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Let us help you land on your dream job here in Illinois! Read on this article to know more about the licensing process in Illinois, and more!
Through this article, you will be able to know the following:
Fees for the licensing
Licensing renewal process (step-by-step)
Requirements for Continuing Education in Nursing
Licensing and certification
Job and Salary Expectations of Nurses in Illinois
Popular hospitals in Illinois
Nursing associations in Illinois
Contact details
Fees for the Licensing
The table below shows the required payments for the licensing, whether you are a first-time nurse, applying by endorsement, or renewing your license. For more details, visit the Illinois licensing page.
As a nursing compact state, Illinois lets nurses obtain multi-state licenses.
*Fees may change without any notice.
**A background check is required in most states, but prices are not usually indicated.
Licensing Renewal Process
Check when your license expires by visiting the Illinois Board of Nursing website. Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation page will give you more specific details.
Complete all your continuing education requirements BEFORE your license expires.
Apply for your renewal process by going to the Illinois Board of Nursing. You may check on the Renewal Information page for more specific information.
Requirements for Continuing Education in Nursing
The following are the Continuing Education Requirements for nurses in Illinois.
For RN/LPN, you must complete 20 contact hours every 2 years.
For APRN, 50 contact hours every 2 years, must be completed.
The Illinois Board of Nursing accepts courses that are ANCC accredited.
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Licensing and Certification
Step 1: Education
To earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), you must attend an accredited institution that offers ADN for 18-24 months. You can also take a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree in an accredited institution. These programs typically take 4 to 5 years to complete. If you have an ADN but you wanna pursue your bachelor’s, there are certain programs that let you earn your BSN in 12 to 18 months. There is also an RN to BSN program that will take one year for you to earn the degree. Said programs let you save on time and money as you work towards advancing your career.
Step 2: Licensing
Six weeks before your graduation, you can start the process of your application for the NCLEX-RN exam. This exam is composed of 75-265 items and you will be given a limit of 5 hours to finish all of it. Failing the exam does not necessarily mean that you do not have the chance anymore. After your first try, you just have to wait for 45 days and you can apply again.
The scope of NCLEX includes questions about: (1) health promotion and maintenance; (2) safe and effective care environment; (3) physiology and integrity; and (4) psychology and integrity.
Step 3: Experience
This time, you must learn how to take the opportunities in gaining first-hand experiences in dealing with patients, with colleagues and superiors, and with the different situations that you might face. These invaluable experiences will make you more attractive to bigger employers in the future.
Step 4: Certification
Your last step is to obtain certifications for your chosen career. There are different requirements for earning a certification, depending on your preferences so it is important to check with the governing provider for information. You can attend several trainings, seminars or workshops in varied institutions for this purpose.
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Job and Salary Expectations of Nurses in Illinois
Shortage of healthcare professionals, specifically nurses, has been a perennial issue in the country. This makes nurses highly in demand during this period of time. This profession will increase by about 9% from 2020 to 2030. The average annual salary is $78,260.
Let us help you check out average wages of nurses to help determine if Illinois is the right place for you.
Popular Hospitals in Illinois
Still not decided on whether to work as a nurse in Illinois or not? This list of the best hospitals in the state will surely help you make that decision to go in the right direction. U.S. News and World Report made a list of the best and popular hospitals in Illinois. Here are some of them:
Northwestern Memorial Hospital – (Chicago, IL):
Regionally ranked #1 in Illinois and in Chicago
Ranked No. 10 on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll
Nationally ranked in 10 adult specialties
Rated high performing in 1 adult specialty and 17 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Part of the Magnet Recognition Program®.
Specialties of the hospital include Conditions related to cancer, Orthopedics (#19 in the nation), Cardiology & heart surgery, and Urology (#11 in the nation)
Rush University Medical Center – (Chicago, IL):
Regionally ranked #2 in Illinois and in Chicago
Ranked No. 19 on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll
Nationally ranked in 9 adult specialties
Rated high performing in 1 adult specialty and 14 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Part of the Magnet Recognition Program®.
Specialties include Neurology & Neurosurgery (#3 in the nation), Urology, Pulmonology & lung surgery, and Orthopedics
University of Chicago Medical Center - (Chicago, IL):
Regionally ranked #3 in Illinois and in Chicago
Nationally ranked in 6 adult specialties and 2 pediatric specialties
Rated high performing in 4 adult specialties and 12 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Part of the Magnet Recognition Program®.
Specialties include Comprehensive Stroke Center, Cancer, Heart care, and Orthopedics
Advocate Christ Medical Center - (Oak Lawn, IL):
Regionally ranked #4 in Illinois and in Chicago
Nationally ranked in 2 adult specialties and 1 pediatric specialty
Rated high performing in 8 adult specialties and 14 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Specialties include Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Gynecology, Stroke, Orthopedics, and Pulmonary & Lung Surgery.
Loyola University Medical Center - (Maywood, IL):
Regionally ranked #5 in Illinois and in Chicago
Nationally ranked in 3 adult specialties
Rated high performing in 6 adult specialties and 11 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Specialties include Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery,Nephrology, Stroke, Urology, and Pulmonary & Lung Surgery.
*The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) awards Magnet Status to Hospitals that apply and meet certain criteria. This award is also considered as the “gold standard” for excellence in nursing practice and care.
Nursing Associations in Illinois
Becoming a member of a nursing association opens a lot of opportunities to your career growth. It gives you the advantages of varied job offers and networking, and a bunch of information and experiences shared between you and your fellow nurses. Through these organizations, learning and professional growth never stop. Listed below are just a few of the nursing organizations that you can find and join once you are in Illinois.
National Association of Hispanic Nurses: “This nurses’ association is committed to making Hispanic nurses’ lives grow through promoting academic achievement, mentorship, professional growth, and through continuous remodeling of healthcare in the Community.”
American Psychiatric Nurses Association – Illinois: “The members of this organization are dedicated to practicing psychiatric-mental health nursing promotion by identifying mental health issues and ways to prevent these problems. They provide proper care and treatment to individuals with mental health disorders.”
American Nurses Association – Illinois: “The purpose of this group is to work for coordination and collaboration among nurse practitioners organizations about different issues regarding nursing practice, education, research and other mutual concerns.”
For more information about the nursing associations, you may visit the comprehensive list of national organizations as well.
Contact Details
Illinois Board of Nursing
Phone: (888) 473-4858
Physical address (Chicago):
100 W. Randolph
9th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601
Physical address (Springfield):
320 W. Washington
3rd Floor
Springfield, IL 62786