Best Online Nursing Programs in Pekin, IL (2026)

Pekin, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $4,650 to $17,251 per year for indexed programs. Pekin has a population of about 31,812. Median household income is $58,355 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Peoria, IL metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $310,930 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Pekin

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Pekin, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Pekin 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:

  • 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 Pekin. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Bradley University

Peoria, IL 9.0 miles from Pekin BOC Score 74.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,852
Avg net price $22,719/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Methodist College

Peoria, IL 15.0 miles from Pekin BOC Score 61.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,800
Avg net price $41,787/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Illinois State University

Normal, IL 32.6 miles from Pekin BOC Score 71.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,117
Avg net price $19,398/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,144
Out‑of‑state$28,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of St Francis

Joliet, IL 103.6 miles from Pekin BOC Score 74.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,926
Avg net price $13,006/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL 108.0 miles from Pekin BOC Score 73.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,099
Avg net price $17,028/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,200
Out‑of‑state$39,200
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Chamberlain University-Illinois

Addison, IL 126.2 miles from Pekin BOC Score 68.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,405
Avg net price $31,837/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Ambria College of Nursing

Hoffman Estates, IL 127.6 miles from Pekin BOC Score 90.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,290
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, IL 142.2 miles from Pekin BOC Score 66.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,530
Avg net price $36,079/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois nursing page.


Nursing Wages Near Pekin

Pekin is part of the Peoria, IL metro area (BLS area code 37900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$81,010Peoria, IL$88,827
Licensed Practical Nurse$72,270Peoria, IL$79,243
Nurse Anesthetist$310,930Peoria, IL$340,932
Nurse Midwife$120,840IL statewide$132,500
Nurse Practitioner$128,920Peoria, IL$141,360
Nursing Assistant$43,040Peoria, IL$47,193

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.


Pekin at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population31,812Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$58,355Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Tazewell County1,424 workers, 43 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Pekin-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Pekin, IL?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Pekin 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 Pekin?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Pekin are: Nurse Anesthetist ($310,930), Nurse Practitioner ($128,920), 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 East Peoria instead of Pekin?

East Peoria, IL is 8.6 miles from Pekin 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 Pekin an affordable place to study nursing?

Pekin’s median household income of $58,355 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Pekin 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 Pekin

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Pekin:

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.