Accredited nursing programs in Illinois
76 schools in Illinois have at least one nursing program accredited by ACEN or CCNE: 35 BSN, 39 ADN, 9 LPN, 24 MSN programs. For the bachelor’s degree, 31 of 35 listings are CCNE and 4 are ACEN.
- Bachelor's programs
- 35
- 4 ACEN, 31 CCNE
- Associate programs
- 39
- 39 ACEN, 0 CCNE
- Practical programs
- 9
- 9 ACEN, 0 CCNE
- Master's programs
- 24
- 2 ACEN, 22 CCNE
Accredited schools in Illinois
| School | City | Type | BSN | ADN | LPN | MSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora University | Aurora | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Benedictine University | Lisle | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Black Hawk College | Moline | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences | Quincy | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Bradley University | Peoria | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| CAAN Academy of Nursing | Matteson | Private | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Capital Area Career Center | Springfield | Public | – | – | ACEN | – |
| Carl Sandburg College | Galesburg | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Chicago State University | Chicago | Public | ACEN | – | – | – |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | Chicago | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Danville Area Community College | Danville | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| DePaul University | Chicago | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Dominican University | River Forest | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Eastern Illinois University | Charleston | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Elmhurst University | Elmhurst | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Governors State University | University Park | Public | ACEN | – | – | ACEN |
| Heartland Community College | Normal | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Highland Community College | Freeport | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Illinois College | Jacksonville | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Illinois Eastern Community Colleges | Olney | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Illinois State University | Normal | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Illinois Valley Community College | Oglesby | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Bloomington | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| John A Logan College | Carterville | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Joliet Junior College | Joliet | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Kankakee Community College | Kankakee | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Kaskaskia College | Centralia | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Kishwaukee College | Malta | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Lake Land College | Mattoon | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Lakeview College of Nursing | Danville | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Lewis University | Romeoville | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Lincoln Land Community College | Springfield | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| McHenry County College | Crystal Lake | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| McKendree University | Lebanon | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Methodist College | Peoria | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Millikin University | Decatur | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Morton College | Cicero | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| North Park University | Chicago | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Northern Illinois University | Dekalb | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Oakton College | Des Plaines | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Parkland College | Champaign | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Rend Lake College | Ina | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Richland Community College | Decatur | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Rock Valley College | Rockford | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Rockford University | Rockford | Private | ACEN | – | – | – |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Rush University | Chicago | Private | – | – | – | CCNE |
| Saint Anthony College of Nursing | Rockford | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing | Peoria | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Saint Xavier University | Chicago | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Sauk Valley Community College | Dixon | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Shawnee Community College | Ullin | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| South Suburban College | South Holland | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Southeastern Illinois College | Harrisburg | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | Carbondale | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Spoon River College | Canton | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| St. John's College | Springfield | Private | ACEN | – | – | ACEN |
| Trinity Christian College | Palos Heights | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences | Rock Island | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Triton College | River Grove | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| University of St Francis | Joliet | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Western Illinois University | Macomb | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
Programs listed as accredited in the ACEN directory (opens in a new tab) and the CCNE directory (opens in a new tab), collected November 2026 and matched to schools by name and city. Programs in candidacy are not counted. A dash means no accredited program at that level was matched.
Programs with an ACEN note
ACEN publishes a note beside some listings. The wording below is ACEN’s own; open the listing for what it means for the program.
- City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College, ADN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
- Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, ADN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
- Richland Community College, ADN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
What accreditation means in Illinois
Two separate approvals apply to a nursing program. The Illinois board of nursing approves programs so their graduates can sit the NCLEX. Programmatic accreditation from ACEN or CCNE is voluntary and is judged by a national peer body.
Associate programs are the most common accredited level here, with 39. For bachelor’s degrees, 35 of 38 schools reporting graduates to the federal government matched an accredited program (92%). Compare Illinois BSN programs by NCLEX pass rate, cost and pay.
Common questions
How many nursing schools in Illinois are accredited?
We matched 76 Illinois schools to at least one accredited nursing program in the ACEN and CCNE directories: 35 BSN, 39 ADN, 9 LPN, 24 MSN. Schools with several programs appear once.
What is the difference between ACEN and CCNE?
ACEN accredits nursing programs at every level, from practical nursing to doctorates. CCNE accredits bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs. Both are recognized by the US Department of Education.
Do I need an accredited program to become a nurse in Illinois?
Not always. The state board of nursing approves programs for licensure, and that is a separate approval from ACEN or CCNE accreditation. Accreditation still matters for transferring credits, federal and employer tuition benefits, and entry to graduate programs.
Are all Illinois bachelor’s programs accredited?
35 of the 38 Illinois schools that report nursing bachelor’s graduates to the federal government matched an accredited listing. A school that does not match may be new, may be listed under another name, or may lack accreditation, so check the accreditor’s own directory before you apply.