For our 2024 rankings of LPN programs, the research team at Nursing Schools Almanac compiled an extensive database of student performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). Aspiring practical nurses in the United States must pass this examination before they may commence practice. Thus, student performance on the NCLEX-PN exam provides an excellent benchmark for comparing the relative quality of practical nursing programs.
We used our database to calculate each program’s NCLEX-PN 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-PN 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 LPN programs accordingly.
#1: Southeastern Illinois College
98.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate3575 College Road
Harrisburg, Illinois 62946
https://www.sic.edu98.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 32 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#2: Ambria College of Nursing
96.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate5210 Trillium Boulevard
Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60192
https://www.ambria.edu96.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 61 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#3: Shawnee Community College
96.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate8364 Shawnee College Road
Ullin, Illinois 62992
https://www.shawneecc.edu96.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 30 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#4: Illinois Valley Community College
96.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate815 North Orlando Smith Avenue
Oglesby, Illinois 61348
https://www.ivcc.edu96.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 18 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#5: Harper College
96.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate1200 West Algonquin Road
Palatine, Illinois 60067
https://www.harpercollege.edu96.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 28 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#6: CALC, Institute of Technology
95.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate200 North Center Drive, Suite A
Alton, Illinois 62002
https://www.calc.edu95.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 13 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2013 through 2021
#7: John A. Logan College
95.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate700 Logan College Road
Carterville, Illinois 62918
https://www.jalc.edu95.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 64 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#8: Illinois Central College
95.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate5407 North University Street
Peoria, Illinois 61614
https://www.icc.edu95.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 28 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#9: Sauk Valley Community College
95.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate173 Illinois Route 2
Dixon, Illinois 61021
https://www.svcc.edu95.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 18 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#10: Lake Land College
94.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate5001 Lake Land Boulevard
Mattoon, Illinois 61938
https://www.lakelandcollege.edu94.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 41 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#11: Kankakee Community College
94.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate100 College Drive
Kankakee, Illinois 60901
https://www.kcc.edu94.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 15 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#12: Black Hawk College
94.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate6600 34th Avenue
Moline, Illinois 61265
https://www.bhc.edu94.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 27 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#13: Kaskaskia College
93.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate27210 College Road
Centralia, Illinois 62801
https://www.kaskaskia.edu93.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 37 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#14: City Colleges of Chicago
90.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate1900 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 3100
Chicago, Illinois 60612
https://www.ccc.edu90.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 62 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#15: Capital Area School of Practical Nursing
90.5% first-time NCLEX pass rate2201 Toronto Road
Springfield, Illinois 62712
https://www.caspn.edu90.5% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 112 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#16: CAAN Academy of Nursing
89.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate4747 Lincoln Mall Drive, Suite 420
Matteson, Illinois 60443
https://www.caanacademy.org89.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 19 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#17: Lincoln Land Community College
88.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate5250 Shepherd Road
Springfield, Illinois 62794
https://www.llcc.edu88.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 21 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#18: North Shore College
86.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate1400 South Wolf Road, Suite 104
Wheeling, Illinois 60090
https://www.northshorecollege.com86.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 70 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2013 through 2021
#19: Beck School of Practical Nursing
85.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate6137 Beck Road
Red Bud, Illinois 62278
http://www.gotoccsi.org/adult-nursing-cna85.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 57 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#20: Carl Sandburg College
85.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate2400 Tom L. Wilson Boulevard
Galesburg, Illinois 61401
http://www.sandburg.edu85.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 22 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#21: Verve College
84.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate2625 Butterfield Road, Suite 102E
Oak Brook, Illinois 60523
https://www.vervecollege.edu84.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 63 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#22: Richland Community College
82.8% first-time NCLEX pass rateOne College Park
Decatur, Illinois 62521
https://www.richland.edu82.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 9 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#23: Americare Technical School
80.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate505 Busse Highway
Park Ridge, Illinois 60068
http://www.americaretech.com80.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 48 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#24: Great Paragon Healthcare
79.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate2640 West Touhy Avenue, Suite 206
Chicago, Illinois 60645
http://www.greatparagonhealthcare.com79.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 20 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#25: Illinois College of Nursing
77.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate55 West 22nd Street, Suite 200
Lombard, Illinois 60148
https://www.icnursing.com77.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 13 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2013 through 2021
#26: Parkland College
76.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate2400 West Bradley Avenue
Champaign, Illinois 61821
https://www.parkland.edu76.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 27 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2021
#27: ATS Institute of Technology
73.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate25 East Washington Street, Suite 200
Chicago, Illinois 60602
http://www.atsinstitute.edu73.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 102 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2013 through 2021
#28: State Career College
66.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate2770 Grand Avenue
Waukegan, Illinois 60085
https://www.statecareercollege.edu66.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 6 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2020 through 2021
#29: Genesis Healthcare Institute
60.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate25 Alexander Circle, Suite Three
Romeoville, Illinois 60446
https://www.genesishealthcareinstitute.com60.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 10 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2021 through 2021
#30: Aquarius Institute
56.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate1011 East Touhy Avenue, Suite 335
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018
https://www.aquariusinstitute.com56.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 14 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2018 through 2021
#31: Adonis College of Nursing
49.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate1313 East Sibley Boulevard
Dolton, Illinois 60419
https://www.acon.edu49.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Certificate in Practical Nursing
Average of 12 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2014 through 2021