I'm just getting started looking into the nursing field. I currently hold a BA in a non-nursing field. My preference would be to attend an accelerated BA to BSN program, but that will cost about $35,000. An ASN at the local communitity college would be about $7,000. I am 37 and have 2 young children and a mortgage, etc. Money is an issue of course.
I've heard some employers will pay for ongoing schooling to reach your BSN, as long as you work for them for a contracted time. How common is this really?
I'm debating how difficult it will be to get a job with a BSN vs. an ASN as well as how likely it would be to have ongoing education paid by an employer.
I was in a similar situation as you, with a bachelor's degree in another field and transitioning into nursing. I looked into a accelerated program but opted for a concurrent ADN-BNS program where I attended a community college and a university at the same time. The cost dramatically less. I'm graduated with my ADN and had only 3 additional classes for my BSN. I had no problem getting a job. I hospital I now work for does pay tuition reimbursement for BSN education so I'm letting them pick up the tab for my last classes. My fellow classmates who were not actively pursuing there BSN have had more of a difficult time in their job search. Good luck with your new career.
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
When I was in school, I signed a contract with a well known university for tuition forgiveness. Upon completion of school and passing boards, I was bound to a 2 year working contract with the university hospital and my ENTIRE tuition was paid for. On top of that, I applied for and received a $3000/year scholarship from my state. There were several other scholarships that I applied for and got as well. It takes a great deal of research and time to fill out all the apps, but I had a wonderful counselor at my nursing school who would alert me to new grants and scholarships that came about. I was also carrying a mortgage, so I understand your concerns.
See if there is a nursing school near you that may have a contract with larger hospitals that will reimburse you or put your tuition on a deferred basis. I hope you can find one! Good luck to you.
Sara RN
8 Posts
I was in a similar situation as you, with a bachelor's degree in another field and transitioning into nursing. I looked into a accelerated program but opted for a concurrent ADN-BNS program where I attended a community college and a university at the same time. The cost dramatically less. I'm graduated with my ADN and had only 3 additional classes for my BSN. I had no problem getting a job. I hospital I now work for does pay tuition reimbursement for BSN education so I'm letting them pick up the tab for my last classes. My fellow classmates who were not actively pursuing there BSN have had more of a difficult time in their job search. Good luck with your new career.