What can you do with a Nursing degree from Illinois State University?

First, some facts. Of the Nursing graduates from Illinois State University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:

These are estimates based on AI analysis of 13 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Great! Overall, with an average relevance score of 97%, Nursing graduates from Illinois State University have a substantially higher likelihood (+30%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

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Also, after graduating, 38% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Nursing graduate.

See the details:

• What jobs can you get with a Nursing degree from Illinois State University?
• What do Nursing graduates from Illinois State University do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Nursing degree from Illinois State University? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Nursing degree from Illinois State University?
• What are the best colleges for Nursing?

View a random Nursing graduate from Illinois State University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 85% We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2017 from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Nursing. Also pursued further education since (see below). JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Registered Nurse Emergency Department OSF HealthCare Aug 2017 - Dec 2022 As a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department, the role directly utilizes nursing knowledge and skills acquired during the Bachelor's program, requiring specific clinical expertise daily. Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Educator OSF HealthCare Nov 2020 - Dec 2022 The position of Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Educator relies on extensive nursing knowledge and education skills, directly linking to the skills developed in the Bachelor's nursing program. Quality Assurance Coordinator McLean County Area EMS Nov 2022 - Present The role of Quality Assurance Coordinator may involve some understanding of healthcare practices and patient safety, but it is not primarily focused on nursing responsibilities or skills taught in the Bachelor's program. CoAEMSp Paramedic Program Director McLean County Area EMS Jun 2023 - Present As CoAEMSp Paramedic Program Director, the job involves leadership in an educational setting related to paramedics, which connects tangentially to healthcare but does not heavily utilize the core nursing skills from the Bachelor's degree. FURTHER DEGREES DONE SINCE GRADUATING Doctor of Nursing Practice University of Illinois Chicago 2020 - 2023 ABOUT No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Nursing degree from Illinois State University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

• Registered Nurse
• Registered Nurse Emergency Department
• Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Educator
• Quality Assurance Coordinator
• CoAEMSp Paramedic Program Director
• Clinical Advisor
• Clinical Supervisor
• Director of Operations for Pulmonary, Sleep, & DME
• Executive Director of Medical Specialties and Reception Services
• Orthopedic Surgery RN

Looking at the job paths of nursing graduates from Illinois State University, it’s pretty clear that a lot of them have spent their early careers working directly in nursing roles like Registered Nurses, Critical Care Nurses, and Family Nurse Practitioners. These positions are not only common but also highly relevant to their nursing education. Most of these roles require daily application of the skills and knowledge they picked up during their studies, especially those that deal with patient care and healthcare assessments. For instance, graduates started as Nurse Interns or RN positions right out of college, which shows a solid alignment with their degree.

However, as some graduates progressed further in their careers, they began to branch out into roles that aren't as directly tied to on-the-ground nursing. Positions like Clinical Supervisor, Quality Assurance Coordinator, and various leadership roles in healthcare management still relate back to the healthcare field but may not utilize nursing skills on a daily basis. While these jobs can be interesting and impactful in their own right, they reflect a shift toward administrative or supervisory functions. So overall, while the immediate jobs these nursing graduates take are relevant to their training, there’s a noticeable split later in their careers, with some venturing into areas that don’t require the hands-on skills a nursing education provides. This is something to keep in mind if you're considering a nursing degree; while the start might be all about patient care, the path can lead in many different directions!

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Nursing graduates (this is across all Nursing graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Illinois State University):

What kind of career trajectories do Nursing graduates from Illinois State University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Graduates from the Nursing program at Illinois State University tend to follow a pretty solid career path in healthcare. Most of them kick off their careers as Registered Nurses (RNs) soon after graduating, often landing positions in hospitals or healthcare facilities. For instance, graduates from 2011 to 2019 show a clear trend of starting out as RNs and then moving on to various specialized roles, such as Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Supervisors, and even higher administrative positions after a few years. It’s interesting to see that many have stayed within the nursing field, showing a commitment to patient care and health services, which is super important in this line of work.

As for what these graduates are doing five or ten years later, a significant number have advanced to more specialized roles or leadership positions. For example, the 2011 grad moved up from an RN to an Executive Director within just over a decade, showcasing the potential for career growth within nursing. Others have shifted towards roles with more responsibility, like Clinical Advisors or Nurse Educators. Overall, these outcomes suggest that nursing graduates from Illinois State University find meaningful careers that not only utilize their initial training but also allow for professional development and specialization over time. So, if you're considering nursing, it looks like a pretty promising choice for a long-term career!

How hard is a Nursing degree from Illinois State University?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing can definitely be challenging, and that goes for Illinois State University as well. Nursing programs are known for having a pretty heavy workload, with lots of rigorous courses in subjects like anatomy, pharmacology, and patient care, plus a ton of hands-on clinical practice. So, if you’re considering it, be ready for late-night study sessions and juggling a busy schedule. It's definitely on the harder side compared to some other majors, but if you're passionate about helping others and are willing to put in the effort, it can be a really rewarding experience!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Nursing.

Do Nursing graduates from Illinois State University tend to make good money?

Alright, so let's break this down. Most of these nursing grads have been working pretty steadily since they left Illinois State, and that’s definitely a good sign. The graduates from earlier years are climbing the ladder, snagging roles like Clinical Supervisor and Executive Director, which usually means they’re making some decent cash in those positions. Even the newer grads have jumped right into jobs that are generally well-paying, especially in specialized fields like emergency and critical care nursing. So overall, it looks like most of these folks are doing alright financially—nursing tends to offer solid pay and job security, especially as you gain experience and move into higher positions.

What buzzwords do Nursing graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Nursing (this is across all Nursing graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Illinois State University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Nursing?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Nursing (ordered by the average relevance score of their Nursing graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College	Score	Count
University of Pittsburgh	100	11
University of Louisville	100	18
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania	100	11
Excelsior College	100	12
Austin Peay State University	100	11
Widener University	100	22
University of Missouri-Columbia	99	12
Towson University	99	29
San Diego State University	99	19
Florida Atlantic University	99	21
University of Virginia	99	19
California State University-Long Beach	99	11
University of Massachusetts, Amherst	99	10
Quinnipiac University	99	26
Fairfield University	99	23
Columbus State University	99	10
University of South Carolina Upstate	99	15
University of Scranton	99	10
Angelo State University	99	10
Aurora University	99	12
Auburn University at Montgomery	99	10
Viterbo University	99	10
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston	99	15
Drexel University College of Nursing & Health Professions Division of Undergraduate Nursing	99	11
Galen College of Nursing	99	13
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)	99	11
Duquesne University School of Nursing	99	11
Michigan State University	98	16
Liberty University	98	24
Grand Valley State University	98	20
University of Delaware	98	20
Northern Arizona University	98	26
Northeastern University	98	20
University of Connecticut	98	15
Drexel University	98	18
Boston College	98	13
University of Massachusetts Lowell	98	11
Minnesota State University, Mankato	98	12
North Dakota State University	98	14
California State University San Marcos	98	16
New Mexico State University	98	10
Tarleton State University	98	10
University of Portland	98	20
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh	98	10
Purdue University Northwest	98	11
Curry College	98	20
Mount Saint Mary College	98	15
University of St. Francis	98	10
Regis College	98	16
Clarkson College	98	10
University of Wisconsin-Madison	97	18
Brigham Young University	97	27
San Francisco State University	97	23
James Madison University	97	28
California State University-Sacramento	97	12
Illinois State University	97	13
Brigham Young University - Idaho	97	26
University of Cincinnati	97	22
Ball State University	97	12
Old Dominion University	97	13
West Chester University of Pennsylvania	97	15
University of Illinois at Chicago	97	15
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	97	20
Stephen F. Austin State University	97	17
Seton Hall University	97	10
New Jersey City University	97	10
Miami Dade College	97	19
West Coast University	97	126
The College of St. Scholastica	97	27
Molloy College	97	25
Indiana University Kokomo	97	10
Resurrection University	97	16
Penn State University	96	27
University of Central Florida	96	37
Texas A&M University	96	13
University of Florida	96	21
University of Arizona	96	15
University of Kentucky	96	14
The University of Alabama	96	16
University of South Carolina	96	14
University of New Hampshire	96	14
Boise State University	96	15
San Diego State University-California State University	96	12
Marquette University	96	13
University of San Francisco	96	33
University of Massachusetts Boston	96	19
Saginaw Valley State University	96	15
University of Missouri-Saint Louis	96	10
Ramapo College of New Jersey	96	16
Seattle University	96	22
National University	96	19
Bethel University	96	17
Creighton University	96	10
La Salle University	96	20
Midwestern State University	96	10
Saint Anselm College	96	10
King University	96	12
Mount Saint Mary's University	96	12
Mississippi University for Women	96	11
College of Mount Saint Vincent	96	14
Holy Family University	96	12
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center	96	13
Samuel Merritt University	96	16
Arizona State University	95	42
Florida State University	95	13
Purdue University	95	24
University of Michigan	95	15
West Virginia University	95	18
University of Arkansas	95	29
Kennesaw State University	95	12
Sam Houston State University	95	16
The University of Akron	95	17
University of Miami	95	14
The University of Texas at El Paso	95	15
Loyola University Chicago	95	22
Azusa Pacific University	95	28
Capella University	95	51
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi	95	19
California Baptist University	95	34
Winona State University	95	19
University of North Carolina Wilmington	95	12
Wilmington University	95	11
Salem State University	95	14
The University of Toledo	95	11
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville	95	12
Stevenson University	95	10
University of Indianapolis	95	11
Valparaiso University	95	12
SUNY Brockport	95	12
Salve Regina University	95	10
MidAmerica Nazarene University	95	10
The Ohio State University	94	26
The University of Texas at Austin	94	22
University of South Florida	94	34
Western Governors University	94	227
San Jose State University	94	21
Kent State University	94	35
University of Pennsylvania	94	12
Texas Woman's University	94	39
Saint Louis University	94	18
Chamberlain University	94	250
Lamar University	94	16
University of Texas at Tyler	94	19
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth	94	10
University of Michigan-Flint	94	14
Georgia College & State University	94	11
Bemidji State University	94	11
Pacific Lutheran University	94	11
Saint Xavier University	94	13
Jacksonville University	94	18
Wagner College	94	12
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences	94	22
University of Detroit Mercy	94	16
Aspen University	94	10
Grand Canyon University	93	195
Auburn University	93	17
East Carolina University	93	36
Baylor University	93	13
Oakland University	93	23
Eastern Michigan University	93	14
California State University-San Bernardino	93	10
Texas Christian University	93	25
Northern Kentucky University	93	10
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga	93	10
Villanova University	93	30
Indiana Wesleyan University	93	46
University of Central Missouri	93	10
Hunter College	93	18
Adelphi University	93	38
Sacred Heart University	93	15
Simmons College	93	10
University of Maryland School of Nursing	93	10
Ohio University	92	123
The University of Texas at Arlington	92	125
University of Rhode Island	92	27
Indiana UniversityPurdue University Indianapolis	92	11
Jacksonville State University	92	15
Olivet Nazarene University	92	17
Walden University	92	22
Union University	92	13
Mount Carmel College of Nursing	92	24
Loma Linda University	92	10
UT Health San Antonio	92	14
Southern New Hampshire University	91	25
New York University	91	17
Clemson University	91	21
Northern Illinois University	91	26
Weber State University	91	18
Indiana State University	91	14
South Dakota State University	91	16
Nova Southeastern University	91	33
Madonna University	91	14
Dominican University of California	91	13
Lourdes University	91	11
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	90	11
Western Kentucky University	90	10
University of Alabama at Birmingham	90	16
East Tennessee State University	90	20
University of Missouri-Kansas City	90	11
Case Western Reserve University	90	10
Davenport University	90	12
York College of Pennsylvania	90	13
South University	90	42
Cedarville University	90	15
Regis University	90	15
Chamberlain College of Nursing	90	116
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center	90	44
Nevada State College	90	11
University of Phoenix	89	59
University of Washington	89	13
University of Utah	89	11
University of Tennessee, Knoxville	89	16
University of North Carolina at Greensboro	89	14
Winston-Salem State University	89	17
St. Petersburg College	89	13
Barry University	89	17
Herzing University	89	15
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center	89	17
Florida International University	88	22
Georgia Southern University	88	19
Montana State University-Bozeman	88	11
Southwestern Oklahoma State University	88	10
University of Nebraska Medical Center	88	13
George Mason University	87	18
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	87	13
Kaplan University	87	17
Immaculata University	87	15
Alverno College	87	13
Duquesne University	86	13
McNeese State University	86	17
University of Mississippi Medical Center	86	16
University of North Florida	84	14
Western Carolina University	84	10
University of West Georgia	83	13
Chamberlain College of Nursing-Addison Campus	83	14
Maryville University of Saint Louis	82	11
American Sentinel University	81	11
Thomas Jefferson University	80	12
Malone University	76	10
Georgia State University	74	14