Paying off Student Debt

[lithiumpink]

Hi Everyone,

I have a difficult situation. I am starting a nursing program at a community college, but I do have a BS and a MPH. Unfortunately, I decided to go into nursing at a later stage in my life, and I have a massive debt from my previous degrees ranging in the 100K range. I know it is big, but most of the cost came from my master's, and I had to leave cause that was the same time where my dad was getting very abusive (as he was unemployed and laid off and was experiencing depression) and controlling over me and it was safer for me to live away from home as the job climate was also very bad at the time (2008).

My question is that I have fortunately found a good situation where I can contribute almost 100% of my salary towards paying off my debt. My question is that can I stop at the RN and get a job as a RN, MPH? Or is the pay low and are hospitals not hiring RNs as much, and it would be necessary for me to go for a BSN as soon as possible? I am mainly asking to determine my budget and anticipated costs.

[lithiumpink]

Mainly- deciding to go straight to work, and become a nurse after a few years, or to go straight to nursing school and finish my education.

[ixchel]

I'm not sure how to help you figure out the exact details of what you are asking, but I wanted to suggest looking for an accelerated second degree BSN program, if there are any near you. You may be able to get the BSN a little more quickly, helping solve the dilemma you are trying to reason through. One of the biggest differences between ADN-RN and BSN-RN is the classes that you have already taken for your first degree. You may find the difference in cost negligible if you look at the program requirements local to you.