2 In-State Schools • 1 Mostly Online • 1 Hybrid • Plus 2 Online Options Compared
Illinois has two Pediatric Nurse Practitioner programs: Rush University and the University of Illinois Chicago. Both prepare nurses for Primary Care and Acute Care, and both are doctoral only.
Because neither offers a master’s and UIC admits only nurses within commuting distance of a campus, we added two online programs, UT Arlington and Walden University, to every comparison table below.
Compare Illinois PNP Programs
| School | Tracks | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush University (in-state) | Primary Care + Acute Care | Mostly Online | Primary Care: two skills days. Acute Care DNP: two 2–3 day visits. Certificate: two one-week visits. | $1,493 | BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, Post-Master’s Certificate | Nurses pursuing acute care pediatrics who do not already hold a doctorate |
| UIC (in-state) | Primary Care + Acute Care | Hybrid | Blended courses and labs on site at Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, or Urbana | $1,129 | BSN-to-DNP, Post-DNP Certificate | Nurses near a UIC campus who want faculty-arranged clinicals |
| UT Arlington (online option) | Primary Care + Acute Care | Online | None published for online tracks | $654 | RN-to-MSN, BSN-to-MSN, Post-Master’s Certificate | Experienced RNs who want online Acute Care or the lowest MSN tuition |
| Walden University (online option) | Primary Care | Online | None | $785 per quarter credit | RN-to-MSN, BSN-to-MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, Post-Master’s Certificate | Nurses who need RN-to-MSN or MSN-to-DNP entry with no campus travel |
Illinois eligibility: Walden’s College of Nursing restricted-states list places no restriction on Illinois for any PNP pathway, and UTA’s state authorization map lists Illinois as eligible for its online tracks.
Illinois PNP Programs at a Glance
- Schools: 2 in-state (Rush, UIC), plus 2 online options compared (UTA, Walden)
- Primary Care: Yes, at both in-state schools
- Acute Care: Yes, at both in-state schools
- MSN: No in-state option; RN-to-MSN and BSN-to-MSN through both online options
- DNP: Yes, BSN-to-DNP at both schools; MSN-to-DNP at Rush only, or online through Walden
- Certificate: Yes, Acute Care at Rush and both populations at UIC; both populations online
- Format: Mostly Online at Rush, Hybrid at UIC; both online options are Online
- Lowest published in-state tuition: $17K–$18K (Rush Acute Care postgraduate certificate)
Choosing a PNP Program in Illinois
Acute Care Without a Doctorate: Rush
Rush reaches CPNP-AC from four starting points, including a 12-credit certificate open to any certified NP with a qualifying graduate nursing degree, where UIC’s acute care certificate requires an earned DNP. The trade-off is cost and placement: $1,493 per credit, and placement help that stops short of a guarantee.
Faculty-Arranged Clinicals at a Flat Rate: UIC
Program directors select every practicum site and assign every preceptor across all 1,035 hours, and the $1,129 rate applies to residents and non-residents alike. The trade-off is geography: DNP students must live within commuting distance of their campus.
Lower Tuition and Online Acute Care: UT Arlington
UTA fills the gap neither Illinois school covers, a master’s-level route to either population, at $654 per credit with no non-resident surcharge. The trade-off is placement: students locate their own preceptors, with department help only after difficulty.
Entry Points Illinois Lacks: Walden
Walden admits diploma and associate-degree nurses through an RN-to-MSN track and MSN-prepared nurses through an MSN-to-DNP, with no RN experience requirement and no campus visits. The trade-offs are population and price: Primary Care only, at $71,180 for the MSN-to-DNP.
Illinois RN-to-MSN PNP Programs
No Illinois program admits associate-degree nurses; both online options do. UTA offers fast tracks in Primary Care and Acute Care, Walden in Primary Care. Each completes an RN-to-BSN phase before the master’s coursework begins.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT Arlington (online option) | Primary Care | $35K (nursing courses only) | 42+ months | About 720 (est.) |
| UT Arlington (online option) | Acute Care | $38K (nursing courses only) | 42+ months | About 720 (est.) |
| Walden University (online option) | Primary Care | $57K | About 28 months | 640 |
- Lowest estimated tuition: UTA Primary Care at $35K, covering required nursing courses only and excluding any general education still owed.
- Only Acute Care option: UTA. The Acute Care MSN it feeds into requires two years of pediatric acute care RN experience within five years.
Compare more programs: See all RN-to-MSN PNP programs
Illinois BSN-to-MSN PNP Programs
Neither Illinois school offers a master’s in pediatrics: UIC has no MSN option at all, and Rush prepares PNPs only at the doctoral and certificate levels. BSN nurses who want the shortest route to certification use the online options.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT Arlington (online option) | Primary Care | $27K | 29–33 months | About 720 (est.) |
| UT Arlington (online option) | Acute Care | $29K | 31–33 months | About 720 (est.) |
| Walden University (online option) | Primary Care | $45K | About 24 months | 640 |
- Lowest estimated tuition: UTA Primary Care at $27K, roughly a quarter of an Illinois BSN-to-DNP.
- Shortest completion: Walden at about 24 months, against four years for either UIC doctorate.
- Experience requirement: UTA requires two years of RN experience; Walden publishes none.
Compare more programs: See all BSN-to-MSN PNP programs
Illinois BSN-to-DNP PNP Programs
This is the pathway Illinois covers best. Rush and UIC both run Primary Care and Acute Care doctorates from the BSN, making Illinois one of the few states offering both pediatric populations at the doctoral level from two schools.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush University (in-state) | Primary Care | $102K | 2.5 yrs full-time, 3.5 part-time | 756, plus 252 DNP project hours |
| Rush University (in-state) | Acute Care | $102K | About 3⅔ yrs, part-time only | 756, plus 252 DNP project hours |
| UIC (in-state) | Primary Care | $82K–$85K | 4 yrs, 11 terms | 765 pediatric, plus 270 DNP project hours |
| UIC (in-state) | Acute Care | $84K | 4 yrs, 11 terms | 765 pediatric, plus 270 DNP project hours |
| Walden University (online option) | Primary Care | $76K | About 3.25 yrs | 1,000 post-baccalaureate minimum |
- Lowest estimated tuition: UIC Primary Care at $82K–$85K, before mandatory fees of roughly $17,200 across the published plan.
- Shortest completion: Rush Primary Care at 2.5 years full-time; Rush Acute Care is part-time only and takes about 14 months longer.
- Experience requirement: UIC Acute Care requires a year of full-time pediatric acute care RN experience by admission; Rush requires six months. Neither Primary Care track requires any.
Compare more programs: See all BSN-to-DNP PNP programs
Illinois MSN-to-DNP PNP Programs
Rush is the only Illinois school accepting master’s-prepared nurses into a pediatric doctorate, and it prices by what the applicant already holds. Practicing APRNs skip both the graduate and advanced practice cores, which cuts the program roughly in half.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush University (in-state) | Primary Care (non-APRN) | $84K | About 2.5 yrs | 756, plus 252 DNP project hours |
| Rush University (in-state) | Primary Care (APRN) | $57K | About 2.5 yrs | 756, plus 252 DNP project hours |
| Rush University (in-state) | Acute Care (non-APRN) | $84K | About 3 yrs, part-time | 756, plus 252 DNP project hours |
| Rush University (in-state) | Acute Care (APRN) | $43K | About 2 yrs, part-time | 500–756, set by gap analysis |
| Walden University (online option) | Primary Care | $71K | About 3 yrs | 1,000 post-baccalaureate minimum |
- Lowest estimated tuition: Rush Acute Care for APRNs at $43K, about 43% of the BSN-entry price for the same credential.
- Experience requirement: Rush’s APRN plans require current APRN certification and active practice within two years. Walden publishes no RN experience requirement.
Compare more programs: See all MSN-to-DNP PNP programs
Illinois Post-Master’s Certificate PNP Programs
Illinois offers three certificates, but eligibility differs sharply. Rush accepts any certified NP with a qualifying graduate nursing degree, while both UIC certificates require an earned DNP, closing them to master’s-prepared nurses. Credits at all three are set by gap analysis.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush University (in-state) | Acute Care | $17K–$18K | 8+ months, part-time | 504 |
| UIC (in-state) | Primary Care (post-DNP) | About $27K (est.) | 1–1.5 yrs (est.) | 765 (est.) |
| UIC (in-state) | Acute Care (post-DNP) | About $29K (est.) | 1–1.5 yrs (est.) | 765 (est.) |
| UT Arlington (online option) | Primary Care | $13K–$21K | About 12 months (est.) | About 720 (est.) |
| UT Arlington (online option) | Acute Care | $16K–$24K | About 14 months (est.) | About 720 (est.) |
| Walden University (online option) | Primary Care | $33K | About 5–7 quarters | 640 |
- Lowest estimated tuition: UTA Primary Care at $13K–$21K, depending on how many core courses the gap analysis adds.
- Campus requirement: Rush is the heaviest in-person commitment of any Illinois pediatric pathway, at two full weeks in Chicago. Both online certificates publish none.
- Experience requirement: Rush requires two years of recent acute care pediatric nursing. UTA’s Acute Care certificate requires two years of high-acuity direct patient care within five years.
Compare more programs: See all Post-Master’s Certificate PNP programs
Other Online PNP Programs for Illinois Nurses
Other online Primary Care PNP programs also enroll Illinois nurses. The directory below lists more options.
Maryville University PNP Programs
St. Louis | $900 cpc | Certificate / BSN to DNP / MSN to DNP / BSN to MSN / DNP
Maryville University offers Illinois nurses four comprehensive Pediatric Nurse Practitioner programs designed for working professionals across the state. Delivered 100% online with no campus visits or GRE requirements, the MSN, BSN-to-DNP, DNP-NP, and Post-Master’s Certificate tracks allow Illinois students to complete all clinical hours locally in their preferred Illinois setting. With tuition starting at approximately $31,500 for the certificate and a 92% certification pass rate, these programs provide a high-value path to PNP practice in Illinois.
Purdue University PNP Programs
West Lafayette | $348 cpc | Certificate / BSN to DNP / BSN to MSN
Purdue University's West Lafayette campus, about an hour from the Illinois line, offers three primary care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner pathways: a 47-credit MS, a BSN-to-DNP, and a post-master's certificate. The programs are blended, with in-person classes in West Lafayette, and Illinois nurses need an Indiana RN license before classes begin because clinicals run with Indiana-licensed preceptors. Nonresident tuition is about $65,000 for the MS.
Rasmussen University PNP Programs
Bloomington | $925 cpc | Certificate / BSN to MSN
Rasmussen University delivers MSN-NP and Post-Graduate Certificate options in Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (PPCNP) practice through a flexible online competency-based model accessible to Illinois healthcare providers. The curriculum combines self-paced coursework in pediatric health promotion and complex care with four local community-based practicums and a single on-campus weekend residency. Spanning 21 to 27 months with total estimated tuition and fees of $29,670 to $51,680, these CCNE-accredited programs allow Illinois nurses to advance their clinical credentials without weekly deadline constraints.
Walden University Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs
Minneapolis | $785 cpc | Certificate / BSN to DNP / MSN to DNP / BSN to MSN / RN to MSN
Walden University offers online DNP, MSN, and Post-Master’s Certificate tracks in Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) practice for registered nurses residing in Illinois. Operating on a quarter-credit schedule, the program features virtual skills labs, case-based reviews, and Practicum Pledge® assistance to aid Illinois students with local field placement matching. With estimated tuition spanning from ~$35,690 for the certificate to ~$76,415 for the DNP, Illinois RNs can gain specialized clinical expertise in child development, acute and chronic illness management, and advanced health promotion.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many PNP programs are available in Illinois?
Illinois has two: Rush University and UIC, both in Chicago. Between them they run 11 pathways, all at the doctoral or post-doctoral certificate level.
Does Illinois offer an Acute Care PNP program?
Yes, at both schools. Rush offers it through BSN-entry and MSN-entry doctorates plus a postgraduate certificate; UIC through a BSN-to-DNP track and a post-DNP certificate. UTA adds online Acute Care MSN, RN-to-MSN, and certificate tracks.
Are any programs fully online?
No in-state program is. Rush is Mostly Online, with two skills days for Primary Care, two 2–3 day visits for the Acute Care DNP, and two one-week visits for the certificate. UIC is Hybrid, with blended courses and labs on site. UTA and Walden publish no campus visits.
Which program has the lowest estimated tuition?
In-state, Rush’s Acute Care certificate is lowest at $17K–$18K, and UIC’s Primary Care DNP is the lowest degree at $82K–$85K before fees. Among the online options, UTA’s Primary Care certificate starts at $13K and its Primary Care MSN is $27K.
Which schools offer a DNP?
Rush and UIC both offer BSN-to-DNP tracks in both populations, and Rush adds MSN-to-DNP routes. Walden offers online BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP tracks in Primary Care. UTA does not offer a PNP DNP.
Can students complete clinicals locally?
At UIC, faculty arrange all sites and preceptors near the student’s campus, which is why DNP students must live within commuting distance of Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, or Urbana. Rush enrolls distance students and negotiates the contracts but does not guarantee placement, and Acute Care applicants outside Chicago must confirm availability with the program director first. UTA and Walden students complete clinicals where they live but locate their own preceptors.
Can I become a PNP in Illinois without a BSN?
Not through an in-state program. Both Illinois schools require a BSN or a bachelor’s in another field plus an RN license. UTA’s RN-to-MSN fast tracks admit associate-degree nurses, and Walden’s RN-to-MSN admits diploma nurses, associate-degree nurses, and nurses with a non-nursing bachelor’s.