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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 / WebsiteAddressSchool Type
Adler University17 North Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 606024-year, Private not-for-profit
Ambria College of Nursing5210 Trillium Blvd, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 601924-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit
American InterContinental University231 N. Martingale Rd., 6th Floor, Schaumburg, Illinois 601734-year, Private for-profit
Argosy University-Chicago225 N. Michigan Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, Illinois 606014-year, Private for-profit
Augustana College639 38th St, Rock Island, Illinois 61201-22964-year, Private not-for-profit
Aurora University347 S Gladstone Ave, Aurora, Illinois 60506-48924-year, Private not-for-profit
Benedictine University5700 College Rd, Lisle, Illinois 60532-09004-year, Private not-for-profit
Black Hawk College6600-34th Avenue, Moline, Illinois 61265-58992-year, Public
Blackburn College700 College Ave, Carlinville, Illinois 626264-year, Private not-for-profit
Blessing Hospital School of Medical Laboratory TechnologyBroadway at 11th St, Quincy, Illinois 62305-7005< 2-year, Private not-for-profit
Blessing Hospital School of Radiologic TechnologyBroadway at 14th, Quincy, Illinois 62305-70052-year, Private not-for-profit
Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health SciencesBroadway at 11th Street, Quincy, Illinois 62305-70054-year, Private not-for-profit
Bradley University1501 W Bradley Ave, Peoria, Illinois 61625-00014-year, Private not-for-profit
CAAN Academy of Nursing4747 Lincoln Mall Dr. - Suite 420, Matteson, Illinois 60443-3821< 2-year, Private not-for-profit
CALC Institute of Technology200A North Center Dr, Alton, Illinois 62002< 2-year, Private for-profit
Capital Area School of Practical Nursing2201 Toronto Rd, Springfield, Illinois 62712-3803< 2-year, Public
Career Center of Southern Illinois6137 Beck Rd, Red Bud, Illinois 62278< 2-year, Public
Carl Sandburg College2400 Tom L. Wilson Boulevard, Galesburg, Illinois 614012-year, Public
Chamberlain University-Illinois1221 N. Swift Road, Addison, Illinois 601014-year, Private for-profit
Chicago State University9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60628-15984-year, Public
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College30 E Lake St, Chicago, Illinois 60601-24492-year, Public
City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College6301 S Halsted St, Chicago, Illinois 60621-27092-year, Public
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College1900 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, Illinois 60612-31972-year, Public
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College4300 N Narragansett, Chicago, Illinois 60634-15002-year, Public
College of DuPage425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137-65992-year, Public
College of Lake County19351 W Washington St., Grayslake, Illinois 60030-11982-year, Public
Columbia College Chicago600 South Michigan, Chicago, Illinois 60605-19964-year, Private not-for-profit
Concordia University-Chicago7400 Augusta, River Forest, Illinois 60305-14994-year, Private not-for-profit
Cortiva Institute-Chicago17 N. State Street, Suite 500, Chicago, Illinois 60602< 2-year, Private for-profit
Coyne College1 North State Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602-33042-year, Private for-profit
Danville Area Community College2000 E Main St, Danville, Illinois 61832-51182-year, Public
DePaul University1 E Jackson Blvd, Chicago, Illinois 606044-year, Private not-for-profit
DeVry University-Illinois3300 N. Campbell Ave., Chicago, Illinois 606184-year, Private for-profit
Dominican University7900 W Division Street, River Forest, Illinois 603054-year, Private not-for-profit
Eastern Illinois University600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston, Illinois 619204-year, Public
Elgin Community College1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Illinois 60123-71932-year, Public
Elmhurst College190 Prospect Ave, Elmhurst, Illinois 60126-30964-year, Private not-for-profit
Estelle Medical Academy4905 Old Orchard Center, suite 710, Skokie, Illinois 60077< 2-year, Private for-profit
Eureka College300 E. College Avenue, Eureka, Illinois 615304-year, Private not-for-profit
First Institute of Travel, Inc.790 McHenry Avenue, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014< 2-year, Private for-profit
Fox College6640 S. Cicero, Bedford Park, Illinois 606382-year, Private for-profit
Frontier Community College2 Frontier Drive, Fairfield, Illinois 628372-year, Public
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary2121 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60201-32984-year, Private not-for-profit
Governors State University1 University Pky, University Park, Illinois 604844-year, Public
Graham Hospital School of Nursing210 W Walnut St, Canton, Illinois 61520-24972-year, Private not-for-profit
Heartland Community College1500 West Raab Road, Normal, Illinois 61761-94462-year, Public
Hebrew Theological College7135 N Carpenter Rd, Skokie, Illinois 600774-year, Private not-for-profit
Highland Community College2998 W Pearl City Rd, Freeport, Illinois 61032-93412-year, Public
Illinois Central College1 College Drive, East Peoria, Illinois 61635-00012-year, Public
Illinois College1101 West College Ave, Jacksonville, Illinois 62650-22994-year, Private not-for-profit
Illinois College of Optometry3241 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60616-38784-year, Private not-for-profit
Illinois Institute of Technology10 West 35th Street, Chicago, Illinois 606164-year, Private not-for-profit
Illinois State UniversityNorth and School Streets, Normal, Illinois 61790-10004-year, Public
Illinois Valley Community College815 N Orlando Smith Road, Oglesby, Illinois 61348-96922-year, Public
Illinois Wesleyan University1312 N Park St, Bloomington, Illinois 61702-29004-year, Private not-for-profit
Institute for Clinical Social Work401 South State Street, Suite 822, Chicago, Illinois 60605-12294-year, Private not-for-profit
J Renee College415 Airport Road, Elgin, Illinois 60123< 2-year, Private for-profit
John A Logan College700 Logan College Road, Carterville, Illinois 62918-25002-year, Public
John Wood Community College1301 S 48th Street, Quincy, Illinois 62305-87362-year, Public
Joliet Junior College1215 Houbolt Rd, Joliet, Illinois 60431-89382-year, Public
Kankakee Community College100 College Drive, Kankakee, Illinois 609012-year, Public
Kaskaskia College27210 College Rd, Centralia, Illinois 628012-year, Public
Kishwaukee College21193 Malta Rd, Malta, Illinois 60150-96992-year, Public
Lake Land College5001 Lake Land Blvd, Mattoon, Illinois 619382-year, Public
Lakeview College of Nursing903 N Logan Ave, Danville, Illinois 618324-year, Private not-for-profit
Lewis and Clark Community College5800 Godfrey Rd, Godfrey, Illinois 620352-year, Public
Lewis UniversityOne University Parkway, Romeoville, Illinois 60446-22004-year, Private not-for-profit
Lincoln Christian University100 Campus View Drive, Lincoln, Illinois 62656-21114-year, Private not-for-profit
Lincoln College300 Keokuk St, Lincoln, Illinois 626564-year, Private not-for-profit
Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park8317 W North Avenue, Melrose Park, Illinois 60160-16052-year, Private for-profit
Lincoln Land Community College5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, Illinois 62794-92562-year, Public
Lincoln Trail College11220 State Hwy 1, Robinson, Illinois 624542-year, Public
Loyola University Chicago1032 W. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, Illinois 606604-year, Private not-for-profit
MacCormac College29 E. Madison, Chicago, Illinois 60602-44052-year, Private not-for-profit
MacMurray College447 East College Ave, Jacksonville, Illinois 62650-25904-year, Private not-for-profit
Madison Media Institute-Rockford Career College1130 South Alpine Road, Rockford, Illinois 611082-year, Private for-profit
McHenry County College8900 US Hwy 14, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60012-27612-year, Public
McKendree University701 College Rd, Lebanon, Illinois 62254-12914-year, Private not-for-profit
Methodist College7600 N. Academic Drive, Peoria, Illinois 616154-year, Private not-for-profit
Midstate College411 W Northmoor Road, Peoria, Illinois 61614-35954-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit
Midwest College of Oriental Medicine-Evanston1601 N Sherman Ave, Evanston, Illinois 602014-year, Private for-profit
Midwest Technical Institute-East Peoria280 High Point Ln, East Peoria, Illinois 61611< 2-year, Private for-profit
Midwest Technical Institute-Moline3620 Avenue of the Cities, Moline, Illinois 61265-44212-year, Private for-profit
Midwest Technical Institute-Springfield2731 Farmers Market Road, Springfield, Illinois 62707< 2-year, Private for-profit
Midwestern Career College20 North Wacker Drive Ste 3800, Chicago, Illinois 606062-year, Private for-profit
Midwestern University-Downers Grove555 31st Street, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515-55144-year, Private not-for-profit
Millikin University1184 W Main St, Decatur, Illinois 62522-20844-year, Private not-for-profit
Moody Bible Institute820 N LaSalle Blvd, Chicago, Illinois 60610-32844-year, Private not-for-profit
Moraine Valley Community College9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills, Illinois 60465-09372-year, Public
Morton College3801 S Central Ave, Cicero, Illinois 60804-43982-year, Public
National Latino Education Institute2011 W Pershing Rd, Chicago, Illinois 60609-2205< 2-year, Private not-for-profit
National Louis University122 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois 606034-year, Private not-for-profit
National University of Health Sciences200 E Roosevelt Rd, Lombard, Illinois 60148-45834-year, Private not-for-profit
North Central College30 N Brainard St, Naperville, Illinois 605404-year, Private not-for-profit
North Park University3225 W Foster Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60625-48954-year, Private not-for-profit
Northeastern Illinois University5500 N Saint Louis Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60625-46994-year, Public
Northern Illinois University1425 W. Lincoln Hwy., Dekalb, Illinois 60115-28284-year, Public
NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia2650 Ridge Ave, Rm G603C, Evanston, Illinois 60201-17184-year, Private not-for-profit
Northwest Suburban College5999 S. New Wilke Road, Rollng Meadows, Illinois 60008-4504< 2-year, Private not-for-profit
Northwestern College-Southwestern Campus7725 South Harlem Avenue, Bridgeview, Illinois 604554-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit
Northwestern University633 Clark St, Evanston, Illinois 602084-year, Private not-for-profit
Oakton Community College1600 E Golf Rd., Des Plaines, Illinois 60016-12682-year, Public
Olivet Nazarene UniversityOne University Avenue, Bourbonnais, Illinois 60914-22714-year, Private not-for-profit
Olney Central College305 N West Street, Olney, Illinois 624502-year, Public
Pacific College of Oriental Medicine-Chicago65 East Wacker Place, 21st fl, Chicago, Illinois 606014-year, Private for-profit
Parkland College2400 W Bradley Ave, Champaign, Illinois 61821-18992-year, Public
PCCTI IT and Healthcare2625 Butterfield Road, Ste 102E, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523-1234< 2-year, Private for-profit
Prairie State College202 South Halsted Street, Chicago Heights, Illinois 60411-82262-year, Public
Quincy University1800 College Ave, Quincy, Illinois 62301-26994-year, Private not-for-profit
Rasmussen College-Illinois6000 East State Street, 4th Floor, Rockford, Illinois 61108-25134-year, primarily associate's, Private for-profit
Rend Lake College468 N Ken Gray Pkwy, Ina, Illinois 628462-year, Public
Resurrection University1431 N. Claremont, Chicago, Illinois 606224-year, Private not-for-profit
Richland Community CollegeOne College Park, Decatur, Illinois 62521-85122-year, Public
Robert Morris University Illinois401 S State Street, Chicago, Illinois 606054-year, Private not-for-profit
Rock Valley College3301 N Mulford Rd, Rockford, Illinois 61114-56992-year, Public
Rockford University5050 E State St, Rockford, Illinois 61108-23114-year, Private not-for-profit
Roosevelt University430 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60605-13944-year, Private not-for-profit
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, Illinois 60064-30954-year, Private not-for-profit
Rush University600 S. Paulina St. STE 440, Chicago, Illinois 606124-year, Private not-for-profit
Saint Anthony College of Nursing3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, Illinois 611144-year, Private not-for-profit
Saint Augustine College1333-45 W. Argyle St., Chicago, Illinois 60640-35934-year, primarily associate's, Private not-for-profit
Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing511 NE Greenleaf St, Peoria, Illinois 61603-37834-year, Private not-for-profit
Saint Xavier University3700 W 103rd St, Chicago, Illinois 606554-year, Private not-for-profit
Sauk Valley Community College173 Illinois Rt 2, Dixon, Illinois 61021-91122-year, Public
School of the Art Institute of Chicago36 S Wabash, Chicago, Illinois 606034-year, Private not-for-profit
Shawnee Community College8364 Shawnee College Rd, Ullin, Illinois 629922-year, Public
Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy55 E. Jackson Boulevard - Ste 300, Chicago, Illinois 60604-4110< 2-year, Private for-profit
South Suburban College15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois 60473-12002-year, Public
Southeastern Illinois College3575 College Road, Harrisburg, Illinois 629462-year, Public
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleLincoln Drive, Carbondale, Illinois 62901-45124-year, Public
Southern Illinois University-EdwardsvilleIl State Rte 157, Edwardsville, Illinois 62026-12594-year, Public
Southwestern Illinois College2500 Carlyle Ave, Belleville, Illinois 62221-58992-year, Public
Spoon River College23235 North County 22, Canton, Illinois 61520-86222-year, Public
St. John's College-Department of Nursing729 E. Carpenter St, Springfield, Illinois 627024-year, Private not-for-profit
State Career College2770 W. Grand Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois 60085-5129< 2-year, Private for-profit
Taylor Business Institute180 North Wabash Avenue, Fifth Floor, Chicago, Illinois 606012-year, Private for-profit
Trinity Christian College6601 W College Dr, Palos Heights, Illinois 60463-09294-year, Private not-for-profit
Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences2122 25th Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois 61201-53174-year, Private not-for-profit
Trinity International University-Illinois2065 Half Day Rd, Deerfield, Illinois 60015-12834-year, Private not-for-profit
Triton College2000 5th Ave, River Grove, Illinois 60171-19952-year, Public
Universal Spa Training Academy340 Burlington Ave, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515< 2-year, Private for-profit
University of Chicago5801 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, Illinois 606374-year, Private not-for-profit
University of Illinois at Chicago601 S Morgan, Chicago, Illinois 606074-year, Public
University of Illinois at SpringfieldOne University Plaza, Springfield, Illinois 62703-54074-year, Public
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign601 E John Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820-57114-year, Public
University of Phoenix-Illinois1500 McConnor Pkwy, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173-43954-year, Private for-profit
University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts2913 W White Oaks Dr, Springfield, Illinois 62704< 2-year, Private for-profit
University of St Francis500 N Wilcox St, Joliet, Illinois 60435-61884-year, Private not-for-profit
Wabash Valley College2200 College Drive, Mount Carmel, Illinois 628632-year, Public
Waubonsee Community CollegeRte 47 at Waubonsee Drive, Sugar Grove, Illinois 60554-94542-year, Public
Western Illinois University1 University Circle, Macomb, Illinois 614554-year, Public
Wheaton College501 College Ave, Wheaton, Illinois 60187-55934-year, Private not-for-profit
William Rainey Harper College1200 W Algonquin Rd, Palatine, Illinois 60067-73982-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 CareersEmploymentHourly mean wageAnnual mean wage
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers274035.7474340
Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics1211019.9341460
Pharmacy Technicians2229015.6732590
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses1979023.7149320
Medical Records and Health Information Technicians808020.7543150
Home Health Aides3445011.7024340
Nursing Assistants6139013.3527770
Occupational Therapy Assistants235029.7461860
Physical Therapist Assistants468027.7757750
Dental Assistants1271018.7639030
Medical Assistants1989016.6934710
Phlebotomists507016.9135180

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.

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