2026 Best Value Adult Health Nurse/Nursing Schools in Illinois

[Adult Health Nurse/Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/adult-health-nurse-nursing/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for adult health nurse/nursing students.
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2026 Best Value Adult Health Nurse/Nursing Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the adult health nurse/nursing degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Adult Health Nurse/Nursing Schools
For return on investment in adult health nurse/nursing, no school beat Saint Xavier University this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Saint Xavier University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $38,945. Students borrow a median of $27,188 to complete the adult health nurse/nursing program here. Adult Health Nurse/nursing graduates of Saint Xavier University earn a median of $51,753 early in their careers. Set against $27,188 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.
North Park University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value adult health nurse/nursing schools. North Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $36,710. Typical student debt for adult health nurse/nursing graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, adult health nurse/nursing degree recipients from North Park University generally make around $51,611. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Lewis University one of the best values for adult health nurse/nursing. Located in the suburb of Romeoville, Lewis University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $39,200 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the adult health nurse/nursing program here. Soon after graduation, adult health nurse/nursing degree recipients from Lewis University generally make around $90,066. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 71%.
Chamberlain College Of Nursing Illinois came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value adult health nurse/nursing schools. Chamberlain College Of Nursing Illinois is a very large private for-profit school located in the suburb of Addison. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,536. Typical student debt for adult health nurse/nursing graduates is $39,146. Soon after graduation, adult health nurse/nursing degree recipients from Chamberlain College Of Nursing Illinois generally make around $109,135. Set against $39,146 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Depaul University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in adult health nurse/nursing, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,405. Students borrow a median of $25,310 to complete the adult health nurse/nursing program here. Adult Health Nurse/nursing graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $140,906 early in their careers. Set against $25,310 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Loyola University Chicago landed the #6 spot for adult health nurse/nursing value this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,710. Adult Health Nurse/nursing graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career adult health nurse/nursing graduates make about $111,912. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.