is nursing really worth the debt

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

Published

Hello everyone,

I would really love to be a nurse. But, because I made a c in both human anatomy 1 and 2. I have been denied acceptance to my local community colleges. I am now forced to turn to private nursing college which have higher tuition. The two schools that I am looking into are keiser college which is now accredited and jersey college. Keiser college only offers an adn which cost 38,000. Which does not include any books , uniforms. This amount only includes the tuition and nothing more. if I choose to attend this program I would be in a lot of debt. When I already owe 9,000 in loans from a previous college.

Or i can attend jersey college, which offers a lpn program . This program will cost me 15,000. I will probably average about 6,000- 8,000 more in debt. Later I can attend the local community college bridge program which my financial will be able to cover . So my lpn-rn program will be free. I will just have to pay back the loans I have already accumulated.

The reason I want to attend keiser college, everyone says lpn are being phased out. I have spoken to several lpn who tell me to go straight to becoming a rn. I do not want to accumulate too much debt an I will only receive my adn. The reason I want to attend jersey college, I will have less debt. I can work while attending the bridge program. Where I live lpn can only work in long term faculties. I do not really want to work in long term facilities. I want to work in a hospital.

Finally, my question is : For the nurses who accumulated debit from loans while in nursing school. Was it really worth it to become a nurse in the end? Is your debit manageable?

PLEASE ONLY RESPONSE IF HAVE DEBIT. PLEASE DO NOT RESPONE STATING THAT UOUR EDUCATION WAS FREE.

Specializes in Neuro ICU/Trauma/Emergency.
One job... approx 55-60 hrs/week...

Say I work 5 shifts which is pretty typical for me and say I do one 4 hour stay-over...

Let R = Base Rate (incl NOC diff)

Weekly gross is then R*36 + R*4 + 1.5*R*20 + 2*R*4 = 78*R...

Let R = $57/hr...

G = 78*57 = $4,400 per week

$4,400 per week x 52 weeks = $231,192 per year

I don't work quite as much as I assumed in this rough calc but I work A LOT...

Many, many of my colleagues are grossing in the $115,000 - $140,000 range...

That explains it.

Are you working 55h every week?

I make $69hr & my pay doesn't come close to the 200k mark. Give me your secrets, if it's not requiring me to pick up an additional 2 shifts a week & lose my benefits. :-)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Are you working 55h every week?
Not every week, but that's what it averaged out to... some weeks were substantially more... a few were a bit less...

and working every holiday at 1.5x

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Critical Care, Med-Surg, Obs.

OP- I think you need to look at nursing as an investment, you will be able to pay that loan back and over time gain so much more. Depending on your effort and location you should do okay with that amount of debt. I strongly recommend you look up salary rates within your region (if you plan on getting a job there) at websites like payscale.com or BLS.gov Nursing is a very dynamic, very rewarding field, but its incredibly stressful, if you truly think you can do it, then money shouldn't be n issue.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Critical Care, Med-Surg, Obs.

What state/that region do you work in??

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Point being- unless you live in an area where nursing is more lucrative, you're not likely to pull down 190k, or 100k, or even 75k. Nursing is a mediocre salary for the most part for a very high stress, hard work job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Try to retake the classes and get higher grades. The for profit schools are probably not a good risk for all the reasons previously stated. But a better question is why did you get "C"s in the first place? Was it inattention? Problems with reading or memorization? Lack of interest in the material? If you cannot get a higher grade upon retaking the classes, you might want to reconsider the idea of nursing school.

And it's "debt", not "debit."

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Point being- unless you live in an area where nursing is more lucrative, you're not likely to pull down 190k, or 100k, or even 75k. Nursing is a mediocre salary for the most part for a very high stress, hard work job.
Know your market, for sure... and don't think, "oh, I'll move to California" because it's a terribly difficult place to start a nursing career.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

My nursing school will not be free but I won't have any debt from it. I am going to a very good, community college. I would never in a million years pay what these private, for profit schools ask for. It's crazy. There is a very expensive private nonprofit college in my town also that I won't go to because I do not plan on incurring debt. If you got C's in both A&P's and that leads me to believe you do not have a fundamental understanding of it. I would find a community college that will let you retake so you can get your basics down before nursing school which will be very hard.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you all for your responses. To Ruby Vee: maybe you should read my previous post before posting an assumption on why you believe I recieved a c in human anatomy .I will look into trying to retake my human anatomy course. Maybe financial aid will be able to cover these costs. Thanks again everyone. I love the feedback I have been recieveing from everyone. Once again everyone sorry for the misspelling in my topic

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

I would expect to start out part-time and making max 22 dollars an hour. That seems to be an average with a few higher and a few lower. I make 24 plus a buck more for night shift. I received f/t shortly after because a person left and I almost didn't because I wasn't pushy. Read what people write about being out of a job for months after graduating.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have a Masters and I am drowning in debt with a part time job. Been searching for work for 7 years. If you are having trouble with the easy entry level classes you may want to rethink the debt. The classes only get harder, microbiology, pharmacology and chemistry. Also check the nursing needs in your area. In some states like Mass and California new grads can go years without a nursing job. RNs are forced to take LPN positions in nursing homes and once pegged in those positions can't get into hospital positions because the don't have acute care experience. I work with RNS who work as PCAs because they can't get a nursing job. The RN job market is super tight and the retirements are not happening because most nurses don't have pensions so they will have to work until age 68.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am located in jacksonville, Florida

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment