How did/do you pay for nursing school?

[Joe V]

Nursing school is expensive. Many people have used student loans, scholarships, VA loans, grants, and even worked through school to pay for their education. The main reason for this thread is to provide information for people who can't afford the rising costs of nursing school. Many people aren't aware of the resources that are available. You don't have to give specifics but it would be great to see how people are paying for school. Please share how you paid for nursing school. Give any links or resources that you may have. Click Like if you enjoyed it. Please share this with friends and post your comments below!

[vintage_RN, BSN, RN]

All these people whose parent's paid...I WISH. lucky! i will fully admit that I am jealous!

100% student loans for me. I quit my job, my husband has a good job and supports us. We moved into my moms basement to cut living expenses...theres no way I could work...I dont know how people do..I'd be failing.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

the $24,000 tuition for a 1 year LVN program.

WHAT! WHAT! WHAT!

*** Is this a typo? $24K for an LVN program? How can that be? That is just robbery. Clearly I need to start a for profit LVN program. I am shocked that anyone would pay that much to get into an oversaturated field with poor job prospects.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

25K tuition for ADN

16K in loans

few K of scholarships

the rest my parents paid

RN-BSN is about 13K plus books. covered by more loans but have a part time (non nursing job) so hoping to start paying off the old loans or something...

*** Why would an ADN cost $25K? WHo would pay that much to get into an oversaturated field with poor job prospects? I assume this is at a for profit school?

One other question. Why would you choose such an expensive RN to BSN program if you have to barrow the money and pay it back? WHy not choose one of the much cheaper programs?

[anon456, BSN, RN]

I was able to secure a full scholarship to nursing school and was taken off the long wait list, thanks to a local hospital. I had an agreement to work for them for 3 years upon graduation. Unfortunately by the time I graduated they had a hiring freeze. After 90 days of not being placed within the hospital I was let go of any obligation to pay them back and was able to find a job at a different hospital. :-) The scholarship was based on my re-req grades and an interview.

The hospital where I now work will pay in full for nursing school for any full time employee. We have lost some great CNA's to this program. ;-) They are now nurses.

[lilkttnsRN]

My parents paid for my first degree & we are still paying for my husband's BA. My loans for a private ADN program are just under $22K. I got 100% loans & about $5K in scholarships, but we were able to pay for my husband's Masters out of pocket. Prior to quitting my full time job, we built up our savings for living expenses & lived frugally on 1 income. I will start my first job in a few weeks & my employer offers new grads some tuition payback for nursing school, as well as, reimbursement for current schooling. I intend to take advantage of that when I go for my BSN. But no more student loans if I can help it!! By the time we pay off mine & hubby's, it will be time to send our kids to college!

[lilkttnsRN]

I was able to secure a full scholarship to nursing school and was taken off the long wait list, thanks to a local hospital. I had an agreement to work for them for 3 years upon graduation. Unfortunately by the time I graduated they had a hiring freeze. After 90 days of not being placed within the hospital I was let go of any obligation to pay them back and was able to find a job at a different hospital. :-) The scholarship was based on my re-req grades and an interview.

The hospital where I now work will pay in full for nursing school for any full time employee. We have lost some great CNA's to this program. ;-) They are now nurses.

My college is affiliated with a hospital & used to offer a similar incentive just a few years ago. As the economy worsened, RN jobs were no longer guaranteed. The new grads could not get jobs at that hospital but were required to pay in full the tuition upon graduation.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

I don't know what state offers $9000... WIA is federally funded, and the funds pool is only replenished once per year. I think that the "bucket" gets filled in July up.

I'm in California. Yes, here the funding year also begins in July. Here's the thing: I live in a medium sized city. There are *several* career centers. Each has different funding guidelines and amounts. It may behoove a person desiring funding to call a few different centers! Oh, and to pray hard!

[Songbird,RN]

I was in my 40's when I went to LPN school and sold my prized antique 1908 Steinway Grand Piano to a doctor in Kansas City, MO. That sell paid all of my tuition then. In my 50's I decided to finish and get my RN. Not wanting to go in debt at a later age, I decided to pay as I went. So, I paid cash for a course and then saved for the next one. Yes, it took me about 3 years, but worth it not to be in debt. Yes, and I worked full time also. I am so glad to be an RN with NO DEBT! Thank you Lord!

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

WHAT! WHAT! WHAT!

*** Is this a typo? $24K for an LVN program? How can that be? That is just robbery. Clearly I need to start a for profit LVN program. I am shocked that anyone would pay that much to get into an oversaturated field with poor job prospects.

I thought the point of this thread was to help others. We can only help by sharing our business, for which I was judged for sharing. I'll treat your question as legitimate, though in the interest of helping others.

Firstly, I live in an area in which LVNs start as new grads at $21-$22/hr. After calculating health insurance, taxes and other deductions, I will be left with enough income to care for my 3 children while paying back the student loans.

Job prospects for LVNs are decent in my area, as long as you don't limit yourself to hospitals and day shifts only.

Secondly, my spouse left me while taking my BSN prereqs. Then he evicted us. While i wasnt working. I have chosen an accelerated LVN program so I can literally get in, get out and get a job quickly. I would have had to wait 1 more year to start the 2 year clinicals for the BSN.

Thirdly, by completing my LVN, I'll be able to work while completing the rest of my nursing education, which I plan to be BSN and later, NP.

Fourth, this school is one of the least expensive in my area. Even our ROP programs run 20-22,000. Another school costs 33k and another 42k. It's the price you pay in my area for private school.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I'm Canadian, so any links to sites that I have related to student loans won't help many of you. However, during my 4 year BSN program, I worked part time through the school year, and full time during school breaks. Our session ran from September through mid April. I worked six days most weeks from May until mid September. Very exhausting, but I lived on my own. I borrowed 45,000 in loans and received 3500 in grants. Two and a half years later, I'm debt free. Oh, and I cancelled my cable for three years. I wanted to save that money.

[mind_body_soul RN]

Tuition and fees for the nursing program at my community college are around $800 a semester. Books are around $300. It is in a small rural area. I am a military spouse so MyCAA (tuition assistance for spouses) paid for my tuition. Got scholarships from the school and pell grants which paid for fees, books and uniforms. Our nursing building is brand new with state-of-the art sim labs (all paid for by endowments to the school from rich people), and yes my school is accredited and I think they said that the NCLEX pass rate is around 98%. I feel very fortunate to be going to nursing school pretty much for free, especially in this uncertain economy.

[Hygiene Queen]

Tuition reimbursement and a scholarship... practically free education.

No debt.