The exact time and the exact moment will never be better to start on the path to a healthcare career in Illinois. Per the latest report from the Illinois Department of Labor, Health Science occupations collectively rank among the state’s fastest-growing careers. The record growth of the healthcare industry in Illinois reflects the same trend that is occurring all around the nation. Demand is very high, as is the necessity for new workers. In a bit of even better news for anyone interested in going into the medical field, as reported by the (2018 Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey/JOLTS), there are presently more than one million unfilled job openings (nearly 50% of all positions) for healthcare professionals in the U.S.
About healthcare careers in Illinois
As is true around the U.S. (the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 18% growth in healthcare positions over the next decade), the healthcare industry in Illinois is also undergoing tremendous growth. The historic growth in the healthcare system is being powered by the United States’s need to care for its’ aging adult population. This environment has produced lots of options for aspiring workers of all qualifications.
The Best Healthcare Schools in Illinois
| School Name / Website | Address | School Type |
|---|---|---|
| Adler University | 17 North Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Ambria College of Nursing | 5210 Trillium Blvd, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60192 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit |
| American InterContinental University | 231 N. Martingale Rd., 6th Floor, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173 | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Argosy University-Chicago | 225 N. Michigan Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, Illinois 60601 | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Augustana College | 639 38th St, Rock Island, Illinois 61201-2296 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Aurora University | 347 S Gladstone Ave, Aurora, Illinois 60506-4892 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Benedictine University | 5700 College Rd, Lisle, Illinois 60532-0900 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Black Hawk College | 6600-34th Avenue, Moline, Illinois 61265-5899 | 2-year, Public |
| Blackburn College | 700 College Ave, Carlinville, Illinois 62626 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Blessing Hospital School of Medical Laboratory Technology | Broadway at 11th St, Quincy, Illinois 62305-7005 | < 2-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Blessing Hospital School of Radiologic Technology | Broadway at 14th, Quincy, Illinois 62305-7005 | 2-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences | Broadway at 11th Street, Quincy, Illinois 62305-7005 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Bradley University | 1501 W Bradley Ave, Peoria, Illinois 61625-0001 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| CAAN Academy of Nursing | 4747 Lincoln Mall Dr. - Suite 420, Matteson, Illinois 60443-3821 | < 2-year, Private not-for-profit |
| CALC Institute of Technology | 200A North Center Dr, Alton, Illinois 62002 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Capital Area School of Practical Nursing | 2201 Toronto Rd, Springfield, Illinois 62712-3803 | < 2-year, Public |
| Career Center of Southern Illinois | 6137 Beck Rd, Red Bud, Illinois 62278 | < 2-year, Public |
| Carl Sandburg College | 2400 Tom L. Wilson Boulevard, Galesburg, Illinois 61401 | 2-year, Public |
| Chamberlain University-Illinois | 1221 N. Swift Road, Addison, Illinois 60101 | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Chicago State University | 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60628-1598 | 4-year, Public |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | 30 E Lake St, Chicago, Illinois 60601-2449 | 2-year, Public |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College | 6301 S Halsted St, Chicago, Illinois 60621-2709 | 2-year, Public |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | 1900 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, Illinois 60612-3197 | 2-year, Public |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | 4300 N Narragansett, Chicago, Illinois 60634-1500 | 2-year, Public |
| College of DuPage | 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137-6599 | 2-year, Public |
| College of Lake County | 19351 W Washington St., Grayslake, Illinois 60030-1198 | 2-year, Public |
| Columbia College Chicago | 600 South Michigan, Chicago, Illinois 60605-1996 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Concordia University-Chicago | 7400 Augusta, River Forest, Illinois 60305-1499 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Cortiva Institute-Chicago | 17 N. State Street, Suite 500, Chicago, Illinois 60602 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Coyne College | 1 North State Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602-3304 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Danville Area Community College | 2000 E Main St, Danville, Illinois 61832-5118 | 2-year, Public |
| DePaul University | 1 E Jackson Blvd, Chicago, Illinois 60604 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| DeVry University-Illinois | 3300 N. Campbell Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60618 | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Dominican University | 7900 W Division Street, River Forest, Illinois 60305 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Eastern Illinois University | 600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston, Illinois 61920 | 4-year, Public |
| Elgin Community College | 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Illinois 60123-7193 | 2-year, Public |
| Elmhurst College | 190 Prospect Ave, Elmhurst, Illinois 60126-3096 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Estelle Medical Academy | 4905 Old Orchard Center, suite 710, Skokie, Illinois 60077 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Eureka College | 300 E. College Avenue, Eureka, Illinois 61530 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| First Institute of Travel, Inc. | 790 McHenry Avenue, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Fox College | 6640 S. Cicero, Bedford Park, Illinois 60638 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Frontier Community College | 2 Frontier Drive, Fairfield, Illinois 62837 | 2-year, Public |
| Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary | 2121 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60201-3298 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Governors State University | 1 University Pky, University Park, Illinois 60484 | 4-year, Public |
| Graham Hospital School of Nursing | 210 W Walnut St, Canton, Illinois 61520-2497 | 2-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Heartland Community College | 1500 West Raab Road, Normal, Illinois 61761-9446 | 2-year, Public |
| Hebrew Theological College | 7135 N Carpenter Rd, Skokie, Illinois 60077 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Highland Community College | 2998 W Pearl City Rd, Freeport, Illinois 61032-9341 | 2-year, Public |
| Illinois Central College | 1 College Drive, East Peoria, Illinois 61635-0001 | 2-year, Public |
| Illinois College | 1101 West College Ave, Jacksonville, Illinois 62650-2299 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Illinois College of Optometry | 3241 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60616-3878 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | 10 West 35th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60616 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Illinois State University | North and School Streets, Normal, Illinois 61790-1000 | 4-year, Public |
| Illinois Valley Community College | 815 N Orlando Smith Road, Oglesby, Illinois 61348-9692 | 2-year, Public |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | 1312 N Park St, Bloomington, Illinois 61702-2900 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Institute for Clinical Social Work | 401 South State Street, Suite 822, Chicago, Illinois 60605-1229 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| J Renee College | 415 Airport Road, Elgin, Illinois 60123 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| John A Logan College | 700 Logan College Road, Carterville, Illinois 62918-2500 | 2-year, Public |
| John Wood Community College | 1301 S 48th Street, Quincy, Illinois 62305-8736 | 2-year, Public |
| Joliet Junior College | 1215 Houbolt Rd, Joliet, Illinois 60431-8938 | 2-year, Public |
| Kankakee Community College | 100 College Drive, Kankakee, Illinois 60901 | 2-year, Public |
| Kaskaskia College | 27210 College Rd, Centralia, Illinois 62801 | 2-year, Public |
| Kishwaukee College | 21193 Malta Rd, Malta, Illinois 60150-9699 | 2-year, Public |
| Lake Land College | 5001 Lake Land Blvd, Mattoon, Illinois 61938 | 2-year, Public |
| Lakeview College of Nursing | 903 N Logan Ave, Danville, Illinois 61832 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Lewis and Clark Community College | 5800 Godfrey Rd, Godfrey, Illinois 62035 | 2-year, Public |
| Lewis University | One University Parkway, Romeoville, Illinois 60446-2200 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Lincoln Christian University | 100 Campus View Drive, Lincoln, Illinois 62656-2111 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Lincoln College | 300 Keokuk St, Lincoln, Illinois 62656 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park | 8317 W North Avenue, Melrose Park, Illinois 60160-1605 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Lincoln Land Community College | 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, Illinois 62794-9256 | 2-year, Public |
| Lincoln Trail College | 11220 State Hwy 1, Robinson, Illinois 62454 | 2-year, Public |
| Loyola University Chicago | 1032 W. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, Illinois 60660 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| MacCormac College | 29 E. Madison, Chicago, Illinois 60602-4405 | 2-year, Private not-for-profit |
| MacMurray College | 447 East College Ave, Jacksonville, Illinois 62650-2590 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Madison Media Institute-Rockford Career College | 1130 South Alpine Road, Rockford, Illinois 61108 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| McHenry County College | 8900 US Hwy 14, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60012-2761 | 2-year, Public |
| McKendree University | 701 College Rd, Lebanon, Illinois 62254-1291 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Methodist College | 7600 N. Academic Drive, Peoria, Illinois 61615 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Midstate College | 411 W Northmoor Road, Peoria, Illinois 61614-3595 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit |
| Midwest College of Oriental Medicine-Evanston | 1601 N Sherman Ave, Evanston, Illinois 60201 | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Midwest Technical Institute-East Peoria | 280 High Point Ln, East Peoria, Illinois 61611 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Midwest Technical Institute-Moline | 3620 Avenue of the Cities, Moline, Illinois 61265-4421 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Midwest Technical Institute-Springfield | 2731 Farmers Market Road, Springfield, Illinois 62707 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Midwestern Career College | 20 North Wacker Drive Ste 3800, Chicago, Illinois 60606 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Midwestern University-Downers Grove | 555 31st Street, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515-5514 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Millikin University | 1184 W Main St, Decatur, Illinois 62522-2084 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Moody Bible Institute | 820 N LaSalle Blvd, Chicago, Illinois 60610-3284 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Moraine Valley Community College | 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills, Illinois 60465-0937 | 2-year, Public |
| Morton College | 3801 S Central Ave, Cicero, Illinois 60804-4398 | 2-year, Public |
| National Latino Education Institute | 2011 W Pershing Rd, Chicago, Illinois 60609-2205 | < 2-year, Private not-for-profit |
| National Louis University | 122 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60603 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| National University of Health Sciences | 200 E Roosevelt Rd, Lombard, Illinois 60148-4583 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| North Central College | 30 N Brainard St, Naperville, Illinois 60540 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| North Park University | 3225 W Foster Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60625-4895 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Northeastern Illinois University | 5500 N Saint Louis Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60625-4699 | 4-year, Public |
| Northern Illinois University | 1425 W. Lincoln Hwy., Dekalb, Illinois 60115-2828 | 4-year, Public |
| NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia | 2650 Ridge Ave, Rm G603C, Evanston, Illinois 60201-1718 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Northwest Suburban College | 5999 S. New Wilke Road, Rollng Meadows, Illinois 60008-4504 | < 2-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Northwestern College-Southwestern Campus | 7725 South Harlem Avenue, Bridgeview, Illinois 60455 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit |
| Northwestern University | 633 Clark St, Evanston, Illinois 60208 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Oakton Community College | 1600 E Golf Rd., Des Plaines, Illinois 60016-1268 | 2-year, Public |
| Olivet Nazarene University | One University Avenue, Bourbonnais, Illinois 60914-2271 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Olney Central College | 305 N West Street, Olney, Illinois 62450 | 2-year, Public |
| Pacific College of Oriental Medicine-Chicago | 65 East Wacker Place, 21st fl, Chicago, Illinois 60601 | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| Parkland College | 2400 W Bradley Ave, Champaign, Illinois 61821-1899 | 2-year, Public |
| PCCTI IT and Healthcare | 2625 Butterfield Road, Ste 102E, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523-1234 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Prairie State College | 202 South Halsted Street, Chicago Heights, Illinois 60411-8226 | 2-year, Public |
| Quincy University | 1800 College Ave, Quincy, Illinois 62301-2699 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Rasmussen College-Illinois | 6000 East State Street, 4th Floor, Rockford, Illinois 61108-2513 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit |
| Rend Lake College | 468 N Ken Gray Pkwy, Ina, Illinois 62846 | 2-year, Public |
| Resurrection University | 1431 N. Claremont, Chicago, Illinois 60622 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Richland Community College | One College Park, Decatur, Illinois 62521-8512 | 2-year, Public |
| Robert Morris University Illinois | 401 S State Street, Chicago, Illinois 60605 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Rock Valley College | 3301 N Mulford Rd, Rockford, Illinois 61114-5699 | 2-year, Public |
| Rockford University | 5050 E State St, Rockford, Illinois 61108-2311 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Roosevelt University | 430 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60605-1394 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science | 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, Illinois 60064-3095 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Rush University | 600 S. Paulina St. STE 440, Chicago, Illinois 60612 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Saint Anthony College of Nursing | 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, Illinois 61114 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Saint Augustine College | 1333-45 W. Argyle St., Chicago, Illinois 60640-3593 | 4-year, primarily associate's, Private not-for-profit |
| Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing | 511 NE Greenleaf St, Peoria, Illinois 61603-3783 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Saint Xavier University | 3700 W 103rd St, Chicago, Illinois 60655 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Sauk Valley Community College | 173 Illinois Rt 2, Dixon, Illinois 61021-9112 | 2-year, Public |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | 36 S Wabash, Chicago, Illinois 60603 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Shawnee Community College | 8364 Shawnee College Rd, Ullin, Illinois 62992 | 2-year, Public |
| Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy | 55 E. Jackson Boulevard - Ste 300, Chicago, Illinois 60604-4110 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| South Suburban College | 15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois 60473-1200 | 2-year, Public |
| Southeastern Illinois College | 3575 College Road, Harrisburg, Illinois 62946 | 2-year, Public |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, Illinois 62901-4512 | 4-year, Public |
| Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | Il State Rte 157, Edwardsville, Illinois 62026-1259 | 4-year, Public |
| Southwestern Illinois College | 2500 Carlyle Ave, Belleville, Illinois 62221-5899 | 2-year, Public |
| Spoon River College | 23235 North County 22, Canton, Illinois 61520-8622 | 2-year, Public |
| St. John's College-Department of Nursing | 729 E. Carpenter St, Springfield, Illinois 62702 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| State Career College | 2770 W. Grand Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois 60085-5129 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Taylor Business Institute | 180 North Wabash Avenue, Fifth Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60601 | 2-year, Private for-profit |
| Trinity Christian College | 6601 W College Dr, Palos Heights, Illinois 60463-0929 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences | 2122 25th Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois 61201-5317 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Trinity International University-Illinois | 2065 Half Day Rd, Deerfield, Illinois 60015-1283 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Triton College | 2000 5th Ave, River Grove, Illinois 60171-1995 | 2-year, Public |
| Universal Spa Training Academy | 340 Burlington Ave, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| University of Chicago | 5801 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60637 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | 601 S Morgan, Chicago, Illinois 60607 | 4-year, Public |
| University of Illinois at Springfield | One University Plaza, Springfield, Illinois 62703-5407 | 4-year, Public |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 601 E John Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820-5711 | 4-year, Public |
| University of Phoenix-Illinois | 1500 McConnor Pkwy, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173-4395 | 4-year, Private for-profit |
| University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts | 2913 W White Oaks Dr, Springfield, Illinois 62704 | < 2-year, Private for-profit |
| University of St Francis | 500 N Wilcox St, Joliet, Illinois 60435-6188 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| Wabash Valley College | 2200 College Drive, Mount Carmel, Illinois 62863 | 2-year, Public |
| Waubonsee Community College | Rte 47 at Waubonsee Drive, Sugar Grove, Illinois 60554-9454 | 2-year, Public |
| Western Illinois University | 1 University Circle, Macomb, Illinois 61455 | 4-year, Public |
| Wheaton College | 501 College Ave, Wheaton, Illinois 60187-5593 | 4-year, Private not-for-profit |
| William Rainey Harper College | 1200 W Algonquin Rd, Palatine, Illinois 60067-7398 | 2-year, Public |
Support positions in Illinois healthcare
Perhaps the biggest portion of the healthcare workforce in Illinois consists of the 163,670 Healthcare Support professionals who are presently working in the state. These supporting roles usually call for no more than an associate’s degree, and offer you a median wage ($31,410 for all Healthcare Support Occupations in Illinois) that’s very competitive for jobs that don’t require college degrees.
In the table shown below, you can find job and salary statistics for ten entry-level healthcare jobs in Illinois.
| Illinois Healthcare Careers | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 2740 | 35.74 | 74340 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics | 12110 | 19.93 | 41460 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 22290 | 15.67 | 32590 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 19790 | 23.71 | 49320 |
| Medical Records and Health Information Technicians | 8080 | 20.75 | 43150 |
| Home Health Aides | 34450 | 11.70 | 24340 |
| Nursing Assistants | 61390 | 13.35 | 27770 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | 2350 | 29.74 | 61860 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | 4680 | 27.77 | 57750 |
| Dental Assistants | 12710 | 18.76 | 39030 |
| Medical Assistants | 19890 | 16.69 | 34710 |
| Phlebotomists | 5070 | 16.91 | 35180 |
How to get started in allied health in the state of IL
While it’s possible to get hired in some roles without having completed a formal training program, a majority of facilities in the state would prefer to hire people with at least some training. This makes the completion of a formal training course and some type of professional certification is an essential first step for anyone considering a career in healthcare.
Many of these courses can be completed in 24 months or less, and quite a few can be completed in less than one year.
Where to find allied health classes in the state of Illinois
Review several of the state’s entry-level healthcare careers by clicking on the hyperlinks below. To learn about any of the featured jobs shown, you can click on its’ name and see more about how to get started in that profession.
- CNA certification in Illinois
- Dental assistant training in Illinois
- EMT certification in Illinois
- HHA certification in Illinois
- LPN certification in Illinois
- Medical certification programs in Illinois
- Medical billing & coding certification in Illinois
- Pharmacy technician certification in Illinois
- Phlebotomy certification in Illinois
- Ultrasound technician programs in Illinois
Where to find medical jobs in Illinois
The greater Chicago region of Illinois is where the state’s greatest concentration of healthcare opportunities can be found. About 122,080 medical field professionals work near Chicago, which is the state’s highest concentration of industry personnel.
Illinois’s best towns and cities for getting a healthcare job are listed below.
- Chicago, IL
- Bloomington, IL
- Decatur, IL
- Champaign-Urbana, IL
- Springfield, IL
- Danville, IL
- Peoria, IL