[hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”aboveTheFold” /][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]If you want a high-quality RN-to-MSN program, Illinois offers several programs to help meet your goals. Illinois is home to some of the best hospitals and health systems in the nation.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]There are RN-to-MSN programs in Chicago as well as schools downstate, if you prefer smaller cities. Keep reading for the best RN-to-MSN programs in Illinois and how to apply and pay for this exciting new step in your career.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]We use a [hen-ui-link href=”/methodology/”]data-driven methodology[/hen-ui-link] to rank the best RN-to-MSN programs in Illinois, making it easier to find a program that works for you. Our methodology is based on metrics that we believe matter most to students, including: Academic quality, affordability, reputation, and program offerings.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Keep reading to learn more about the best RN-to-MSN programs in Illinois, or go straight to our list of [hen-ui-link href=”#ranking”]the best RN-to-MSN programs in Illinois[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]What Can You Do With an MSN?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]If you want a [hen-ui-link href=”https://nursejournal.org/state/illinois/”]higher salary[/hen-ui-link], more professional autonomy, or to diagnose conditions and prescribe for patients, an [hen-ui-link href=”/degrees/msn/”]MSN degree[/hen-ui-link] will prepare you to work as a [hen-ui-link href=”/nurse-practitioner/”]nurse practitioner[/hen-ui-link], [hen-ui-link href=”/nurse-midwife/”]nurse midwife[/hen-ui-link], [hen-ui-link href=”/careers/nurse-administrator/”]nurse administrator[/hen-ui-link], [hen-ui-link href=”/careers/nurse-educator/”]nurse educator[/hen-ui-link], or [hen-ui-link href=”/clinical-nurse-specialist/”]clinical nurse specialist[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]While Illinois is a restricted-practice state (NPs must work under a physician’s supervision or in collaboration with a physician), you may still enjoy more autonomy, and often a six-figure salary.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The standard pathway to an MSN is a BSN-to-MSN, but if you have an ADN degree and experience, there are [hen-ui-link href=”/degrees/rn-msn/”]RN-to-MSN programs in Chicago and downstate[/hen-ui-link]. With an RN-to-MSN program, you can earn an MSN in three years, without having to earn a BSN first.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-grid columns-md=”3″ gap=”md”] [hen-ui-card variant=”background-white” border=”stroke” padding=”lg”] [hen-ui-card-content] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-700″]Advanced Nurse Practitioner[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Most earn their MSN to pursue careers as nurse practitioners, especially family nurse practitioners. Other NP options include adult-geriatric care, pediatric care, psychiatric-mental healthcare, or neonatal care. Adult and pediatric care offer acute and primary care options.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Salary[hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]$99,540-$129,680, BLS[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Job Outlook[hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]52% (2020-2030), BLS[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ class=”text-center”][hen-ui-link href=”/nurse-practitioner/”]Learn More About Advanced NPs[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text] [/hen-ui-card-content][/hen-ui-card] [hen-ui-card variant=”background-white” border=”stroke” padding=”lg”] [hen-ui-card-content] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-700″]Nurse Consultant[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Nurse consultants work in healthcare and in other settings that call for their nursing expertise, such as law, insurance, pharmaceuticals, and government.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Many nurse consultants work for law firms, serving as experts on best and standard nursing practice in cases of misconduct or medical errors. They may also work as expert witnesses during lawsuits.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Salary[hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Legal_Nurse_Consultant/Hourly_Rate” target=”_blank”]$60,000-$100,000, Payscale[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Job Outlook[hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]32% (2020-2030), BLS[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ class=”text-center”][hen-ui-link href=”/careers/legal-nurse/”]Learn More About Nurse Consultants[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text] [/hen-ui-card-content][/hen-ui-card] [hen-ui-card variant=”background-white” border=”stroke” padding=”lg”] [hen-ui-card-content] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-700″]Research Nurse[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Research nurses are experts in nursing and in research functions such as statistics, literature reviews, and writing for professional publications.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Research nurses focus on improving nursing or patient outcomes for academic employers, research companies, or for healthcare firms or publishers. Research nurses who work in academia also teach.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Salary[hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Nurse_Researcher/Salary” target=”_blank”]$63,000-$147,000, Payscale[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Job Outlook[hen-ui-text tag=”strong” weight=”bold”]17% (2020-2030), BLS[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ class=”text-center”][hen-ui-link href=”/careers/nurse-researcher/”]Learn More About Research Nurses[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-text] [/hen-ui-card-content][/hen-ui-card][/hen-ui-grid][hen-ui-flex gap=”xl” align=”left” direction=”column”][hen-ui-flex gap=”xs” align=”left” direction=”column”][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Featured Online RN-to-MSN Programs[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ color=”subtext”]Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-flex][hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”belowTheFold” /][/hen-ui-flex][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]What To Look For in an RN-to-MSN Program[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]When weighing your RN-to-MSN options in Illinois, consider program quality and reputation, costs (tuition and other fees and any incidental expenses), class size, and clinical placement logistics. There are also personal preferences, such as school size, culture, and private versus public.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-card variant=”background-white” border=”stroke” padding=”lg”] [hen-ui-card-content] [hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-800″]Admission Requirements[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]You want a program that will challenge but not overwhelm you. Admission requirements indicate the program’s culture, your classmates’ backgrounds, and how demanding a school is.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-800″]Program Curriculum[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Unlike undergraduate programs, MSN programs specialize from the start. If you know what kind of program you want, this narrows down your MSN Illinois choices.If you’re unsure, a school that offers multiple NP specialties will make switching easier.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-800″]Clinical Experience[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Consider the logistics of clinical placement. If you are in an RN-to-MSN Chicago program, you will have more clinical placement options than in smaller cities with fewer provider types.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-800″]Accreditation[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Accreditation is the most important indicator of program quality. This guide lists only accredited schools, so you can review these MSN Illinois options with confidence.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-800″]Program Length[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Most programs take approximately three years. Some offer part-time options or other accommodations for working students. During longer programs, you may take fewer classes at a time.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-800″]School NCLEX Pass Rate[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]While the NCLEX-RN pass rate will not directly affect you, thos pass rates strongly indicate a school’s quality and reputation. For large RN-to-MSN Chicago programs or major schools, the pass rate is a better indicator than at a small school, where one or two students can skew the numbers.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″ class=”text-primary-800″]School Graduation Rate[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The graduation rate, especially combined with the board exam pass rate, tells you how successful students are. Again, smaller schools may have more inconsistent results, especially during COVID, when students might have paused studies.[/hen-ui-text] [/hen-ui-card-content][/hen-ui-card][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Applying to an RN-to-MSN Program[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]After identifying the most promising RN-to-MSN programs in Illinois, start applying. Give yourself time and get a trusted mentor’s advice, especially if they are a recent graduate of the school.[/hen-ui-text] [hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Warn your references to expect contact from the school. It may also be helpful to have another person review your application before you submit it.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-card variant=”background-white” border=”stroke” padding=”lg”] [hen-ui-card-content] [hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”bullet”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h4″]Admission Materials[/hen-ui-heading]Current and unencumbered RN license, undergraduate transcripts (schools may accept unofficial copies for the application and require an official copy later), two or three references, an application with an essay or personal statement, and a resume/CV[/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h4″]GPA Requirement[/hen-ui-heading]Most RN-to-MSN programs in Illinois require a 3.0 GPA. If your GPA is borderline, talk to an admission counselor; an exceptional work history or other qualification may outweigh your GPA.[/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h4″]Other Requirement[/hen-ui-heading]Almost all schools require at least one year of experience as an RN, especially for RN-to-MSN programs, which involve considerable on-the-job learning.[/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list] [/hen-ui-card-content][/hen-ui-card][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Why Is RN-to-MSN Program Accreditation Important?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″][hen-ui-link href=”http://https//nursejournal.org/resources/what-is-accreditation/”]During program accreditation[/hen-ui-link], representatives from an accrediting organization review all factors of a program that affect quality, from the equipment in the laboratories to the background of the teachers, to the number of journals in the library. This website lists only accredited programs because:[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”bullet”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Accreditation measures the quality of a program.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]States do not license and boards do not accept applications from graduates of unaccredited programs.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Unaccredited school credits almost never transfer to accredited programs.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Employers rarely even consider graduates of unaccredited programs.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Unaccredited programs are an unnecessary risk of your time and money.[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Paying for RN-to-MSN Programs in Illinois[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]With an MSN, you are likely to earn considerably more than an RN. Even so, [hen-ui-link href=”/resources//financial-aid/paying-for-your-nursing-degree/”]paying for nursing school[/hen-ui-link] is not cheap, even for in-state public options. Consider the tuition and fees, length, whether you can work while studying. Determine how many hours you can work, and whether you may have any expenses for attending clinicals or on-campus requirements.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Fortunately, you have several [hen-ui-link href=”/financial-aid/”]financial aid[/hen-ui-link] options. In addition to your school’s financial aid programs, you can look for [hen-ui-link href=”/resources//financial-aid/nursing-scholarship-grants/”]scholarships and grants[/hen-ui-link] from government agencies, nonprofits and nursing associations, and corporations.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Because of the demand for NPs, there are several federal programs that will provide full scholarships or full [hen-ui-link href=”/resources//student-loan-forgiveness-for-nurses/”]loan forgiveness[/hen-ui-link] in exchange for working in an underserved area, in the military, or for the Indian Health Service after graduation.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Learn More About the Best RN-to-MSN Programs Schools in Illinois[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”editorialListings” /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Frequently Asked Questions About Illinois RN-to-MSN Programs[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Is RN to MSN worth it?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Whether pursuing an MSN is worth it to you is a personal decision. Those with MSNs earn more, and have more professional autonomy. In Illinois, an NP makes an average $120,470 and an RN makes an average $78,260 annually, according to the BLS.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]How long does it take to bridge from RN to MSN?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Most RN-to-MSN [hen-ui-link href=”/degrees/nursing-bridge-programs/”]bridge programs[/hen-ui-link] in Illinois take approximately three years, depending on how many classes you take at a time and how long the classes are. Most programs assume that students are working on at least a part-time basis.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]What’s the highest paid type of nurse in Illinois?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]The highest-paid nurses in Illinois are nurse anesthetists. The average annual nurse anesthetist salary is $250,280, more than twice the average NP salary of $120,470, and three times the average RN salary ($78,260), according to the BLS.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Can I get my MSN Right after my BSN?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Most schools require or strongly prefer at least one or two years of experience, but some let students go right from a BSN to an MSN program. Real-life work experience helps both you and the school decide the best MSN specialty for you.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Related MSN Resources[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-article-row variant=”slider” ids=”34240,34238,34441,34239″][/hen-ui-article-row]