How mych did you $pend to become a Registered Nurse?

[rn4ever?]

Just curious.....How much did you spend (tuition and school fees) to become a Registered Nurse?

[Libra_8]

it probably would accumulate to about 35k+ excluding all assistance and scholarships. Accelerated BSN at UMSL, prereqs at a Community college.

[86toronado, BSN, RN]

In just tuition, probably $15,000*. If you add in books, licensing fees etc. probably $17000. If you add in credit card bills accrued while working part time and attending nursing school... $20K? $25K? Fortunately, I was able to sell a piece of real estate at a profit this past fall and pay all of the credit card debt off.

* I went to a private college, and didn't take any employer tuition reimbursement. My husband is going to graduate in 2010 with $0 in tuition, books, and school fees, because he agreed to work for his employer for 4 years following graduation.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

My community college ADN cost about $7,000. My license cost about $350.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

About $6500, including uniforms and books..

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

I did a two year program at a technical college, for an associate's degree. Every cent of $4200 worth of tuition for 12 quarters was paid by either pell grant or hope scholarship. (Hope became active a little over halfway through.) Outside of that was about $750 worth of stethoscopes, $300 worth of uniforms, and about $800 worth of books prior to when Hope started giving me a stipend for the books. And yes, I know 12 quarters was three years, but I took my math classes first and one at a time in order to do well, starting with the remedial math.

In the meantime I did not work for the two years of the actual program. I had food stamps, for the first three quarters of the program I had child care paid for, and something that used to be JPTA stipends for gas and child care as well, it usually amounted to about $100-ish per month, and my disabled child's SSI payments paid the rent. My boyfriend lent me a car, and we ate well but I of course had to cook a lot and take my lunch with me.

I graduated with no money, no debt and a full pantry.

[rocky16]

im about to pay $45k for my accelerated B$N program...but hopefully if i get that hospital scholarship, it will cut it down to $20k

[oramar]

$4000-$5000 in years 1979 to 1982. That included everything for an ADN.

[LiverpoolJane]

I'm shocked, I had no idea it would cost so much, actually I'm shocked anyone has to pay to be a nurse. I was very fortunate as when I started my nurse training back in 1989 (in the UK) I was employed by the hospital and educated by the hospital school of nursing. As a hospital employee I was part of the ward team and was counted in the staffing numbers on most clinical placements. I was paid extra for nights, weekends etc.

Nurse training in the UK has changed since then and students are either seconded by their hospital and continue to receive their salary, or can claim a bursary up to about £7,000 per year.

[RNperdiem, RN]

I paid around $3500 for my ADN at a community college. I only bought the books I really needed(and still use for reference) for another $200.

I managed to live at home and my $4/hr CNA job paid all schooling and other living expenses.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

I went to college on the Pell Grant which paid for all 5 years of my schooling because my mother was a widow and our income level was below the poverty line. I worked a part time job and had some income from my fathers social security while I was in school (he passed away when I was nine). I had one small loan of $2000.00 and a couple of scholarships.

[MERRYWIDOW46]

I graduated 1976, probably $4000 total, Tuition $3300 for entire program. Add in books, room and board, uniforms. That was dirt cheap compared to today. I also got a TOP NOTCH education at one of the TOP 3 Nursing programs in the country at the time. Massachusettes General, and Johns Hopkins were #1 and 2 when I attended school. Wouldn't trade any of my education or experience for anything. I feel Blessed and fortunate to have experienced all I have in my "almost" 34 years.