Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing

Key Highlights

• Independent nonprofit nursing college operating in Peoria, Illinois
• Higher Learning Commission institutionally accredited
• Nursing degree programs hold Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accreditation
• College established in 1985, with nursing-education roots dating to 1905

Student Life & Environment

Student life is shaped by the college’s specialized nursing mission and medical-center setting rather than by a large, multi-college campus. The institution offers 70 single-occupancy residence rooms with wireless internet, a bed, desk, dresser, closet, and sink. Residence floors have student resident assistants, shared bathrooms, lounges, and kitchen access. Common facilities include laundry, recreation space, exercise equipment, televisions, and food-storage and cooking facilities. The campus is smoke-free. The college does not describe a traditional meal plan. Resident students can prepare food in shared kitchens, while students may purchase meals in the OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center cafeteria at the employee rate. Parking arrangements differ for residents and commuters: enclosed medical-center parking is available to residents, while open-lot parking is available for students living off campus. Social and recreational options extend into central Peoria. The college highlights the nearby Civic Center, riverfront, Warehouse District, museum, recreation facilities, and local trails, along with opportunities offered through community organizations and other area colleges. Because this is a small professional college, applicants seeking intercollegiate athletics, a broad Greek system, or extensive university-style clubs should confirm what is currently available rather than assume those features exist. The residence and medical-center environment may appeal most to students who prefer close proximity to coursework and clinical activity.

Location & Surroundings

The college is in Peoria, Illinois, on the campus of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center and at the edge of downtown. This placement is academically significant: traditional BSN students can complete much of their clinical education at the adjacent medical center rather than commuting to a distant primary site. Other community placements may still require travel, so students should budget for transportation between the college, clinical locations, housing, and work. Downtown amenities are relatively close. The college identifies the Peoria Civic Center, with its arena and performance theater, as only a few blocks away. It also points students toward the Peoria Riverfront Museum, the riverfront and Warehouse District, dining and entertainment venues, a hiking and cycling trail, and the RiverPlex Recreation and Wellness Center. The setting is urban but substantially smaller in scale than Chicago. Students living in college housing have access to enclosed medical-center parking; commuters may use designated open lots. The institution’s published cost-of-attendance budgets include sizable transportation allowances, a useful reminder that clinical training and daily life may involve vehicle-related expenses even when the primary hospital site is next door.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–27, the college lists undergraduate tuition at $698 per semester hour, RN-to-BSN tuition at $544 per hour, and graduate tuition at $794 per hour. Its standard annual examples total $24,581 in tuition, fees, and resource charges for a junior taking 33 hours; $24,030 for a senior taking 32 hours; and $9,808 for a graduate student taking six hours in each of the fall and spring terms. These examples are not complete living-cost budgets, and actual charges depend on enrollment and program. The separate 2026–27 cost-of-attendance page adds estimated housing, food, books and equipment, uniforms, transportation, and personal expenses. Its budgets vary markedly by living arrangement and program, especially for the 12-month accelerated BSN. Students should compare the budget matching their pathway rather than treating one institutional total as universal. Payment arrangements are due 30 days before each semester, and installment plans are available. Federal and state aid programs are offered to eligible students. The college also advertises a competitive tuition-assistance program for qualifying full-time undergraduate BSN students who accept a post-graduation employment commitment to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center; this is a binding arrangement, not an unrestricted scholarship. Career preparation is closely tied to clinical nursing. The college reports that 100% of responding 2024 graduates across its listed programs were employed within one year, but response rates varied by program and the figure incorporates supplemental data collection. Applicants should interpret it as an institutional outcome measure rather than a guaranteed result. Traditional BSN students gain clinical experience primarily at OSF Saint Francis, while advanced programs prepare nurses for practitioner, educator, and leadership roles.