Cost of BSN

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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Im currently looking into getting my BSN In West Coast University. Its a 39 month program. The cost of tuition is 128,000 for the whole program. This blew me away at first but the upside is there is no waiting time and you do graduate with a BSN. Any thoughts?

Specializes in geriatrics.

People really need to examine the numbers before taking on 100 k of debt. First, new grads can expect to be unemployed and job searching for at least 6 months. No income. The average new grad salary will net 2000-3000 dollars per month, IF you are working full time. So, if the new grad is making on the lower end 2000 per month, and the loan payments are 1500 per month, how does the new grad expect to eat and pay rent? Never mind a social life for 10 years. Anything more than 60 k of debt is financially stupid. Don't fall for it.

Specializes in Pharmaceutical Research, Operating Room.

That kind of debt for a BSN in absolutely crazy. I'm in an accelerated, accredited program through one of the local state universities, and I'll come out in 16 months with about $35,000 worth of debt. That includes my pre-reqs. So, earned the same degree in the same time, with MUCH less debt to be saddled with for years and years and years......

People really need to examine the numbers before taking on 100 k of debt. First new grads can expect to be unemployed and job searching for at least 6 months. No income. The average new grad salary will net 2000-3000 dollars per month, IF you are working full time. So, if the new grad is making on the lower end 2000 per month, and the loan payments are 1500 per month, how does the new grad expect to eat and pay rent? Never mind a social life for 10 years. Anything more than 60 k of debt is financially stupid. Don't fall for it.[/quote']

Where are you getting your facts? I take home a little over 4grad a month?!?!? You can't take out the amount in loans, with WCU you will end up paying cash up front. OP many of these posters are not in CA. I am. I went there. I know the struggles of trying to get into other programs and in CA the school has a great reputation. On top of that, BSN new grads are hard to come by in this state, and its hospitals are actively pursuing BSN nurses.

Specializes in geriatrics.

Most new grads are not taking home 4 grand per month. My facts are based on an average range of a new grad nurse salary.

Most new grads are not taking home 4 grand per month. My facts are based on an average range of a new grad nurse salary.

An average range including the entire US? As everyone knows Ca is more expensive, and I make the bottom of the barrel pay for California. $27 an hour is rock bottom here. Not challenging just curious!

Well im going there... WCU... in Ahaheim... Tuition was reduced due to my transfer credits... I qualify for fin aid... and I'm using my husbands GI bill (I really hope that works out as planned) and so all ill be owing per year

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Obviously, you need to do what's best in your situation and I wish you the best of luck.

I think the point that most of the posters were trying to make is that $128k is very expensive for a BSN and that there are many much lower cost alternatives. While there are a few more expensive schools, they tend to be the highly rated, and highly selective universities, not the schools that mere mortals like most us attend. For example, UPenn - arguably the top nursing school in the country and consistently rated in the top five - runs about $180k in tuition alone for the four years necessary for a BSN. The high tuition is partially balanced by Penn's placement rate (which has been virtually 100% pretty much forever) and a powerful alumni network. As good as Penn is however, I would not think of paying $180k for a BSN from them.

Again, best of luck to you and any other WCU students both at school and more importantly, in your job search after graduation.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

The next financial crisis....$138,000 for a BSN...:eek:..NO!

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

I'm sorry, I thought our buddies at Med School were the only guys toting that kind of debt. I knew the Ivy's were high $$$, but for real!!! If I am paying nearly $1,300 a month for a $130K tuition bill, I better have a job lined up where "CEO" follows my name, LOL!!!

Boston(not CEO material- who graduated "Laude cum Soon!" just after a "State University's Tuition!")

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.

Please don't be offended by all of us. I hope that you understand that you asked for an opinion and you are getting it from a group of individuals who have personal experience in life and money.

DON'T DO THIS!!!!!! I BEG YOU!!!!!!

I spent over 10 years paying off 65K for my law school debt. If I had not been married I'd have needed to take on a roommate. And that's with me making about twice the average salary of a nurse at the time. And, I guess we are assuming you are going to get loans. (Because, who has 100K in hand and needs a nursing degree?) But, you can see the calculator someone posted on here....do you think it's worth a $1300 a month payment? Is there really no other viable, cheaper option?

OMG! My tuition is going to be around 50k and I was skeptical about that. There is no wait list for my program and its a BSN as well. It's a 3 year program. I will only be borrowing around 20k in loans and I am still terrified about that. I would be veryyyy skeptical about 128000 :o[/quote']

What school do you go to?

Specializes in geriatrics.
An average range including the entire US? As everyone knows Ca is more expensive, and I make the bottom of the barrel pay for California. $27 an hour is rock bottom here. Not challenging just curious!
I've done the math. 30 dollars an hour is roughly 60 grand a year. But after all the taxes and deductions, that's roughly 3100 a month net, at least where I live. Many new grads are not starting at 30 dollars an hour, as evidenced by the range people post on AN. So, if you have a loan payment of 1500 per month, that doesn't leave much to live on.

Remember, California pays high wages due to the cost of living. California wages are not typical for new grads in the US.

I've done the math. 30 dollars an hour is roughly 60 grand a year. But after all the taxes and deductions that's roughly 3100 a month net, at least where I live. Many new grads are not starting at 30 dollars an hour, as evidenced by the range people post on AN. So, if you have a loan payment of 1500 per month, that doesn't leave much to live on.[/quote']

Glad your math rocks, but I still bring in over a hair more than 4,000 a month. Yes at 27 an hour. Granted we get 4 hours of over time to make up for the lower payment. No most new grads don't, but I will say yet again, in California life in general is more expensive so in turn your pay is higher and I make bottom of the barrel pay where most hospitals start new grads at $33 an hour. Yes it's a steep loan payment, but calculating the loan amount to money not earned waiting the 1-3 (which using your math is somewhere between 60k-180K) years to get into a CC (if you manage to get a job after with an ADN here) is much higher. You pick your poison. I'm happy with what I picked (and you can pay monthly instead of taking out the whole thing in loans, which is what I did)

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