PMHNP Programs in Illinois
Illinois has five verified PMHNP programs based in the state, anchored by a Chicago cluster: Rush University (BSN-to-DNP) and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC, BSN-to-DNP), plus Lewis University (Oak Brook), Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing (Peoria), and University of St. Francis (Joliet). The field mixes MSN and BSN-to-DNP routes, and none require the GRE. Illinois is a reduced-practice state, so nurse practitioners work under a written collaborative agreement with a physician, with a path to full practice authority after 4,000 hours of qualifying experience. BLS publishes an Illinois state NP wage, but we have not separately verified it here, so rather than estimate a state figure we point to the $132,300 national NP median (BLS, May 2025). Here are the verified Illinois programs, the licensure path, and an honest read on pay and the job market.
The short version
Illinois has five verified PMHNP programs based in the state, with a Chicago cluster anchored by Rush University (BSN-to-DNP) and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) (BSN-to-DNP) — the full list is below, generated from our verified dataset.
The field mixes degree levels: MSN routes at Lewis University (Oak Brook), Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing (Peoria), and University of St. Francis (Joliet), alongside BSN-to-DNP doctoral routes at Rush and UIC.
None of the five Illinois programs require the GRE, and the verified per-credit rates range from $775 at Saint Francis Medical Center to $1,493 at Rush.
Illinois grants nurse practitioners reduced practice authority, so you practice under a written collaborative agreement with a physician. Illinois does offer a route to full practice authority after 4,000 hours of clinical experience in collaboration.
We do not show an Illinois state NP wage here. BLS publishes one, but we have not separately verified it, so we cite the $132,300 national NP median rather than estimate a state number.
If you are searching for PMHNP programs in Illinois, the state has a solid in-state field: five verified programs, several of them clustered in greater Chicago. Two are doctoral BSN-to-DNP routes — Rush University and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), both in Chicago — and three are master's (MSN) routes: Lewis University in Oak Brook, Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing in Peoria, and University of St. Francis in Joliet. Note that Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing (Peoria) and University of St. Francis (Joliet) are different schools. None of the five require the GRE. Beyond the in-state field, psychiatric-mental health NP education is mostly online nationwide, so Illinois residents are not limited to these programs.
Two things shape the Illinois picture. First, practice authority: Illinois is a reduced-practice state where you work under a written collaborative agreement with a physician, but it offers a path to full practice authority after 4,000 hours of qualifying collaboration, which sets it apart from reduced-practice states with no route to independence. Second, pay: BLS publishes an Illinois state NP wage, but we have not separately verified it here, so we do not show a state figure and instead cite the national median. This guide keeps every number sourced and labels gaps rather than estimating them.
The 5 verified PMHNP programs based in Illinois
Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing
Peoria, IL
Lewis University College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Oak Brook, IL
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL
Rush University College of Nursing
Chicago, IL
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL
Accredited online PMHNP programs Illinois residents can do
Most PMHNP study is online. These verified, accredited programs enroll students from most states and let you complete the supervised clinical hours near you. Online programs set their own state authorization, so confirm each one admits Illinois residents before you apply.
California State University, Fresno
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageDrexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 640 clinical hrs
Program pageFairleigh Dickinson University Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health
ACEN-accredited · MSN · 750 clinical hrs
Program pageGeorgia Southern University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · BSN-to-DNP · 630 clinical hrs
Program pageGeorgia State University Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 500 clinical hrs
Program pageHerzing University
CCNE-accredited · MSN / post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageJohns Hopkins University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 500 clinical hrs
Program pageLa Salle University School of Nursing and Health Sciences
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 692 clinical hrs
Program pageLewis University College of Nursing and Health Sciences
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageNorthern Kentucky University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 750 clinical hrs
Program pageRadford University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageRocky Mountain University of Health Professions
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageSimmons University
CCNE-accredited · MSN / post-master's certificate · 756 clinical hrs
Program pageUniversity of Cincinnati College of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate
Program pageUniversity of South Alabama College of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · MSN / post-master's certificate · 600 clinical hrs
Program pageConfirm current state authorization with each program. For the full comparison of these programs, see our online PMHNP ranking.
How to become a PMHNP in Illinois
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in Illinois is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the Illinois Board of Nursing. Here are the five steps.
- 01
Earn a BSN and an RN license
Most PMHNP programs admit Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates who hold an active RN license. If you start with an associate degree or a non-nursing bachelor's, bridge programs exist. You'll practice on a Illinois RN license while you complete graduate school.
- 02
Enroll in an accredited PMHNP program
Choose an MSN or a BSN-to-DNP with a PMHNP focus. The degree must hold CCNE or ACEN accreditation, or it won't qualify you for the certification exam. Illinois has 5 verified in-state programs (listed above), and 45 accredited online programs also enroll Illinois residents.
- 03
Complete a minimum of 500 supervised clinical hours
The ANCC requires at least 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours, and many programs require 600 to 750. Securing local clinical placements is the biggest practical hurdle, so confirm whether a program arranges your preceptors before you enroll.
- 04
Pass the ANCC PMHNP-BC certification exam
The ANCC PMHNP-BC first-time pass rate was 83% in 2024 and 82% in 2025. Either the ANCC exam or the newer AANPCB PMHNP exam qualifies you for state licensure; ANCC's PMHNP-BC is the one most employers list by name.
- 05
Get Illinois APRN licensure and DEA registration
The Illinois Board of Nursing issues your APRN license and prescriptive authority once you're certified, and a federal DEA registration lets you prescribe controlled substances. Practice authority varies by state, so confirm current Illinois requirements with the board before you enroll.
For the full national pathway, including itemized cost, timeline, and program selection advice, see our complete guide on how to become a PMHNP.
Illinois NP licensure and reduced practice
Illinois is a reduced-practice state. The AANP defines that as state law reducing the ability of nurse practitioners to engage in at least one element of practice, and requiring a career-long regulated collaborative agreement with another health provider, typically a physician, in order to practice. In Illinois that means a PMHNP prescribes and treats under a written collaborative agreement with a physician.
Illinois does, however, offer a route to full practice authority: after completing at least 4,000 hours of clinical experience in collaboration, an APRN may qualify to practice without the written agreement. That path is worth weighing if independent or cash-pay practice is a long-term goal. Licensure runs through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) on top of national certification.
What the state requires
- Active Illinois RN license
- Graduate PMHNP degree from an accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- APRN licensure from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
- A written collaborative agreement with a physician (required under reduced practice)
- DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: Illinois Board of Nursing (IDFPR)
PMHNP pay in Illinois
We are not showing an Illinois state NP wage here. BLS does publish an Illinois state figure for nurse practitioners in its OEWS data, May 2025, but we have not separately verified that number for this page, so rather than estimate one we point to the national benchmark instead.
The national NP median is $132,300 per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025. We would rather show a verified national figure and be plain about the gap than publish an Illinois number we have not confirmed. BLS also does not separately publish entry-level or experienced PMHNP tiers for Illinois. For the national picture by setting and practice model, see our PMHNP salary guide.
The Illinois PMHNP job market
Demand for psychiatric prescribers is strong in Illinois, from the Chicago metro to downstate counties that report mental-health workforce shortages. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034 nationally; an Illinois-specific projection is not separately verified here. Illinois's reduced-practice rules mean a written collaborative agreement applies wherever you work in-state, though the state does offer a route to independence after the required collaboration hours. Telehealth widens options further, letting Chicago-based and downstate clinicians reach patients across the state.
- Community mental health centers and FQHCs in Illinois often qualify for the federal NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
Choosing a PMHNP program in Illinois
With five verified in-state programs plus the national field of accredited online programs you can complete as an Illinois resident, the state gives you real choice. A few factors help you decide.
- Degree level: decide between a master's (MSN) entry point — Lewis, Saint Francis Medical Center, or University of St. Francis — and a doctoral BSN-to-DNP route at Rush or UIC, which is a longer, deeper credential.
- Cost: the verified per-credit rates vary widely, from $775 at Saint Francis Medical Center to $1,493 at Rush. Compare total cost across the in-state field and against online programs from other states.
- Location: most of the field clusters in greater Chicago (Rush and UIC in the city, Lewis in Oak Brook, University of St. Francis in Joliet), with Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria — keep distinct from University of St. Francis, a different school.
- No GRE: none of the five Illinois programs require the GRE, which removes one common admissions hurdle.
- For the full national field of online options, see our online PMHNP ranking.
Keep researching
Best Online PMHNP Programs
The national field of accredited online options Illinois residents can complete.
Best PMHNP Programs
Our overall ranking of verified PMHNP programs.
PMHNP Programs by State
Browse every state's verified programs.
How to Become a PMHNP
The pathway, certification, and clinical-hour requirement.
PMHNP Salary Guide
What psychiatric NPs earn by state, experience, and setting.
Questions, answered
How many PMHNP programs are in Illinois?+
Does Illinois allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
How much do PMHNPs make in Illinois?+
Do Illinois PMHNP programs require the GRE?+
What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in Illinois?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.
- [1] Rush University College of Nursing, PMHNP DNP (program page)
- [2] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS: Nurse Practitioners (29-1171), national and state wages
- [3] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurse Practitioners
- [4] AANP, State Practice Environment (Illinois: reduced practice)