Updated June 2026 · 12 min read
Part of the CRNA Career Hub — browse every related guide in one place.
Illinois has one of the deepest benches of nurse anesthesia programs in the Midwest, concentrated around Chicago's world-class hospital systems plus strong downstate options. Here's how the Illinois programs compare and how an ICU nurse in Chicago, Peoria, or the Metro East builds a competitive application.
| Program | Degree | Length | Est. Tuition | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush University | DNP | 36 months | ~$110,000–$135,000 | Chicago |
| NorthShore School of Nurse Anesthesia / DePaul University | DNP | 28–36 months | ~$90,000–$120,000 | Evanston / Chicago |
| Rosalind Franklin University | DNP | 36 months | ~$100,000–$125,000 | North Chicago |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) | DNP | 36 months | ~$45,000–$70,000 | Edwardsville (Metro East / St. Louis) |
| Bradley University | DNP | 36 months | ~$95,000–$120,000 | Peoria |
All Illinois programs are doctoral-entry. The Council on Accreditation phased out master's-level CRNA entry on January 1, 2025, so every accredited program now awards a DNP. Tuition ranges shown are estimates of total program cost and vary with residency status and cohort year — confirm current figures directly with each school. SIUE's public-university tuition makes it the clear value option, while the Chicago private programs trade higher cost for elite clinical access.
Rush's nurse anesthesia program is consistently ranked among the very top programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Based at Rush University Medical Center, students train in a high-acuity academic environment with deep specialty surgical volume. The Rush credential is nationally recognized and a strong asset anywhere in the country. As a top-tier private program, admission is highly competitive and tuition sits at the upper end of the Illinois range.
The NorthShore School of Nurse Anesthesia, delivered in partnership with DePaul University, is one of the longest-running nurse anesthesia programs in the nation and trains students within the NorthShore (now Endeavor Health) system in Chicago's northern suburbs. Rosalind Franklin University in North Chicago offers a DNP grounded in a health-sciences campus with strong basic-science instruction. Both give Chicago-area nurses access to high case volume without leaving the metro.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville offers a public-university DNP in the Metro East, drawing clinical sites from the greater St. Louis region — an excellent value for Illinois residents who want lower tuition and Midwest clinical exposure. Bradley University in Peoria serves central Illinois with a DNP tied to downstate hospital systems, a good fit for nurses who prefer to stay outside Chicago.
Where you build your critical care hours matters. Illinois offers several high-acuity systems ideal for CRNA candidacy:
| Hospital | Metro | Notable ICU Types |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Memorial Hospital | Chicago | CVICU, Neuro ICU, transplant ICU |
| Rush University Medical Center | Chicago | CVICU, MICU, SICU, academic acuity |
| University of Chicago Medicine | Chicago | Level I Trauma, CVICU, Neuro ICU |
| Stroger (Cook County) Hospital | Chicago | Level I Trauma, burn ICU, SICU |
| Advocate Christ Medical Center | Oak Lawn | Level I Trauma, CVICU, transplant |
| OSF Saint Francis Medical Center | Peoria | Level I Trauma, CVICU, Neuro ICU |
Programs want sustained adult critical care managing ventilated patients on vasoactive infusions with arterial and central lines. A CVICU or trauma SICU role at one of these systems is far stronger on a CRNA application than a step-down or community-hospital "ICU" that does not manage that acuity.
Working backward from a fall 2027 start: most Illinois programs accept applications roughly September–December 2026, interview over the winter, and decide by spring 2027. Have your CCRN completed and ICU hours documented before applications open. Because Illinois has several in-state programs, applying to several (plus one or two out-of-state) meaningfully raises your odds without forcing a move out of the Midwest.
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