Nursing and patient care programs in Illinois

225 nursing and patient care programs in 5 fields of nursing and patient care, with results and funding that can make them free

123 schools offer these programs, and Illinois has approved every one for workforce funding. Compare the 5 fields below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

These programs train you to care for patients directly: in a hospital, a nursing home or their own home. They run from short courses for nursing assistants (CNA), patient care technicians, home health aides and medication aides to LPN programs and RN degrees.

All job training programs in Illinois, every line of work

Accredited nursing schools in Illinois, each school with its accreditor

Nursing and patient care programs by state, to compare Illinois with other states

Compare nursing and patient care programs in Illinois: cost, pay and results

CNA classes (nursing assistant)
86 programs at 77 schools
Most cost
Left out
Earned a year, estimated
about $28,600
Working 6 months later
79%
Finished
Left out
RN programs (registered nurse)
72 programs at 61 schools
Most cost
Left out
Earned a year, estimated
about $60,100
Working 6 months later
82%
Finished
Left out
LPN programs (licensed practical nurse)
47 programs at 47 schools
Most cost
Left out
Earned a year, estimated
about $44,500
Working 6 months later
83%
Finished
Left out
Patient care technician training (hospital patient care)
19 programs at 17 schools
Most cost
Left out
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
Finished
Left out
Home health aide training
1 program at one school
Most cost
Left out
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Finished
Not reported

Each figure is the middle program of that field. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools in Illinois may offer more. How these figures are made

Are there free nursing programs in Illinois?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program counted on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.¹²³
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁴ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.³
Or pay yourself. Each field's page lists every program with its price if you pay yourself.

Other job training in Illinois, by line of work

Programs approved in Illinois in each line of work.

Where the Illinois nursing and patient care numbers come from

Which Illinois programs are counted?

Programs Illinois approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) in the fields listed above. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁵ They come from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Illinois offers.

What the figures for each field mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).

How reliable are the Illinois figures?

The US Department of Labor's own results site lists Illinois among the states with "known data quality concerns".⁶ We leave out the share who finished for Illinois: only a few programs report it, and those at a typical 11%. We leave out prices for Illinois: the state files a code in place of each price, so no price can be shown.

Sources for the funding facts about nursing and patient care programs in Illinois

Show the 6 sourcesHide the sources