Richland Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Decatur, IL (2026)
Decatur, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Decatur has a population of about 70,368. Median household income is $50,809 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $286,830 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Decatur
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Decatur. Distances are calculated from Decatur city center.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Decatur. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Lincoln Land Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Capital Area Career Center
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Parkland College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Decatur
Decatur is part of the Decatur, IL metro area (BLS area code 19500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $87,170 | Decatur, IL | $98,609 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $66,750 | Decatur, IL | $75,509 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $286,830 | IL statewide | $324,468 |
| Nurse Midwife | $120,840 | IL statewide | $136,697 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $110,820 | Decatur, IL | $125,362 |
| Nursing Assistant | $41,990 | Decatur, IL | $47,500 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Decatur at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 70,368 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $50,809 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 21.3% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 88.4 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Decatur-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Springfield, IL – 38.7 mi away (160,570 pop)
- Champaign, IL – 39.3 mi away (155,368 pop)
- Urbana, IL – 42.8 mi away (42,014 pop)
- Bloomington, IL – 42.9 mi away (135,015 pop)
- Normal, IL – 46.1 mi away (54,264 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Decatur, IL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Decatur. The closest is Richland Community College in Decatur, IL (3.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Parkland College (39.0 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Decatur?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Decatur are: Nurse Anesthetist ($286,830), Nurse Midwife ($120,840), Nurse Practitioner ($110,820). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Springfield instead of Decatur?
Springfield, IL is 38.7 miles from Decatur and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Decatur an affordable place to study nursing?
Decatur’s median household income of $50,809 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Decatur while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Nursing Programs
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in Illinois
- Nursing programs by state
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Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Decatur:
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Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.