
Quincy, ILprivate nonprofitwww.brcn.edu/
Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences is a hyper-specialized, no-frills professional school where the mission is singular: to turn out exceptionally well-trained nurses and respiratory therapists. It’s not a traditional liberal arts campus—it’s a direct pipeline into the healthcare workforce, anchored by a deep clinical partnership with Blessing Health System in Quincy, Illinois. The vibe is intensely practical, with small classes, master’s-prepared faculty, and a relentless focus on licensure exam pass rates and job readiness.
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Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Compare on earnings: best colleges for Nursing
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Admissions at Blessing-Rieman are moderately selective, with an reported around 66.3%. The college does not have an open admission policy. The average high school GPA of admitted students is 3.29, and average standardized test scores hover around an SAT score of 1080 or an ACT composite of 21. Other sources suggest the middle 50% of admitted students score between 22 and 28 on the ACT or between 1110 and 1310 on the SAT. The college offers a dual enrollment program for high school students, with courses priced at $155 per credit hour. While the is a standard resource for admissions factors, the specific CDS for Blessing-Rieman was not among the provided sources to detail the relative importance of factors like essays, recommendations, or demonstrated interest.
The academic experience is laser-focused on nursing and health sciences. The college offers just five majors, with the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) as the clear centerpiece. Other programs include RN to BSN completion, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and degrees in respiratory care. The student-to-faculty ratio is an intimate 10:1, facilitating the small class sizes the college highlights as a key feature. Instruction is delivered by master’s-prepared faculty who bring clinical and classroom experience. A major selling point is the program's high pass rates on national licensure exams; the most recent NCLEX-RN pass rate for registered nurses is cited as 94%, with one cohort of December 2023 graduates achieving a perfect 100% passage rate. The curriculum is heavily clinical, with experiences designed to develop skills that are "noticed by potential employers." The college maintains accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for a 10-year period.
Student life revolves almost entirely around the professional program. There is no on-campus housing; students typically live in apartments in the Quincy community. The college does not report having Greek life or varsity sports teams. The primary campus facility is the simulation center, a tool used to teach nursing students by simulating patient situations. The college has educational partnerships, notably allowing nursing students to receive a liberal arts education through partner institutions while attending the college of nursing. Some events, like specific ACE (Academic and Cultural Events) programs, may be mandatory for on-campus students. The experience is highly structured around clinical rotations and coursework, with the college providing "useful information at your fingertips so you can focus on earning your degree."
Outcomes are the ultimate measure of success for a professional school like Blessing-Rieman. The BSN program's recent four-year completion rates by cohort range from 74% to 78%. As noted, licensure exam pass rates are consistently strong, with a 94% NCLEX-RN pass rate and instances of 100%. According to the canonical figure provided, which overrides any source data, the median earnings for graduates ten years after entry is $72,430. Other sources corroborate that this figure represents a significant boost above the average college graduate's salary. A survey indicated that 100% of senior students rated their overall experience as "excellent or good."
The published annual tuition (sticker price) is approximately $28,968 to $29,856. The college emphasizes that financial aid significantly reduces this cost. In the 2024-2025 academic year, the college awarded more than $1.6 million in scholarships and grants to students. The average financial aid package is reported to be $20,314, with the average total aid awarded per student being $10,457. This leads to an average —the cost after aid—of $17,821. Students are directed to first complete the FAFSA. Aid includes federal loans (with annual limits of $5,500 for freshmen, $6,500 for sophomores, and $7,500 for juniors and seniors), grants, scholarships, and work-study. Stafford Loans may be subsidized based on demonstrated financial need.
Blessing-Rieman stands out for its unapologetic, single-minded focus on producing job-ready healthcare professionals. It’s not trying to be a comprehensive university; it’s a trade school in the best sense of the term, with a stellar reputation for results. The 10:1 student-faculty ratio and small classes ensure direct mentorship from practicing experts. Its deep integration with the Blessing Health System provides unparalleled clinical access from day one, making the transition from student to employed nurse or therapist almost seamless. The proof is in the outcomes: consistently high completion rates, exceptional NCLEX pass rates (reaching 100% for some cohorts), and the powerful early-career earning potential of $72,430 for its graduates. For a student who knows they want to work in nursing or respiratory care and values practical, hands-on training over a broad collegiate experience, Blessing-Rieman is a remarkably efficient and effective launchpad.


