career change. Blessing-Reiman takes your previous coursework into account and puts students on the fast track toward becoming a registered nurse. While the exact time that it takes to become an RN may differ based on your previous education, this program can be completed in as little as two years.
School Overview
Illinois State University
This is an excellent program for students who are ready to put in intense hard work in order to become a nurse quickly. The program starts in the summer and ends the following summer. This program is perfect for students who are currently earning their bachelor’s degrees and want to put in a fifth year in order to become a nurse, or for students who are returning to education after some time in the career field and are ready for a change.
School Overview
Elmhurst College – Accelerated MSN/Entry-level Masters Program
Elmhurst’s entry-level master’s program is the perfect solution for nurses who are interested in taking on leadership roles in healthcare facilities. Students in this program earn their MSN, get the skills they need to become RNs, and are prepared to sit for their CNL (clinical nurse leader) certification. While this two-year program is rigorous, students emerge ready to rise to the top of their field.
School Overview
Rush University – Accelerated MSN/Entry-level Masters Program
This program prepares students to earn their Clinical Nurse Leader certification. Designed for students who already have their bachelor’s degree in another area and want to enter the nursing field, Rush’s entry-level master’s program allows students to pull from their previous education and professional experience and apply these concepts to patient care. Students graduate from this program ready to enter the healthcare field as nursing leaders.
School Overview
Millikin University
This intense, fast-paced program combines clinical/hands-on experience with classroom instruction to prepare budding nurses with educations in other fields to become leaders in healthcare. At the end of this program, students earn their MSN and are prepared to take the Nurse Educator certification exam, as well as to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam, allowing them to become licensed registered nurses.
School Overview
Saint Xavier University
This program allows students who meet prerequisite requirements (including successful completion of an undergraduate degree in another field) to complete a nursing degree in just over a year. Students in this program must meet certain prerequisite requirements in order to qualify for this 15-month program.
School Overview
University of Illinois at Chicago – Chicago, Illinois
This program allows professionals and college graduates who have an undergraduate degree in another field to get the education they need to become registered nurses. At UofI at Chicago, students get a combination of hands-on and classroom experience and get to know their peers closely over seven consecutive semesters of coursework.
School Overview
DePaul University – Masters Entry to Nursing Practice (MENP)
The MENP program at DePaul prepares students who have an undergraduate degree in another field to excel in any nursing specialty they choose. Students develop leadership skills that can help them to excel in advocacy, administrative, and leadership roles. This program emphasizes research and the importance of staying on top of the latest developments in nursing.
School Overview
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
This intensive program provides students with the information they need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam in order to become a registered nurse. This program is full time and new cohorts get started each August. Students have class up to five days a week, in addition to clinical requirements.
School Overview
St. John’s College
This fast-paced program is designed for students who have already earned their degree in another field and are ready to make a career change. During this four-semester program, students get hands-on and classroom experience that fully prepares them to work as registered nurses in many different healthcare settings. While this program is intense, students graduate understanding the latest research in nursing, fully preparing them to achieve as many positive patient outcomes as possible.
School Overview
Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences
This full-time, intense program provides students with an education in both the art and science of nursing. Over slightly more than a year, students learn how to provide excellent patient care through both hands-on and classroom experiences. Students in this program must have previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
School Overview
Loyola University Chicago – Downers Grove & Maywood, Illinois
At Loyola, the accelerated BSN program is perfect for students who already have a bachelor’s degree and are ready to build on their education to earn a nursing degree. In this program, students go through three phases: nursing courses in a classroom setting, simulation labs, and hands-on clinical rotations that allow students to use what they’ve learned in real life situations.
School Overview
Lewis University – Accelerated BSN Program
Students in the accelerated BSN program at Lewis University can choose between taking classes fully on-campus or a hybrid (in-person and online) program. Alumni go on to work in a variety of specialty nursing fields, including critical care, flight nursing, labor and delivery, and more
School Overview
Methodist College
This hybrid online and weekend program prepares students to sit for the NCLEX exam, making them eligible for licensure as a registered nurse. This program is ideal for busy professionals who need to utilize flexible class options so that they can work while also earning their nursing degree.
School Overview
Methodology
In order to rank the above accelerated nursing programs in Illinois, we considered value, accreditation, program quality, and accreditation. We understand that you have many factors to consider when you’re choosing the right nursing school to help you begin to move forward in your career, and we’re here to provide the guidance that you need to make the right choice. We’re happy to dig deep and do the research necessary to help you choose the right school for your career goals.
If you’re a higher education professional and you’d like your school to be featured in one of our lists, please don’t hesitate to contact us. If your school has been listed above and there are edits or updates you’d like us to make to your program information, we’d be happy to do so. Reach out to us and we’ll respond as soon as possible.
