College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Illinois

40 Colleges in Illinois
3,116 Associate Degrees
$66,346 Avg Early-Career Salary
Nursing is of the hottest associate degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #2 most popular major in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

College Factual reviewed 40 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best for associate degree seekers in the field of nursing. Combined, these schools handed out 3,116 associate degrees in nursing to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Nursing School for Your Associate Degree

Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Illinois The nursing associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality nursing program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:

Overall Quality Is a Must

The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Early-Career Salaries

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their associate degree from the school. After all, your associate degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for nursing students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nursing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Illinois ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Nursing in Illinois

Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in nursing.

10 Top Illinois Schools for an Associate in Nursing

1
721 Annual Graduates
$68,119 Median Starting Salary
$17,700 Median Student Debt

Rasmussen University - Illinois is one of the best schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in nursing. Rasmussen University - Illinois is a small private for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Rockford.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career income of $68,119.

More information about a associate in nursing from Rasmussen University - Illinois

2

College of Lake County is one of the best schools in the country for getting an associate degree in nursing. College of Lake County is a large public college located in the suburb of Grayslake.

Associate recipients from the nursing degree program at College of Lake County earn $6,126 above the typical graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in nursing from College of Lake County

3

Lincoln Land Community College is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in nursing. Located in the rural area of Springfield, LLCC is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career wages of $66,279.

More information about a associate in nursing from Lincoln Land Community College

4

Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in nursing has to check out Elgin Community College. Located in the medium-sized city of Elgin, ECC is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Those nursing students who get their associate degree from Elgin Community College receive $5,375 more than the average nursing student.

More information about a associate in nursing from Elgin Community College

5

Harper College is a large public college located in the suburb of Palatine.

Those nursing students who get their associate degree from William Rainey Harper College earn $4,583 more than the average nursing graduate.

More information about a associate in nursing from William Rainey Harper College

6
ICC crest
Illinois Central College
East Peoria, IL

Located in the suburb of East Peoria, ICC is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program make around $65,741 in their early career salary.

More information about a associate in nursing from Illinois Central College

7

Located in the large city of Chicago, Malcolm X College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Those nursing students who get their associate degree from City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College earn $3,740 more than the average nursing student.

More information about a associate in nursing from City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College

8
COD crest
College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, IL

COD is a very large public college located in the large suburb of Glen Ellyn.

Those nursing students who get their associate degree from College of DuPage receive $2,759 more than the standard nursing graduate.

More information about a associate in nursing from College of DuPage

9

Located in the rural area of Sugar Grove, Waubonsee is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program make an average of $66,440 in their early career salary.

More information about a associate in nursing from Waubonsee Community College

10

Located in the small city of Kankakee, Kankakee Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Soon after graduating, nursing associate recipients usually make around $66,261 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a associate in nursing from Kankakee Community College

Best 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 Colleges Degrees Awarded
Ohio 196 4,139
Michigan 192 2,284
Indiana 123 1,648
Wisconsin 114 1,768

View All Rankings >

One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.

Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 3,116

Related Major Annual Graduates
Allied Health Professions 1,096
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 644
Health & Medical Administrative Services 518
Dental Support Services 289
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science 70
Mental & Social Health Services 32
Ophthalmic & Optometric Support Services 27
Somatic Bodywork & Therapeutic Services 11
Communication Sciences 10
Other Health Professions 5

Notes and References

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options