by Updated on | $ RN-to-BSN: $8,000-$55,000+ Tuition, Fees, Books & Supplies | $ $ Accelerated BSN: $17,000-$90,000+ Tuition, Fees, Books & Supplies | $ $ $ Traditional BSN: $40,000-$200,000+ Tuition, Fees, Books & Supplies |
The bachelor’s degree in nursing usually takes four years to complete, and the graduates who pass the exam NCLEX-RN and meet state licensing requirements become registered nurses.
If compared to an associate degree in nursing, taking two to three years to complete; the BSN allows a registered nurse to move into more administrative and leadership positions.
Typical Costs
The traditional four-year BSN program costs for tuition, fees, books and supplies reach $40,000-$200,000 or more for all four years, based on the location and the school reputation; as well as whether the college is public, private not-for-profit or private for-profit.
The accommodation and board, the transportation and personal expenses depend on the individual circumstances, and for a four-year, full-time BSN program can vary from $90,000 to $250,000.
The University of Washington, for example, the four years of tuition and fees are approx. $49,600 for Washington residents and $127,884 for out-of-state students.
At the same time, the private West Coast University estimates that tuition, fees, books and supplies are $114,729 on the Texas campus and $143,692 on the three California campuses.
The students who already have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing subject and wish to become a registered nurse, require an accelerated BSN program for 11-18 months, where classes can be online, on campus, or a combination.
The accelerated BSN program costs for tuition, fees, books and supplies reach $17,000-$90,000 or more.
The accommodation and board, personal expenses and transportation and add total costs to $40,000-$120,000 or more.
The University of Texas, for example, ask for tuition, fees, books and supplies for the four-semester accelerated BSN program approx. $17,381 for state residents; while the living expenses add to total estimated costs to $41,357.
The tuition and fees at the private John Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, are estimated at $72,132 for the 13-month, summer-entry program and $73,249 for a 17-month, fall-entry program; while the estimated living expenses bring total costs to $101,764-$105,761.
The working registered nurses with an associate degree in nursing wishing to complete the additional requirements for a BSN degree, RN-to-BSN programs can cost $8,000-$55,000 including fees and tuition, books and supplies, based on whether these are on campus classes one day a week or online classes with a flexible schedule which is usually more expensive; the credit amount provided for previous coursework, experience or training; and the minimum number of credits that should be completed at the school offering the RN-to-BSN program.
The University of Texas tuition, fees and books for a three-semester program on-campus or online cost $8,890.
At the not-for-profit Southern New Hampshire University, the online program can cost $10,000-$25,000 based on the credit the student receives for previous education and experience, and other factors.
At the same time, at the for-profit University of Phoenix the estimated costs for tuition, fees and resources vary from $25,350-$50,917.
What Is Included
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing prepares an overview of accelerated nursing programs, traditional BSN programs, and nursing degree completion programs.
Additional Costs
The license exam NCLEX-RN typically costs approx. $200, and the state license fees to become a registered nurse add also $75-$200 or more, depending on the state.
Many schools now include these costs in their estimated fees for completing the program.
Check out this NCLEX-RN practice test if you are preparing to take the test soon.
Discounts
- There is a good choice of nursing scholarship, grant and loan programs available.
- The completion of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid is required before receiving most scholarships or financial aid.
- The American Association of Colleges of Nursing presents the potential financial aid resources.
- Many healthcare employers cover the tuition costs for an employee to attend an RN-to-BSN program.
Shopping For A Bachelor Of Science In Nursing
- DiscoverNursing.com present BSN programs; the state board of nursing provides a list of schools in that state.
- The American Association of Colleges of Nursing offers lists of RN-to-BSN programs and accelerated BSN programs, divided by state.
- Always ask for the school’s accreditation, the sites where clinical practice is offered, and the total number of clinical hours, as well as for the NCLEX-RN pass rate.
- The Kansas Association of Nurse Leaders presents questions to ask a potential nursing program.