How common is it for employers to pay for BSN?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Dec 13, 2014

My health system will pay $5,000/yr for BS, $8,000/yr for MS degrees all health care disciplines with promise to stay for each yr payment made--directly paid to college.

klone, MSN, RN · Dec 13, 2014

Every place I've worked has offered tuition reimbursement. Anything from $2000 to $5000/year.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2014

Employer tuition is becoming less common than it once was; since more employers are expecting new hires to already have these degrees, they are less inclined to pay for them. That said, it's far from unheard of, it just isn't the guarantee it once was....and you can expect to pay a decent portion of it yourself, depending on school.

Federal loans and grants are affected by whether you already have a prior degree when applying, and whether this is not your first time applying, so that's good to keep in mind.

I work for DVA and there's a pretty generous continuing education allowance/scholarship if one qualifies...and that's not too tough. But worth mentioning, since you mention wanting to have children in the not-too-distant future, is that if you fail to complete your employment for the specified number of years for any reason once you've started the VA-paid coursework, you are on the hook for some pretty serious penalties: up to 3x the max amount paid, and that's not chicken feed!

Good luck!

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2014

I could have gone on contract but I would have been stuck with a job I hated for at least two years or at least 1 year. I chose not do the contract. I will probably do a contract if I go for a MSN.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2014

My current hospital will only pay for an LPN to RN. They won't pay for a BSN. They require a 2 year contract, and are choosy about who they will do this for.

MrChicagoRN, RN · Dec 13, 2014

Everyplace I've ever worked has offered tuition reimbursement. Hospital 1 helped pay for my BSN, Hospital 2 helped with my masters. Not 100%, and one required I stay a year to get final payment, but all paid a big chunk of it.

its actually a pretty cheap benefit. It attracts those seeking to improve their skills, knowledge, or employability; but is in reality used by only a small percentage of its employees.

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Dec 13, 2014

My facility pays $5k/yr for medical education and $4k/yr for non-medical

Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP · Dec 14, 2014

My hospital eliminated all tuition reimbursement at the end of 2013, luckily for me I graduated from my ASN to BSN program in December 2013.

smartnurse1982 · Dec 15, 2014

My employer does not offer anything,no 401k,no tuition reimbursement,nothing.

I work for a homecare agency though.

It seems if you want your employer to pay for extra education,your BEST bet is to find work in a hospital.

Skip nursing homes and home care agencies for now.

HazelLPN, LPN · Dec 15, 2014

I received tuition reimbursement when I was working on my BSN. The hospital did not care what you were working on, as long as it was in a field that would benefit them and you earned at least a 2.5 gpa. They would pay 100% of the university tuition of the state university that they were affiliated with if you were full time. If you worked part time, they would pay that percentage of it (80% of if you worked .8). If you trained at another school, they would only pay the amount of the state school and you came up with the rest. I ended up retiring before I finished, but stayed on part time and I didn't have to repay the money.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 15, 2014

my hospital pays 5K per calender year for continuing ed.