5 Schools • 3 Hybrid • 1 Mostly Online • 1 Online
Illinois has 5 in-state schools offering 20 acute care NP pathways: BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, MSN with RN or BSN entry, and post-graduate certificates. Every school offers adult-gerontology acute care, and Rush and UIC add pediatric acute care. Formats range from fully online to hybrid. Estimated tuition runs from $13K for a certificate to $106K for a doctorate, and completion takes 8 months to 5 years.
Highlights include:
- Bradley is the only fully online program and the only MSN option.
- Rush and UIC both offer pediatric acute care, and Rush is the only source of MSN-to-DNP entry.
- Loyola and UIC assign every clinical placement within reach of their campuses.
- Rosalind Franklin pairs a procedure-heavy DNP with the lowest-cost certificate.
Compare each school’s online format, campus commitment, cost, and degree options below.
| School | Track | Online Format | Campus Commitment | Cost Per Credit | Degrees | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley University | AG-ACNP | Online | None | $1,158 + $250/semester technology fee | MSN, DNP, Certificate | Nurses with acute care preceptors lined up who want no campus travel |
| Loyola University Chicago | AG-ACNP | Hybrid | Recurring classroom, lab, and simulation | $1,295 | DNP, Certificate | Chicago-area critical care nurses who hold or will soon earn CCRN |
| Rosalind Franklin University | AG-ACNP | Mostly Online (DNP); Online (certificate) | DNP: one week monthly in Quarter 2, one to two days monthly in Quarter 4; certificate: none | $845 per quarter hour (DNP); $870 per quarter hour (certificate) | DNP, Certificate | ICU nurses seeking procedural depth, or APRNs wanting a low-cost certificate |
| Rush University | AG-ACNP; PNP-AC | Hybrid (AG-ACNP); Mostly Online (PNP-AC) | AG-ACNP: weekly on-campus courses; PNP-AC: two or three short visits | $1,493 + $429/semester DNP fee | DNP, Certificate | Pediatric acute care nurses, and MSN holders adding an acute care doctorate |
| University of Illinois Chicago | AG-ACNP; PNP-AC | Hybrid | On-campus and blended courses at Chicago, Rockford, or Urbana; PNP-AC also at Peoria | $1,129, same for all residencies | DNP, Certificate | Adult or pediatric acute care nurses near a UIC campus who want assigned placements |
What’s the Best ACNP Program for You?
Best Fully Online Option
Bradley University is the only Illinois school with no campus visits on any of its four tracks, including its $80K–$83K BSN-to-DNP.
Best Pediatric Acute Care
Rush University offers PNP-AC through BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, and certificate entry with mostly online coursework. UIC also offers a PNP-AC BSN-to-DNP and post-DNP certificate, in a hybrid format with faculty-arranged placements.
Best Procedural Training
Rosalind Franklin University runs its DNP alongside nurse anesthesia students, with cadaver anatomy plus intubation, central line, and point-of-care ultrasound labs before residency.
Best Placement Support Outside Chicago
University of Illinois Chicago assigns every clinical site near its Chicago, Rockford, or Urbana campus and charges out-of-state students the same $1,129 per credit.
Best for Chicago ICU Nurses
Loyola University Chicago arranges Chicago-area placements and adds a 3-credit emergency and acute care procedures lab to its 71-credit DNP.
Lowest Certificate Cost
Rosalind Franklin’s certificate costs $13K–$15K for 15–17 quarter hours, with quarterly starts and no required campus time.
Illinois DNP ACNP Programs
All five Illinois schools offer a BSN-to-DNP, and Rush also runs MSN-to-DNP entry for APRNs and non-APRNs in both populations. BSN-entry tuition runs $80K to $106K, so placement model, experience requirements, and pace separate the options more than price. Bradley is the only doctorate with no campus attendance, and Rosalind Franklin is the fastest at 27 months full-time.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley University (BSN-to-DNP) | AG-ACNP | $80K–$83K | 3.3 years (10 semesters) | 1,000 hrs |
| Loyola University Chicago (BSN-to-DNP) | AG-ACNP | $92K | About 3 years full-time | Not published (12 practicum credits) |
| Rosalind Franklin University (BSN-to-DNP) | AG-ACNP | $85K | 27 months full-time; 32 months part-time | Not published |
| Rush University (BSN-to-DNP) | AG-ACNP | $106K | 3.5 years (up to 10 semesters) | 924 hrs |
| Rush University (MSN-to-DNP, APRN) | AG-ACNP | $57K | Up to 10 semesters | 672 hrs |
| Rush University (MSN-to-DNP, non-APRN) | AG-ACNP | $88K | Up to 10 semesters | 924 hrs |
| Rush University (BSN-to-DNP) | PNP-AC | $102K | Up to 11 semesters (part-time) | 756 hrs |
| Rush University (MSN-to-DNP, APRN) | PNP-AC | $43K | Up to 9 semesters (part-time) | 500–756 hrs |
| Rush University (MSN-to-DNP, non-APRN) | PNP-AC | $84K | Up to 9 semesters (part-time) | 756 hrs |
| University of Illinois Chicago (BSN-to-DNP) | AG-ACNP | $85K | 3–5 years (part-time only) | 1,000 hrs |
| University of Illinois Chicago (BSN-to-DNP) | PNP-AC | $84K | 4 years (published plan) | 1,035 hrs |
- Lowest doctoral tuition: Bradley — $80K–$83K for BSN entry, but students recruit their own acute care preceptors.
- Only MSN-to-DNP entry: Rush — $57K for APRNs adding AG-ACNP and $43K for PNP-AC, with longer plans for non-APRNs.
- Highest experience bar: Loyola — 2,000 hours of recent practice plus CCRN before the first APRN rotation, with fall-only entry and a July 1 deadline.
- Residence rule: UIC — students must live within commuting distance of their campus, limiting enrollment to Illinois and five bordering states.
Illinois MSN ACNP Programs
Bradley is the only Illinois school with an AG-ACNP master’s degree. It offers two entry points: RN-to-MSN for diploma or associate degree nurses and RNs with a non-nursing bachelor’s, and BSN-to-MSN. Both are fully online, share the same three-course acute care sequence, and carry 600 specialty clinical hours.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley University (RN-to-MSN) | AG-ACNP | $65K | 3 years (9 semesters) | 600 hrs |
| Bradley University (BSN-to-MSN) | AG-ACNP | $54K | 2.3 years (7 semesters) | 600 hrs |
- Cost of ADN entry: Bradley RN-to-MSN — 9 bridge credits add about $10K and two semesters over BSN entry.
- No experience minimum: Bradley — no RN or ICU hours required, though the admission essay asks applicants to name likely clinical mentors.
- Licensure exclusions: Bradley — the pathway does not lead to licensure in California, Maryland, New Hampshire, Tennessee, DC, or Puerto Rico, and New York students cannot complete clinicals in New York.
Illinois Post-Graduate Certificate ACNP Programs
All five schools offer a post-graduate certificate, and entry requirements differ more than cost. Bradley accepts MSN holders, while Rosalind Franklin requires an APRN credential plus a year of acute care APRN practice. Both UIC certificates and Rush’s AG-ACNP certificate admit doctorally prepared nurses only. Rush’s PNP-AC certificate is open to certified NPs with pediatric experience.
| School | Track | Estimated Tuition | Duration | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley University (Post-Master’s) | AG-ACNP | $37K | 1.7 years (5 semesters) | 600 hrs |
| Loyola University Chicago (Post-Graduate APRN) | AG-ACNP | Set by gap analysis | Individualized | Not published |
| Rosalind Franklin University (Post-Graduate) | AG-ACNP | $13K–$15K | 9–12 months | 500 hrs minimum |
| Rush University (Postdoctoral) | AG-ACNP | $31K | 1–1.5 years | 504 hrs |
| Rush University (Postgraduate) | PNP-AC | $18K | 8 months minimum | 504 hrs |
| University of Illinois Chicago (Post-DNP) | AG-ACNP | $26K | About 1 year (3 semesters) | 500–675 hrs |
| University of Illinois Chicago (Post-DNP) | PNP-AC | About $29K (est.) | 1–1.5 years (est.) | 750 hrs minimum |
- Lowest certificate cost: Rosalind Franklin — $13K–$15K with quarterly starts, but the program awaits initial CCNE accreditation, so graduates qualify for the AACN exam only until it is granted.
- Only pediatric certificate without a DNP requirement: Rush — 12 credits and 504 hours, with two one-week campus visits.
- Possible added coursework: UIC — DNP holders without current APRN licensure may need 13 more credits, raising tuition to about $41K, and certificate students cannot use financial aid.
- Cost set after admission: Loyola — no credit range is published, so price and length follow an individual gap analysis.
National Online ACNP Options
Maryville University offers an online AG-ACNP MSN, BSN-to-DNP, MSN-to-DNP, and post-master’s certificate. Chamberlain University offers a Mostly Online AG-ACNP MSN and graduate certificate. South College offers an online AG-ACNP BSN-to-MSN and post-graduate certificate.
FAQ
How many ACNP programs are in Illinois?
Five schools offer 20 acute care pathways: Bradley (4), Loyola (2), Rosalind Franklin (2), Rush (8), and UIC (4). Fourteen prepare for adult-gerontology acute care and six for pediatric acute care.
Which Illinois ACNP programs are online, and how often is campus required?
Bradley is the only fully online option, and Rosalind Franklin’s certificate has no required campus time. Rush’s PNP-AC tracks need two or three short visits, and Rosalind Franklin’s DNP needs one week a month in Quarter 2 and one to two days a month in Quarter 4. Loyola, UIC, and Rush’s AG-ACNP hold recurring in-person sessions; Rush’s run weekly.
Which Illinois ACNP program has the lowest tuition?
Rosalind Franklin’s certificate is lowest at $13K–$15K. Among degrees, Bradley leads with a $54K BSN-to-MSN and an $80K–$83K BSN-to-DNP. All figures are tuition-only estimates; Rosalind Franklin’s DNP reaches about $93K with mandatory fees.
Can I study pediatric acute care in Illinois?
Yes, at Rush and UIC. Rush offers a BSN-to-DNP, an MSN-to-DNP, and a postgraduate certificate, requiring six months of recent pediatric acute care experience. UIC offers a BSN-to-DNP, requiring a year of full-time pediatric acute care experience, and a post-DNP certificate. All prepare for the PNCB CPNP-AC exam.
How much ICU experience do Illinois ACNP programs require?
Loyola requires 2,000 hours of recent practice and CCRN before the first APRN rotation. Rosalind Franklin’s DNP requires one year of full-time critical care RN work by matriculation, and UIC one year of adult acute care by admission. Rush requires six months of recent adult critical or acute care by the application deadline. Bradley publishes no minimum.
Will the school find my clinical placements?
Loyola and UIC assign sites and preceptors, with UIC placing students near their admitting campus. Loyola and Rush’s AG-ACNP place students only in the Chicago area. Rush coordinates PNP-AC sites without guaranteeing one, Bradley students arrange their own, and Rosalind Franklin does not publish who secures sites.
Can students outside Illinois enroll?
Rules vary by school. UIC enrolls only Illinois and bordering-state residents, and Bradley’s AG-ACNP is not licensure-eligible in six jurisdictions. Rush cannot enroll new students from Louisiana or Tennessee or APRN students from New York, and its AG-ACNP does not meet Pennsylvania licensure requirements.