Eastern Iowa Community College District
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Rock Island, IL (2026)
Rock Island, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $10,964 to $32,927 per year for indexed programs. Rock Island has a population of about 36,758. Median household income is $57,292 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.4% 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 Rock Island
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Rock Island. Distances are calculated from Rock Island 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 Rock Island. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Black Hawk College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Carl Sandburg College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
University of Iowa
Published tuition$10,964 - $32,927
Online programsYes
Southeastern Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Rock Island
Rock Island is part of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area (BLS area code 19340). 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 | $77,150 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $86,588 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $64,100 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $71,942 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $286,830 | IL statewide | $321,919 |
| Nurse Midwife | $120,840 | IL statewide | $135,623 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $130,400 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $146,352 |
| Nursing Assistant | $38,740 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $43,479 |
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.
Rock Island at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,758 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $57,292 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 22.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 89.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Nursing-related employment in Rock Island County | 1,643 workers, 41 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Rock Island-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Moline, IL – 4.8 mi away (42,250 pop)
- Davenport, IA – 6.0 mi away (288,233 pop)
- Bettendorf, IA – 8.6 mi away (35,727 pop)
- East Moline, IL – 10.7 mi away (21,135 pop)
- Muscatine, IA – 25.4 mi away (26,481 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Rock Island, IL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Rock Island. The closest is Eastern Iowa Community College District in Davenport, IA (3.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southeastern Community College (54.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Rock Island?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Rock Island are: Nurse Anesthetist ($286,830), Nurse Practitioner ($130,400), 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 Moline instead of Rock Island?
Moline, IL is 4.8 miles from Rock Island 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 Rock Island an affordable place to study nursing?
Rock Island’s median household income of $57,292 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rock Island 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
Other Programs Available in Rock Island
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Rock Island:
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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.