Normal, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $4,650 to $17,251 per year for indexed programs. Normal has a population of about 52,908. Median household income is $66,350 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 52.5% 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 Normal
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Normal, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Normal city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Normal.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
88%
Graduation rate
65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$62,117
Avg net price
$19,398/yr
TuitionIn‑state$16,144
Out‑of‑state$28,210
Key stats- Retention rate: 81%
- Programs offered: 66
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$40,768
Avg net price
$12,013/yr
TuitionIn‑state$5,550
Out‑of‑state$13,110
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Normal
Normal is part of the Bloomington, IL metro area (BLS area code 14010). 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 | $79,970 | Bloomington, IL | $85,529 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $67,270 | Bloomington, IL | $71,947 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $286,830 | IL statewide | $306,770 |
| Nurse Midwife | $120,840 | IL statewide | $129,241 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $139,190 | Bloomington, IL | $148,866 |
| Nursing Assistant | $43,180 | Bloomington, IL | $46,182 |
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.
Normal at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 52,908 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $66,350 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 52.5% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 93.5 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Nursing-related employment in McLean County | 4,309 workers, 25 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Normal-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Bloomington, IL – 3.3 mi away (135,015 pop)
- East Peoria, IL – 30.9 mi away (22,939 pop)
- Pekin, IL – 33.7 mi away (33,038 pop)
- Peoria, IL – 36.5 mi away (265,218 pop)
- Decatur, IL – 46.1 mi away (89,653 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Normal, IL?
Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Normal are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Normal?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Normal are: Nurse Anesthetist ($286,830), Nurse Practitioner ($139,190), Nurse Midwife ($120,840). 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 Bloomington instead of Normal?
Bloomington, IL is 3.3 miles from Normal 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 Normal an affordable place to study nursing?
Normal’s median household income of $66,350 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Normal 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
Other Programs Available in Normal
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Normal:
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- Counseling programs in Normal, IL
Data verified: July 23, 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.
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