Chicago has several strong Patient Care Technician training options, including direct PCT certificates, CNA-to-PCT pathways, and programs combining phlebotomy, EKG, and bedside-care skills.
Programs range from about eight weeks to one semester at public colleges, while private PCT programs may cost around $4,500 and take three to six months depending on the schedule.
Patient Care Technicians annual average salary in Illinois is $35,000 - ABOVE U.S. AVERAGE!
#1 Malcolm X College
Malcolm X College is a public City College of Chicago located on West Jackson Boulevard near the Illinois Medical District.
It offers one of the most convenient dedicated PCT programs for students who want to study within Chicago itself.
The program combines nursing assistant training with additional PCT skills rather than requiring students to assemble separate CNA, EKG, and patient-care courses.
Programs Offered
The Patient Care Technician Basic Certificate requires 16 credit hours.
Students complete an eight-credit Basic Nursing Assistant Fundamentals and Clinical course and an eight-credit Patient Care Technician Training course.
Training covers direct patient care, communication, infection control, safety, healthcare documentation, EKG procedures, and other fundamental clinical skills.
The program is designed to prepare students for the NHA Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant examination.
The nursing assistant portion also provides the classroom, laboratory, and clinical education associated with Illinois CNA preparation.
Tuition and Cost
City of Chicago residents currently pay approximately $157 per credit hour.
Base tuition for the 16-credit certificate is therefore about $2,512.
Students should also budget for books, scrubs, laboratory materials, health screenings, background checks, CPR or BLS certification, and certification testing.
A realistic overall budget is approximately $3,000 to $4,000.
Program Length
The certificate is structured to be completed in one semester by full-time students.
Address: 1900 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60612
#2 Oakton College
Oakton College is a public community college with campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie.
The Skokie location is approximately 15 miles north of downtown Chicago, making Oakton a practical option for students on the North Side and northern suburbs.
Oakton offers a dedicated Patient Care Technician Certificate rather than only a related CNA or medical assisting course.
Programs Offered
The 16-credit certificate includes Medical Terminology, Basic Nurse Assistant Training, Patient Care Technician, and Phlebotomy.
Students learn direct patient care, blood collection, patient data collection, infection prevention, communication, EKG procedures, and clinical laboratory skills.
The nursing assistant course includes hands-on clinical experience at local healthcare facilities.
PCT students also receive phlebotomy training and preparation for an EKG technician certification examination.
Students who complete the appropriate requirements may pursue Illinois CNA registration and a national PCT certification examination.
Tuition and Cost
Oakton district residents pay approximately $136.25 per credit hour, making base tuition for 16 credits about $2,180.
The Basic Nurse Assistant course also carries a clinical fee.
When textbooks, scrubs, equipment, screenings, immunizations, certification testing, and other expenses are included, students should budget approximately $3,000 to $4,000.
Out-of-district Illinois residents pay considerably more unless they qualify for a cooperative or employment-related tuition arrangement.
Program Length
The complete PCT certificate can be finished in one semester.
Address: 1600 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016
#3 International Career Institute
International Career Institute is a private healthcare training school in Lincolnwood, just north of Chicago.
It offers a comprehensive PCT program with flexible daytime, evening, and weekend schedules.
This is one of the better options for students who want CNA, phlebotomy, EKG, and PCT preparation from the same private school.
Programs Offered
The 300-hour PCT program combines nursing assistant training with phlebotomy, EKG, rehabilitation, respiratory-care concepts, and advanced direct patient-care procedures.
Students complete approximately 260 hours of theory, laboratory, and clinical instruction plus a 40-hour PCT externship.
The program can lead to separate training credentials in Patient Care Technology, Basic Nursing Assistance, phlebotomy, and EKG.
Additional externship hours are required for the school’s full phlebotomy pathway.
Tuition and Cost
PCT tuition is approximately $3,100.
General charges add approximately $1,331, bringing the estimated institutional total to about $4,431 to $4,471.
These charges can include registration, laboratory fees, identification, liability insurance, uniforms, a nursing kit, textbooks, and CPR certification.
Payment plans and workforce funding may be available to qualifying students.
Program Length
Day and evening students can complete the 300-hour program in approximately 12 weeks.
Weekend students may take up to 25 weeks.
Address: 6425 North Hamlin Avenue, Lincolnwood, IL 60712
#4 College of DuPage
College of DuPage is a large public community college in Glen Ellyn, approximately 25 miles west of downtown Chicago.
Its Patient Care Technician Certificate is one of the shortest comprehensive PCT programs in the Chicago area.
The program is primarily designed around hospital patient care and includes hands-on clinical skills.
Programs Offered
Students learn bathing and feeding assistance, catheter care, patient safety, vital signs, phlebotomy, EKG procedures, room preparation, and communication with patients and healthcare teams.
The certificate includes clinical instruction and focuses specifically on skills used by hospital-based patient care technicians.
Students completing the program are prepared to sit for the NHA Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant examination, subject to the organization’s current eligibility requirements.
Health insurance, screening, immunization, and clinical documentation requirements must be completed before participating in clinical training.
Tuition and Cost
The five-credit PCT portion costs approximately $780 in in-district tuition.
Course fees add roughly $326.
Students also need items such as a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, uniform, health screening, background check, and other clinical supplies.
A reasonable total budget is approximately $1,300 to $2,000 for an in-district student.
Program Length
The PCT certificate is designed to be completed in approximately eight weeks.
The program is offered each semester.
Address: 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
#5 South Suburban College
South Suburban College is a public community college in South Holland, approximately 20 miles south of downtown Chicago.
It offers a dedicated Patient Care Technician Certificate through its Allied Health Careers department.
This option may be especially convenient for students living on Chicago’s South Side or in the southern suburbs.
Programs Offered
Students begin with requirements associated with the college’s Basic Nursing Assistant Training Program and continue into PCT-focused coursework.
Training emphasizes bedside patient care, nursing assistant procedures, patient observation, safety, clinical communication, and technical patient-care responsibilities.
Graduates of the PCT certificate may be eligible to sit for a national Patient Care Technician certification examination after meeting the examination provider’s requirements.
Tuition and Cost
In-district tuition is approximately $152 per credit hour. Additional technology and student development fees apply to credit courses.
Out-of-district Illinois students pay approximately $350 per credit unless they qualify for a reduced rate through a cooperative agreement or another residency exception.
Depending on residency and the exact courses required, students should budget approximately $2,000 to $5,000 for tuition, fees, books, uniforms, screening, equipment, and certification expenses.
Program Length
The certificate is designed as a short-term career program.
Full-time students may be able to complete the required CNA and PCT sequence in approximately one to two semesters.
Address: 15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois 60473
#6 Triton College
Triton College is a public community college in River Grove, approximately 12 miles west of downtown Chicago.
Its Nursing Assistant program provides a solid entry-level patient-care foundation, while the college also offers separate EKG, medical assisting, and allied health training.
This route is useful for students who want to begin with CNA preparation and add technical skills later.
Programs Offered
The Nursing Assistant program covers basic bedside care, patient safety, mobility, nutrition, infection control, communication, vital signs, and assistance with activities of daily living.
Students complete classroom instruction, laboratory training, and supervised clinical experience.
Successful graduates can apply to take the Illinois Nurse Aide Competency Exam.
Triton’s continuing education division also offers EKG Technician training, making it possible for CNAs to add cardiac testing skills relevant to PCT work.
Students who want broader outpatient clinical training can consider Triton’s Certified Medical Assistant program.
Tuition and Cost
For the 2025-2026 school year, regular in-district tuition is approximately $158 per credit hour.
Out-of-district tuition is substantially higher.
A nursing assistant student should generally plan for approximately $1,500 to $3,000 after tuition, fees, textbooks, uniforms, CPR training, health documentation, background screening, and certification testing.
Financial aid and grant assistance may be available depending on the student’s program and eligibility.
Program Length
The Nursing Assistant certificate is designed as a short-term program that can generally be completed within one semester.
Students adding EKG or other allied health courses should expect additional weeks or another semester of training.
Address: 2000 Fifth Avenue, River Grove, IL 60171
Schools Summary Table
| Rank | School | |
|---|---|---|
| | #1 | Malcolm X College |
| | #2 | Oakton College |
| | #3 | International Career Institute |
| | #4 | College of DuPage |
| | #5 | South Suburban College |
| | #6 | Triton College |
Illinois Salary by Metro Area
This table provides a breakdown of average salaries by metro area, showing how wages differ across regions within the state using recent BLS data.
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | 950 | $43,480 | $20.90 | $51,470 | $37,380 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 1,560 | $42,860 | $20.61 | $48,790 | $37,820 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 45,850 | $46,610 | $22.41 | $54,450 | $38,980 |
| Decatur, IL | 600 | $44,060 | $21.18 | $51,290 | $36,390 |
| Kankakee, IL | 860 | $41,760 | $20.08 | $49,760 | $32,750 |
| Peoria, IL | 2,740 | $42,580 | $20.47 | $48,960 | $37,110 |
| Rockford, IL | 2,120 | $42,320 | $20.34 | $48,810 | $37,440 |
| Springfield, IL | 1,120 | $42,100 | $20.24 | $48,160 | $38,050 |
* Employment conditions may vary by location.
Schools by City in Illinois
