Online ABSN for Illinois Residents

Illinois is the place to become a Registered Nurse.

Source: BLS

Find Your Passion and Your Specialty as a Nurse in Illinois

Specializing gives nurses the opportunity to focus on a specific area of care and hone their clinical skills. Nurses who specialize can also choose from a wide variety of work environments.

Here are just a few examples of available nursing specialties:

• Clinical Development Specialist
• Geriatrics Specialist
• Hospice Nurse
• Home Health Care
• Infection Control
• Labor and Delivery Nurse
• Nurse Educator

With nearly 3 million nurses nationwide, those who pursue a specialty are in prime position to receive top pay in their field—especially as experience is gained.

How to Get Your Nursing License in Illinois

According to the Illinois Nursing Board, the state’s nursing licensure requirements are*:

• Graduation and transcripts from an approved ADN or BSN program
• Passing score on the NCLEX exam
• Application and application fee of $50
• Criminal background check

Illinois is not currently a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state. Nurses with an NLC license can practice in their home state and any other Compact state or US territory that honors the Compact.

* The information in this resource is up to date as of March 2024. Remember that state-specific requirements for licensure change often, so you should also check the official nursing board website for your state to verify the current standards.

Get Started on Your Illinois Nursing Career Sooner

An Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program can be completed in under two years.

Nurses with a BSN are becoming the industry standard, with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing strongly encouraging nurses to obtain bachelor’s degrees. Employers are also seeking to fulfill the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation of an 80 percent bachelor-holding workforce.

Universities nationwide are offering a host of accredited, online ABSN programs with various specializations open to residents of Illinois. More than ever before, you can choose a career path that best suits your interests, background, and career goals.