How much is too much to pay for school?

The programs in my area that I can reasonably expect to get into are 28,000-30,000. My employer will pay 3k, but I have to work 20 hrs/wk (is that even possible!?) Is this too much to pay for a BSN? My top choice is the one that is 28k for a 16 month program, but I feel I would be getting a top-notch education. New grads make about 20/hr here.

If you don't mind me prying, how much is your school? In what area of the country is it in?

[Jolie, BSN]

I assume you are considering Methodist and Clarkson? Both are excellent programs with very good reputations. 20 hours/week during an accelerated BSN program might be a stretch. During a conventional program, I think it is do-able.

Have you considered applying to the new VA facility? It is my understanding that they offer a pretty generous education package, and the benefits would be top-notch as well.

Good luck.

Too much for me was $12,000/semester for an accelerated BSN program in Miami Shores. Instead I decided to attend a local community college where the entire tuition and books will cost me about $6,000. Then, I plan to complete an RN-MSN program which will cost about $10,000.

There is a scholarship available at my school and if I'm granted it, it covers the $6,000 for tuition and books. Also, I plan to get tuition reimbursement from my employer for the RN-MSN program.

[Jules A, MSN]

I guess if there truly isn't any alternatives that would have to work but fwiw I did my LPN and now ADN for about $7,000.

I'm not being sarcastic but "too much" is "more than you can afford."

If money is a consideration, then you will have to weigh curriculum against pass rate, future debt and earning ability. Can you find out the pass rate for the schools in your state? In Massachusetts, the Board of Registration in Nursing posts these statistics on their website. It's a place to start.

I'm in a program that is very affordable for me. As a live-at-home student with a veteran's tuition waiver, I think I pay about $2500/semester at one of the state colleges. The education is basic, not very exciting, and as a general rule, the instructors do not inspire me. But, I'm smart, I don't have the added stress of having to work at the same time, and I can give the work the attention it needs.

The end point is passing. There are many ways to reach the top of the RN mountain. There may be prestige in certain schools but if you are smart and interested, I think just about any accredited school is fine. Community colleges are an excellent, affordable means to the end. From what I've heard at my school, community colleges are also more flexible and understanding of their students' need to work while going to school and responsibilities to family. The department at my school is rigid in this regard.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I'm not being sarcastic but "too much" is "more than you can afford."

If money is a consideration, then you will have to weigh curriculum against pass rate, future debt and earning ability. Can you find out the pass rate for the schools in your state? In Massachusetts, the Board of Registration in Nursing posts these statistics on their website. It's a place to start.

I'll second that. Only you can decide how much tuition is too much, based on the tuition charged, your finances, and what you'd need to do (or be willing to do) to meet that tuition--things such as working, lifestyle changes, student loans, etc.

Don't judge nursing programs based solely on their tuition either. As a rule you do get what you pay for--for example, tuition may be much lower at one school but their equipment might be older or outdated, while a more expensive school may have more state-of-the-art stuff at your disposal to play with.

However, the most expensive nursing program in the lot may not necessarily be the best nursing program: for all the bells and whistles an expensive school has, they may also have a nursing faculty and curriculum that's barely clearing the bar. So you do need to check for accreditation and NCLEX pass rates as well as new graduate hiring rates to determine if that school is something that is worth affording.

I agree - "too much" is entirely subjective, and a lot depends on where you live. My mother - a teacher - always said that you should never pay more for your education than you will realistically make your first year out of school, and I was always told that because my parents both paid their own way through college, I was expected to as well. My first BS came from a school that cost upwards of $30,000/yr, but I had a full tuition scholarship so it cost me nothing. My BSN will come from a public university that costs just over $2,000/semester, and for this I'm taking out loans - it's costing me considerably more than my first, more expensive degree. However, I'll graduate with a total lifetime student loan debt of about $17,000, and I can expect to make more than double that my first year working.

"Don't judge nursing programs based solely on their tuition either. As a rule you do get what you pay for--for example, tuition may be much lower at one school but their equipment might be older or outdated, while a more expensive school may have more state-of-the-art stuff at your disposal to play with."

quote]

Luckily for me, I'm truely getting a bargin. The NCLEX pass rate for my $6,000 school was 92% for the last class, according to the Fl board of nursing. Although, they could update some of the equipment.

Its about 5 grand a year in NZL, so all up about 15 thousand to do the programme in three years. Some peopel take five years.

Of course, that's just the tution fees.

With that said, it's actually a lot of money and I've already racked up a massive $75,000 student loan.

Thanks Helen Clark and your puturid Labour govt for crippling the future generation.