Is spending $80,000 on a private ABSN school a waste

ponymom · Oct 29, 2017

Good God and Holy Jesus don't do this. You'll be kicking yourself up one side and down the other.

FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2017

It is not a waste, but it is not a good value. If you have a less expensive alternative I think you should take it, including relocating, if possible.

Ruas61, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2017

Is this school easy to get in with the cash? Are you having issues with other schools because of grades, wait list?

Libby1987 · Oct 29, 2017

Nobody seems to tell pre vet students that $250K for an education that on average pays less than nursing with no benefits is a waste. But then there are no workarounds for a DVM.

Depends on where you live and your projected success at being at the top of most marketable list as a new grad.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2017

referring back to that statistic by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation regarding the attrition rate of new nurses......

I have 12 years of experience and am currently sitting out of nursing. A major part is burnout. My profession has beaten the living heck out of me. I don't recall things being quite so awful back when i started but perhaps I was healthier in a number of different ways.

I've recently wondered why we have schools pumping out nurses like water (and ones that charge 80K for a degree are actually getting students) and yet nurse: patient ratios are still stupid and we have this statistic. Are these nurse that are pumped out like water not well prepared? Possibly. Or has society turned the bedside nurse into the mere passer of ginger ale and narcotics? Most are using bedside nursing as a pass through into something more lucrative. They either stay in nursing and move on to anything else or drop out of the profession entirely and become part of that statistic.

allnurses Guide · Oct 29, 2017

Well, I am researching colleges with my son who will be heading off in 2020 or 2021 and have found that the average college tuition for a BA/BS in the United States is somewhere between $100,000.00 and $250,000.00. I would say $80.000.00 is a bargain if you are getting a degree from a fully accredited College or University. If however you are going to a for profit private nursing school beware as some of your BSN credits may not transfer if you choose to move forward and earn your MSN or higher.

Hppy

CBlover, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2017

YES YES and YES. No if's and's or but's.

Big_Mike · Oct 29, 2017

yes because that is the only school I can get in. My grades are not good enough. Also, I made a mistake.It's not 80,000 it's going to cost 60,000.

Big_Mike · Oct 29, 2017

NO kidding. I can get a masters degree less than 100k

Jolie, BSN · Oct 29, 2017

Well, I am researching colleges with my son who will be heading off in 2020 or 2021 and have found that the average college tuition for a BA/BS in the United States is somewhere between $100,000.00 and $250,000.00. I would say $80.000.00 is a bargain if you are getting a degree from a fully accredited College or University. If however you are going to a for profit private nursing school beware as some of your BSN credits may not transfer if you choose to move forward and earn your MSN or higher.
Hppy

Hppy,

Please clarify: You state that the average tuition for a Bachelor's Degree in the US is $110K - $250K. By any chance, do you mean the total cost of attendance at a private US college? I believe you may be mixing apples and oranges.

My daughter is attending a private university. On paper, the yearly cost of attendance at VEU (Very Expensive University) is $65K, falling in the upper range of your quote above. Tuition amounts to $45K. The other $20K is mostly housing, meal plan, travel, and some other optional charges such as supplemental student health insurance. I suppose someone there may actually be paying $65K, but I highly doubt that accounts for many students, as virtually everyone there receives financial assistance of some sort that doesn't have to be repaid (grants, scholarships, work-study, etc.). Expenses not covered by these means are paid out of pocket or financed by loans. With the savings we already have in place, Dear Daughter will graduate without debt.

She considered a state university in our home state, with much lower tuition, housing and fees, which would have actually cost her MORE out of pocket than she is paying at VEU, because she was not offered any significant financial assistance there.

So while I applaud your early research and fully support any student's efforts to graduate without debt, please don't be put off by sticker price tags. If your child is genuinely interested in a particular school, I highly recommend establishing a relationship early on with the recruitment office and learning what kind of financial assistance is available. You may be pleasantly surprised.

chacha82, ADN, BSN · Oct 29, 2017

Since you asked...yes...I paid 1/4 of that for my ADN. If you have access to that amount of money, find a program for much less and put the rest in savings, or invest in a retirement account.

If you are counting on making that type of money early on in your nursing career, it is unlikely. There are lots of posts like these where the OP indicates they plan on working serious overtime or a second job to pay this tuition. That's admirable, but be aware that most facilities do not allow new grads to work OT for a substantial amount of time. It may not even be available, like the second job I had as a nurse. Finally, it is unlikely that your new grad position will work around a second job enough for you to make substantial money. Some new grad residencies prohibit you working anywhere else as a nurse while in their program.

SummitRN, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2017

If it is a good and accredited school... then ask

A How much will you make as a RN after taxes?

B How many years sooner will you start as a RN vs your other school options?

C How much do you other options cost?

Is 80K-C greater or less than A*B? That is your rough equation.... add in variables like earnings during school, work/life balance, etc

If the private is not reputable, is a for profit, etc... then it is a waste to throw 80K at.