Accelerated BSN, how much did it cost you

Published

hi everyone... so i've been asking questions and love the education i'm getting on this site. So, i hear different opinions on how much Accelerated BSN costs. I would like to hear from those that went to an Accelerated program and/or attending one at the moment and know how much it cost them and which state it is? i just want to have an idea as to how much it would be so that i would be better informed when i look into the schools. i also wonder if state schools would be cheaper? Thanks guys.

Sounds like I'm lucky to have a great community college program in town. I used to work for a large hospital chain as a PSA and we hired more students from that CC than we did from the large universities :p

What are your plans post-graduation?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

$45k-$50k for a private 12 month absn program (technically i think it's 11 just cuz we get a month off for vacation in december) in california...but i ended up getting $12k in scholarships, $24k in federal loans, and the rest in alternative loans. still hoping for the hospital debt forgiveness program that could be offered (pays $25k of your tuition as long as you work for them for 2 years).

i'm 2 months into my program....9 more to go!

and yes...it is worth every single penny!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was planning to go to an out of state school. So it was cheaper for me to go to a private university than a public one out of state.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

On a separate note, to everyone that did the ABSN - what makes it work going into even more debt to become an RN when I can go to a community college and be an RN without paying a penny in the same amount of time?

You will be an RN, but you will not have a BSN. You will have an ADN. If you want to progress into management, you will likely need a BSN.

Hope to one day be a CNO? You'll need a BSN.

If you want to work for a pharmaceutical company, you will need a BSN.

If you want to become an NP or CRNA, you will need a BSN.

Many hospitals prefer new grads with BSNs. (Although ADNs get hired in the same numbers I would wager. The pay scale is also the same.)

Want to go into case management? BSNs preferred.

If you do not want a bachelor's degree and only want to bedside nurse, an ADN will suit you fine. (Some ADNs make it into management, but their trajectory is capped) Although with the backlog of students trying to get into ADN programs, a BSN program frequently will only add a semester or two onto your total schooling. Not always though....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
You will be an RN, but you will not have a BSN. You will have an ADN. If you want to progress into management, you will likely need a BSN.

Hope to one day be a CNO? You'll need a BSN.

If you want to work for a pharmaceutical company, you will need a BSN.

If you want to become an NP or CRNA, you will need a BSN.

Many hospitals prefer new grads with BSNs. (Although ADNs get hired in the same numbers I would wager. The pay scale is also the same.)

Want to go into case management? BSNs preferred.

If you do not want a bachelor's degree and only want to bedside nurse, an ADN will suit you fine. (Some ADNs make it into management, but their trajectory is capped) Although with the backlog of students trying to get into ADN programs, a BSN program frequently will only add a semester or two onto your total schooling. Not always though....

Most hospitals in my area view ADN+non-nursing bachelors to = BSN (or at least in my case since I did so much health care related research in undergrad and actually had a lot of BSN students working with me on my research projects as part of their degree). As soon as I graduate my ADN program, I will complete a RN-BSN program which all the hospitals in my area pay for with no return commitment - you just have to be employed to receive the benefit. Plus, the nursing grad school I'm looking at lets you directly enter into thet MSN program if you have ADN + non nursing bachelors (same as someone with a BSN) as well. So why not? It will take me an extra 8 months to get my BSN but I'll be debt free. Totally worth it to me - can't see any reason why knocking off even a year is worth taking on that much debt. Maybe I'm missing something?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Maybe I'm missing something?

I think it comes down to different strokes for different folks.

Some people may want a job that requires a BSN without having to take a circuitous route. Get in and get it done and have it over with.

A lot of employers will help pay back student loans anyhow. Student debt can also be written off when it comes to tax time. Others may want a BSN level job without having to work in bedside nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I didn't know you could get into a more management level job without doing bedside nursing first! What types of jobs require a BSN straight in? I've looked at my local hospitals and they hire new grad RNs with no specific degree requirements into ICU/ER where I want to be (hope to work in flight down the road) and I think already having a bachelor's degree and a few years of health care experience helps my application out a lot (mostly as a PSA/MST and some as a pharmacy tech).

If I didn't have a full-time job that gave me $3k/yr towards school I would probably consider the ABSN program. I just can't justify quitting my job and losing all that income, plus losing an extra $3,000/yr, plus taking on debt. I have enough debt ($20k) from my first degree :) In my case, I would also have to relocate about 1.5 hrs north.

I'm just amazed at the people spending $80k+ on a second degree! Most the schools in my area have the ABSN at around $15,000 for tuition (plus books/equipment)... 72 credit hours or so... 4 semesters.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I didn't know you could get into a more management level job without doing bedside nursing first! What types of jobs require a BSN straight in? I've looked at my local hospitals and they hire new grad RNs with no specific degree requirements into ICU/ER where I want to be (hope to work in flight down the road) and I think already having a bachelor's degree and a few years of health care experience helps my application out a lot (mostly as a PSA/MST and some as a pharmacy tech).

Like I said, if you want to work for a pharmaceutical company you will need a BSN. Would experience as a nurse help get you a job? Yes. Is it necessary? Probably not.

Informatics is another area that comes to mind. Although someone who knows more about that field can speak to BSN requirement. I'm fairly sure it's needed though.

Some people want to work in research. A BSN is much more preferred in that area. (and might be the only degree accepted since ADNs skip the research, while BSNs are taught it. In fact I think ADNs are severely limited in this area because of the lack of education in research.)

Some people are hired straight into management, though most people (espcially the nurses being managed) think that bedside nursing experience is a must.

One could continue onto law school and become a nurse lawyer.

One could go straight into NP school. Although I personally (along with many others) think this trend is bad thing.

If I didn't have a full-time job that gave me $3k/yr towards school I would probably consider the ABSN program. I just can't justify quitting my job and losing all that income, plus losing an extra $3,000/yr, plus taking on debt. I have enough debt ($20k) from my first degree :) In my case, I would also have to relocate about 1.5 hrs north.

Some people don't have jobs and would like to get one quickly, hence the ABSN. Some people wouldn't need to relocate so that cost isn't a consideration for them.

ABSN is not a route that is suited for everyone. For some it makes sense. If a program was available for me in my area when I got my BSN, I would have loved to have taken that route. I already had a bachelors degree and the ADN was going to take one less semester than the BSN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice.
I didn't know you could get into a more management level job without doing bedside nursing first! What types of jobs require a BSN straight in? I've looked at my local hospitals and they hire new grad RNs with no specific degree requirements into ICU/ER where I want to be (hope to work in flight down the road) and I think already having a bachelor's degree and a few years of health care experience helps my application out a lot (mostly as a PSA/MST and some as a pharmacy tech).

If I didn't have a full-time job that gave me $3k/yr towards school I would probably consider the ABSN program. I just can't justify quitting my job and losing all that income, plus losing an extra $3,000/yr, plus taking on debt. I have enough debt ($20k) from my first degree :) In my case, I would also have to relocate about 1.5 hrs north.

I'm just amazed at the people spending $80k+ on a second degree! Most the schools in my area have the ABSN at around $15,000 for tuition (plus books/equipment)... 72 credit hours or so... 4 semesters.

Im not sure why a previous degree will help you. I find a lot of people say that .....i don't need to get my bachelors because i already have one..... but it doesn't count. I had considered going the adn route and changed my mind because i make double in one year what my tuition was and only one year . If i were single or living off my income i may have felt differently but i just made my dh my sugardaddy for a year :) Plus there is a stigma with the adn...im tough skinned but even my mother gets asked when she tells people im a nurse 'is she an adn or bsn?"

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Im not sure why a previous degree will help you. I find a lot of people say that .....i don't need to get my bachelors because i already have one..... but it doesn't count. I had considered going the adn route and changed my mind because i make double in one year what my tuition was and only one year . If i were single or living off my income i may have felt differently but i just made my dh my sugardaddy for a year :) Plus there is a stigma with the adn...im tough skinned but even my mother gets asked when she tells people im a nurse 'is she an adn or bsn?"

At the hospitals around here, nobody asks and there is probably an equal number of both. There shouldn't be a difference in ADN or BSN for bedside nursing because both degrees lead to passing the same exact licensing exam. My undergraduate degree was in health care psychology so I did a lot of research, most with BSN students, I've taken multiple upper level stats classes including one at the graduate level, and I have a minor in computer science. There isn't much I'll gain from a BSN vs ADN that will make me a better bedside nurse, IMO. The charge nurse on the floor I used to work at was one of the best nurses's our floor had seen (according to our manager) and she only had a diploma. More education doesn't necessarily make you better. I'll do it because it is what everyone wants, but I'm doing it on someone else's dime.

All the ABSN programs in my area are through private religious based schools that are both insanely expensive and require a lot of prerequisites I don't have such as cultural anthropology (I only took biological), comparative religion, sociology, intro to philosphy, etc. One of the two programs has you taking 37 credit hours your third of 3 semesters. The other program is only 12-13 credit hours at a time so it takes 6 semesters to complete!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

45K for a 20 month direct entry MSN

$8500 paid for by school and federal grant money and the rest by a combination of subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice.
At the hospitals around here, nobody asks and there is probably an equal number of both. There shouldn't be a difference in ADN or BSN for bedside nursing because both degrees lead to passing the same exact licensing exam. My undergraduate degree was in health care psychology so I did a lot of research, most with BSN students, I've taken multiple upper level stats classes including one at the graduate level, and I have a minor in computer science. There isn't much I'll gain from a BSN vs ADN that will make me a better bedside nurse, IMO. The charge nurse on the floor I used to work at was one of the best nurses's our floor had seen (according to our manager) and she only had a diploma. More education doesn't necessarily make you better. I'll do it because it is what everyone wants, but I'm doing it on someone else's dime.

All the ABSN programs in my area are through private religious based schools that are both insanely expensive and require a lot of prerequisites I don't have such as cultural anthropology (I only took biological), comparative religion, sociology, intro to philosphy, etc. One of the two programs has you taking 37 credit hours your third of 3 semesters. The other program is only 12-13 credit hours at a time so it takes 6 semesters to complete!!

you get a stronger background in research based nursing and community health with a bsn than a ADn degree. I'm not sure that bsn/adn makes a huge difference around where i live either most are having a hard time finding a job ....im just glad that i got a position that i love. I won't get in the argument with you i have worked with great lpns, adns and bsn's and it sounds like you have made up your mind. Im glad that i got the degree i did in the manner I did and i will leave it at that. Good luck to you (and i wouldn't have paid 80 thousand either...one of the big reasons i went for the bsn was it was quicker than getting my ADN)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion