I am currently taking a CNA course at the local c.c. and am trying to get into the nursing program here. My goal is to be a pediatric nurse. My concern is if i get my education at a c.c. vs a "nursing school" will that affect my chances of getting a better job?

What do you consider "nursing school"?

I am in TN and they have some schools that teach only nursing and health care field course but they cost about 50k a year and the cc only cost 3k a year.

Ok, I was a little confused because nursing school to me is any accredited program that provides the student with the knowledge and courses necessary to allow them to sit for the NCLEX and obtain an RN license. I assume you would graduate from the cc with an ADN degree? In which case, you will have what you need to become a pediatric nurse once you obtain your RN license. Have you checked into both programs to see what are the differences?

I know I will attend the CC because of costs. I simply cant afford to shell out 50K a year for schooling.

That would be my choice too! Good luck!

Where I'm at, in Ohio, the nursing schools that cost 20K per year are not as respected as the community college nursing program. However, usually their credits don't transfer to other universities. My community college has a partnership with the local university so I can actually work on my BSN while I'm waiting for clinicals.

Nursing programs at community colleges are as legit if not more so than those more expensive ones. Just because a private school labels itself outright as a "nursing school" does not alone make it better. You need to check to make sure before ANYTHING that the nursing program to which you intend on enrolling is approved by your state's board of nursing, because that's what will determine whether you can sit for the nursing licensing exam after graduation. Additionally, if the same program is accredited by the NLNAC or CCNE, it is an additional, though not a necessary, assurance of a quality education. In fact, if you intend on going further to pursue your BSN or grad degree, the program where you earn your ADN might very well HAVE to be NLNAC or CCNE accredited.

I would personally avoid attending any nursing school that has not been around for a respectable amount of time AND that does not have a good track record of helping their graduates pass the NCLEX or of their graduates not being well-regarded in the industry.

I am in TN and they have some schools that teach only nursing and health care field course but they cost about 50k a year and the cc only cost 3k a year.

Nursing school is nursing school no matter where you take it. When your done whether you go to CC, State College for your BSN, or specialized nursing school you all sit for the same NCLEX RN boards and are all RN's when you pass.

BSN will open up more managerial positions.

But going to the private nursing school vs your CC program isn't going to make a lick of difference.

The Boards just want to know you graduated from a legit approved program. So save your money and go to the program your CC offers.

I am in a CC program that just got their NLNAC accreditation but were already state certified. Their NCLEX pass rate last 2 semesters were 100% on the first try, it's a tough program but they produce good nurses. The hospital I do clinicals at has said how much they love our students and how well they think we do.

I will do the online bridge program for my RN to BSN program, that way I can start working and stuff while I work on that.

I also am thinking about becoming a pediatric nurse and the Childrens hospital here requires a BSN and experience, so by the time I am ready to work there I would have both. LOL

Everyone else has given you good advice. I am in a cc program myself. In my area, my cc program actually has more respect than the private for profit or bsn programs. Just do a little research and see what you find.

I was just accepted into a CC nursing program...again! I already have a bachelor's degree and I'm attending the community college because of cost. My CC's NCLEX pass rate is just as high if not higher than some of the local universities here. They've never been placed on probabation unlike some of the other nursing programs in the area.

My tuition is $50 per credit hour. This semester I'm taking 7 credit hours and my tuition including other fees was only $412.75 compared to the thousands it would cost for a university or a diploma program. For someone paying out of pocket, that's a huge difference.

As others have stated, I'd check the NCLEX pass rate and accreditation, as well as other factors such as location.

Good luck with your decision.