Cheapest NP Program ... period

Hmmmm. NP schools are not cheap. One option to manage cost is to get an MSN online through western governor's (cheap as HELL if you are self motivated, because you can take as many classes as you want for a flat rate each term), then get a post-MSN cert in your specialty. It won't knock much off the cost, but it might help. I saved about $20,000 by doing that.

I know someone on here posted that at South University she was paying $1700 every other month out of pocket to avoid having to take out student loans...so if a school has a payment plan and you can swing that payment you would leave with your degree and debt free =)

here is WGU's tuition = ( a term is equal to 6months)

Nursing Programs (MSN and BSN):

$3,250 per term

Thanks for the quick responses. The WGU concept seems to be more than just a novel ideal - thanks for the info. Of course, it opens up the natural follow-up question of where to get a post-master's cert. for FNP but, I suppose, cheaper is cheaper. :)

But what's up with the grad. gpa of 3.0 for everyone? Isn't that a lil sketchy when applying to more competitive post-master's or DNP programs?

USA is, I believe, around $430 per credit hour, and all online. Most semesters I saw for the FNP track were 6 credits each, with one being 9 credits, so it's usually under $3K per semester. It's one of the cheapest I've seen that doesn't require you to be in-state. I think University of Southern Illinois was comparable.

Exactly. This is the type of response I honestly appreciate for all of about 8 seconds. I realize cost shouldn't be the TOP priority priority, which is why my original question takes up about 1/2 of a page. Boston, huh? So if you clicked on my link you might have seen how U. Mass (in Amherst) is right up there with err, well actually according to that specific list it IS the cheapest in-state tuition.

The thing is, and I'm really not trying to sound utterly condescending or unappreciative of your feedback, cost is a deciding factor in where I can apply and in no small part because it wasn't such a concern of mine back when I was attending a very good (expensive) liberal arts school while earning my BA more than a decade ago; or whilst getting my BSN not too long ago as well. In fact, my disregard for mounting student loan debt is very much why I can't ignore the cost of any future NP school.

I also understand this is where people might say, "Hey Nurse Oakley44, maybe lay off the whole idea until you finishing paying off your current mortgage of student loans then". I get that but if I were to be able to attend a school where I could actually kind of pay as I go, then I'd much prefer to do that; which leaves me to my original question. What is the cheapest NP (preferably FNP) program (that's recognized in all 50 states or at least CA) that you know of??

I really can't stress enough the fact that I've been researching this very concept on Allnurses before I even finished my BSN but, much like the salary/wage inquiry threads, most of these type of posts dissolve into arguments about the quality of one program or another w/o ever mentioning any kind of hard numbers. For example, I've come to realize, if $ weren't a real issue, I would've already applied to UC Davis here in CA a couple months ago, or Drexel Univ., or Georgetown.

Again, thanks for reading.

Have you looked into the possibility of your hospital flipping some of the bill as reimbursement? Cheaper is not always the best.

\ said:

Thanks for the quick responses. The WGU concept seems to be more than just a novel ideal - thanks for the info. Of course it opens up the natural follow-up question of where to get a post-master's cert. for FNP but, I suppose, cheaper is cheaper. ? But what's up with the grad. GPA of 3.0 for everyone? Isn't that a lil sketchy when applying to more competitive post-master's or DNP programs?

I am also looking into NP programs and never even considered going the WGU route first for the MSN then getting the Post masters NP degree after. Does WGU have multiple Master's degrees to choose from? I wonder which one would be best to choose when going on for a NP degree. I am ultimately looking to get a degree as a Psych NP

Thanks for the input

They do offer tuition reimbursement. Although, the amount is relatively small.

Maybe I should have rephrased my original question a bit. I'm aware that cheaper is not always the best; not unlike money does not always = quality (i.e. Univ. of Phoenix, just my opinion).

I figured someone on Allnurses (or even Google) might have a something a more tangible list of actual tuition or cost-per-credit quotes at hand.

ps. I know programs such as Frontier are very reasonable (about $30k) but it's also geared towards Women's Health NP (which is actually pretty cool, but just not really my thing).

Frontier offers a Women's Health NP and also just a Family NP. So it might be worth checking out.