For our 2024 rankings of ADN programs, the research team at Nursing Schools Almanac compiled an extensive database of student performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Aspiring registered nurses in the United States must pass this examination before they may commence practice. Thus, student performance on the NCLEX-RN exam provides an excellent benchmark for comparing the relative quality of associate degree programs.
We used our database to calculate each program’s NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers. This is the standard program assessment metric reported by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s Division of Professional Regulation, as well as by the test’s administrator, Pearson Vue. Whenever possible, we calculated this first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate over an extensive period of time, typically the past decade of student performance. We then used this metric to rank all of Illinois’s ADN programs accordingly.
#1: Southeastern Illinois College
96.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate3575 College Road
Harrisburg, Illinois 62946
https://www.sic.edu96.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 25 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#2: McHenry County College
96.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate8900 US Highway 14
Crystal Lake, Illinois 60012
https://www.mchenry.edu96.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 24 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#3: John A. Logan College
94.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate700 Logan College Road
Carterville, Illinois 62918
https://www.jalc.edu94.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 58 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#4: Joliet Junior College
94.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate1215 Houbolt Road
Joliet, Illinois 60431
https://www.jjc.edu94.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 136 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#5: Harper College
93.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate1200 West Algonquin Road
Palatine, Illinois 60067
https://www.harpercollege.edu93.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 101 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#6: Oakton Community College
92.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate1600 East Golf Road
Des Plaines, Illinois 60016
https://www.oakton.edu92.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 77 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#7: Kankakee Community College
91.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate100 College Drive
Kankakee, Illinois 60901
https://www.kcc.edu91.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 51 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#8: Southwestern Illinois College
91.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate2500 Carlyle Avenue
Belleville, Illinois 62221
https://www.swic.edu91.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 70 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#9: Kishwaukee College
91.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate21193 Malta Road
Malta, Illinois 60150
https://www.kish.edu91.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 59 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#10: Black Hawk College
90.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate6600 34th Avenue
Moline, Illinois 61265
https://www.bhc.edu90.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 50 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#11: Ambria College of Nursing
90.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate5210 Trillium Boulevard
Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60192
https://www.ambria.edu90.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 44 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#12: Lincoln Land Community College
90.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate5250 Shepherd Road
Springfield, Illinois 62794
https://www.llcc.edu90.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 97 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#13: Kaskaskia College
89.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate27210 College Road
Centralia, Illinois 62801
https://www.kaskaskia.edu89.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 69 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#14: Illinois Valley Community College
89.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate815 North Orlando Smith Avenue
Oglesby, Illinois 61348
https://www.ivcc.edu89.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 59 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#15: Heartland Community College
89.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate1500 West Raab Road
Normal, Illinois 61761
https://www.heartland.edu89.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 30 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#16: Elgin Community College
89.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate1700 Spartan Drive
Elgin, Illinois 60123
https://www.elgin.edu89.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 95 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#17: Waubonsee Community College
88.5% first-time NCLEX pass rate2060 Ogden Avenue
Aurora, Illinois 60504
https://www.waubonsee.edu88.5% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 83 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#18: Rock Valley College
87.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate3301 North Mulford Road
Rockford, Illinois 61114
https://www.rockvalleycollege.edu87.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 48 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#19: John Wood Community College
87.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate1301 South 48th Street
Quincy, Illinois 62305
https://www.jwcc.edu87.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 24 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#20: Moraine Valley Community College
87.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate9000 West College Parkway
Palos Hills, Illinois 60465
https://www.morainevalley.edu87.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 73 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#21: Prairie State College
86.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate202 South Halsted Street
Chicago Heights, Illinois 60411
https://www.prairiestate.edu86.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 47 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#22: Lake Land College
86.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate5001 Lake Land Boulevard
Mattoon, Illinois 61938
https://www.lakelandcollege.edu86.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 70 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#23: Richland Community College
86.4% first-time NCLEX pass rateOne College Park
Decatur, Illinois 62521
https://www.richland.edu86.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 45 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#24: Shawnee Community College
86.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate8364 Shawnee College Road
Ullin, Illinois 62992
https://www.shawneecc.edu86.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 32 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#25: Spoon River College
85.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate23235 North County Highway 22
Canton, Illinois 61520
https://www.src.edu85.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 24 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#26: Sauk Valley Community College
85.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate173 Illinois Route 2
Dixon, Illinois 61021
https://www.svcc.edu85.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 38 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#27: College of Lake County
85.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate19351 West Washington Street
Grayslake, Illinois 60030
https://www.clcillinois.edu85.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 80 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#28: College of DuPage
85.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate425 Fawell Boulevard
Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137
https://www.cod.edu85.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 110 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#29: Parkland College
84.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate2400 West Bradley Avenue
Champaign, Illinois 61821
https://www.parkland.edu84.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 83 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#30: Triton College
83.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate2000 Fifth Avenue
River Grove, Illinois 60171
https://www.triton.edu83.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 61 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#31: Lewis & Clark Community College
82.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate5800 Godfrey Road
Godfrey, Illinois 62035
https://www.lc.edu82.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 92 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#32: City Colleges of Chicago
82.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate1900 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 3100
Chicago, Illinois 60612
https://www.ccc.edu82.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 250 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#33: South Suburban College
81.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate15800 South State Street
South Holland, Illinois 60473
https://www.ssc.edu81.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 24 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#34: Danville Area Community College
80.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate2000 East Main Street
Danville, Illinois 61832
https://www.dacc.edu80.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 45 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#35: Illinois Central College
80.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate5407 North University Street
Peoria, Illinois 61614
https://www.icc.edu80.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 74 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#36: Rend Lake College
80.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate468 North Ken Gray Parkway
Ina, Illinois 62846
https://www.rlc.edu80.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 50 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#37: Illinois Eastern Community Colleges
80.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate305 North West Street
Olney, Illinois 62450
https://www.iecc.edu80.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 92 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#38: Highland Community College
80.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate2998 West Pearl City Road
Freeport, Illinois 61032
https://www.highland.edu80.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 40 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#39: Morton College
76.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate3801 South Central Avenue
Cicero, Illinois 60804
https://www.morton.edu76.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 56 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#40: Rasmussen University - Romeoville / Joliet
76.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate1400 West Normantown Road
Romeoville, Illinois 60446
https://www.rasmussen.edu76.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 229 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2015 through 2021
#41: Carl Sandburg College
75.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate2400 Tom L. Wilson Boulevard
Galesburg, Illinois 61401
http://www.sandburg.edu75.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 46 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#42: CAAN Academy of Nursing
60.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate4747 Lincoln Mall Drive, Suite 420
Matteson, Illinois 60443
https://www.caanacademy.org60.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 10 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2020 through 2020
#43: Northwestern College
56.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate7725 South Harlem Avenue
Bridgeview, Illinois 60455
https://www.nc.edu56.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Associate Degree in Nursing
Average of 57 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021