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Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) Schools in Illinois
52 schools in Illinois offer practical nursing (LPN/LVN)-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 23 registered apprenticeship programs in Illinois train practical nursing (LPN/LVN) apprentices — see apprenticeships.
Occupation pay is what working practical nursing (LPN/LVN) professionals in Illinois earn (all experience levels) — school "earnings" figures above are medians for each school's recent federally-aided students across all its programs, which read lower.
Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) licensing in Illinois: State license required
Illinois requires an LPN license issued by IDFPR (the state's professional-licensing department) to work as a practical nurse. The route is an approved practical nursing program of roughly 12 months, a fingerprint background check, and the NCLEX-PN, with exam applications routed through Continental Testing Services and licensure applications filed on IDFPR's online portal. A temporary permit can let new graduates work while their full license processes.
Official source: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Board of Nursing · Exam: NCLEX-PN · Typical requirement: Graduation from an approved practical nursing education program (typically about 12 months); fingerprint background check; exam application processed through Continental Testing Services; online application via the IDFPR portal
Official license records related to practical nursing (LPN/LVN) in Illinois
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- NURSE, LICENSED PRACTICAL — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- NURSE, ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- PHAPRN - PRE HOSPITAL ADVANCED PRACTICAL REGISTERED NURSE — Illinois Department of Public Health
- PHRN - PRE HOSPITAL REGISTERED NURSE — Illinois Department of Public Health
- TNS - TRAUMA NURSE SPECIALIST — Illinois Department of Public Health
- ECRN - EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION REGISTERED NURSE — Illinois Department of Public Health
Wage and license data provided by CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and Minnesota DEED.
Schools, ranked by earnings per tuition dollar
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet Junior College | Joliet | public | $1,672 | 20.4% | $42,889 |
| Illinois Valley Community College | Oglesby | public | $2,232 | 37.2% | $40,810 |
| Lake Land College | Mattoon | public | $2,254 | 55% | $38,877 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills | public | $2,829 | 29.6% | $43,892 |
| Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey | public | $3,349 | 50% | $37,724 |
| Spoon River College | Canton | public | $3,415 | 42.1% | $38,386 |
| South Suburban College | South Holland | public | $3,242 | 19.3% | $33,680 |
| Richland Community College | Decatur | public | $3,741 | 31.3% | $38,793 |
| Triton College | River Grove | public | $4,138 | 18.5% | $41,728 |
| Carl Sandburg College | Galesburg | public | $3,662 | 51.5% | $35,274 |
| Oakton College | Des Plaines | public | $5,183 | 16% | $47,852 |
| Lincoln Land Community College | Springfield | public | $4,299 | 39.4% | $38,479 |
| Kishwaukee College | Malta | public | $4,574 | 36.6% | $39,657 |
| Kankakee Community College | Kankakee | public | $4,665 | 33.6% | $38,767 |
| Morton College | Cicero | public | $5,191 | 26.2% | $42,406 |
| Shawnee Community College | Ullin | public | $4,162 | 42.1% | $32,999 |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | public | $4,738 | 20.4% | $36,696 |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin | public | $6,026 | 32.5% | $45,516 |
| Rock Valley College | Rockford | public | $5,242 | 32.4% | $39,158 |
| Danville Area Community College | Danville | public | $4,777 | 35.2% | $34,867 |
| Highland Community College | Freeport | public | $5,713 | 36.6% | $37,928 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | Chicago | public | $6,375 | 28% | $41,625 |
| McHenry County College | Crystal Lake | public | $7,042 | 36.4% | $45,143 |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | public | $7,401 | 24.7% | $46,909 |
| John A Logan College | Carterville | public | $5,541 | 31.7% | $34,096 |
| Kaskaskia College | Centralia | public | $6,477 | 39.1% | $38,801 |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake | public | $7,607 | 34.1% | $43,424 |
| John Wood Community College | Quincy | public | $7,050 | 42.1% | $38,631 |
| Black Hawk College | Moline | public | $6,944 | 31.7% | $37,253 |
| Sauk Valley Community College | Dixon | public | $8,493 | 47.3% | $40,458 |
| Parkland College | Champaign | public | $8,048 | 29.5% | $38,320 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | Chicago | public | $7,220 | 28.8% | $32,427 |
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine | public | $11,607 | 38.4% | $48,071 |
| Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove | public | $11,442 | 32.2% | $44,788 |
| Rend Lake College | Ina | public | $9,187 | 55.8% | $35,775 |
| Illinois Eastern Community Colleges | Olney | public | $10,092 | 56.1% | $37,533 |
| Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville | public | $10,427 | 33.1% | $36,884 |
| Heartland Community College | Normal | public | $12,013 | 26.5% | $40,768 |
| Capital Area Career Center | Springfield | public | $16,797 | not reported | $55,357 |
| Southeastern Illinois College | Harrisburg | public | $11,437 | 39.3% | $33,763 |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria | public | $12,961 | 36.3% | $37,366 |
| Rasmussen University-Illinois | Rockford | private for-profit | $19,854 | 42.3% | $39,080 |
| Career Center of Southern Illinois | Red Bud | public | $25,204 | 63.6% | $48,452 |
| Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College | Rockford | private for-profit | $21,601 | 51.6% | $34,104 |
| MDT College of Health Sciences | Chicago | private for-profit | $30,833 | not reported | $43,946 |
| Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois | Springfield | private for-profit | $27,793 | 71.9% | $33,601 |
| CALC Institute of Technology | Alton | private for-profit | not reported | not reported | $32,088 |
| Ambria College of Nursing | Hoffman Estates | private for-profit | not reported | 60.7% | $67,290 |
| State Career College | Gurnee | private for-profit | $26,376 | 66.2% | not reported |
| Verve College | Oak Brook | private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| CAAN Academy of Nursing | Matteson | private nonprofit | not reported | 65% | not reported |
| Americare Technical School | Park Ridge | private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Figures are institution-wide federal medians for each school as a whole — not practical nursing (LPN/LVN) graduates specifically. Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
Common questions: Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) school in Illinois
- How much do Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) schools cost in Illinois?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 52 practical nursing (LPN/LVN) schools in Illinois is $6,477. Individual schools range widely — the table above shows each school's real cost, not sticker price.
- Do you need a license to work as a practical nursing (LPN/LVN) in Illinois?
- Illinois requires an LPN license issued by IDFPR (the state's professional-licensing department) to work as a practical nurse. The route is an approved practical nursing program of roughly 12 months, a fingerprint background check, and the NCLEX-PN, with exam applications routed through Continental Testing Services and licensure applications filed on IDFPR's online portal. A temporary permit can let new graduates work while their full license processes.
- Can you get paid to train as a practical nursing (LPN/LVN) in Illinois?
- Yes — Illinois has 23 registered apprenticeship programs where you earn wages while you train instead of paying tuition. See the practical nursing (LPN/LVN) apprenticeships page for the current list.
- What does a practical nursing (LPN/LVN) earn in Illinois?
- Working practical nursing (LPN/LVN) professionals in Illinois earn a median of $75,000 per year, ranging from about $58,880 to $89,810 (U.S. Department of Labor). This is what people in the job earn, which differs from a school's reported graduate-earnings figure.
Aid deadlines for practical nursing (LPN/LVN) programs in Illinois
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Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) schools in nearby states
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See all states & the full practical nursing (LPN/LVN) guide →