2023 Best Nursing Master's Degree Schools in Illinois
Finding the Best Nursing Master's Degree School for You
Nursing is the most popular major in Illinois with 21,938 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which healthcare program is right for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Healthcare Degree Search has created its Best Nursing Master's Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. This report analyzed 25 schools in Illinois to see which ones offered the best master's degree programs for healthcare students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois
Check out the nursing master's degree programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Nursing Master's Degree Schools
Our analysis found Chamberlain University - Illinois to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a master’s degree in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Addison, Chamberlain - Illinois is a private for-profit school with a very large student population.
Full Nursing at Chamberlain University - Illinois Report
Request Information
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Saint Anthony College of Nursing is a great place for nursing students working on their master’s degree. SACN is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Rockford.
Request Information
The excellent master’s degree programs at University of St Francis helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Illinois. Located in the large suburb of Joliet, University of Saint Francis is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Read full report on Nursing at University of St Francis
Request Information
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Bradley University is a great place for nursing students working on their master’s degree. Bradley is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Peoria.
Read full report on Nursing at Bradley University
Request Information
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Lewis University is a great place for nursing students working on their master’s degree. Located in the suburb of Romeoville, Lewis is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.
Read full report on Nursing at Lewis University
Request Information
Rush University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the city of Chicago, Rush University is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Full Nursing at Rush University Report
Request Information
Illinois State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in the midsize suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public college with a very large student population.
Request Information
Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best master’s degree nursing programs. St. Francis Medical Center College of Nursing is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Peoria.
Request Information
Loyola University Chicago landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best master’s degree nursing programs. Loyola Chicago is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago.
Request Information
Olivet Nazarene University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. Olivet Nazarene is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small suburb of Bourbonnais.
Full Nursing at Olivet Nazarene University Report
Request InformationBest Nursing Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Ohio | 13,973 |
| Michigan | 7,345 |
| Indiana | 7,922 |
| Wisconsin | 5,410 |
More Nursing Rankings in Illinois
Rankings in Majors Related to Nursing
One of 30 majors within the healthcare area of study, nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
Nursing Concentrations
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 266,651 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 16,104 |
| Nursing Administration | 9,838 |
| Nursing Practice | 7,992 |
| Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 5,092 |
| Nursing Science | 4,600 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,287 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,021 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,936 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,883 |
| Critical Care Nursing | 773 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 563 |
| School Nursing | 553 |
| Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery | 509 |
| Clinical Nurse Leader | 444 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 419 |
| Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing | 331 |
| Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing | 181 |
| Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | 57 |
| Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing | 53 |
| Palliative Care Nursing | 14 |
| Forensic Nursing | 14 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 89,359 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 84,492 |
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 84,274 |
| Allied Health Professions | 82,308 |
| Public Health | 40,596 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
HealthcareDegreeSearch.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© HealthcareDegreeSearch.com – All Rights Reserved.