$50,000 for post-Bachelor BSN!

want2banurse35 · Jun 10, 2010

I dont blame you that is something to think about. I know 2 former classmates that graduated from private schools and they do not have jobs and are paying ($50,000) back loans or have deferred them. I think that is a good idea to work as a CNA first.

caliotter3 · Jun 10, 2010

I would keep your partial job whatever that is and only add part time CNA work if it will help out financially. Waiting around for the economy to get better instead of forging on with school is not such a good idea. Costs will continue to increase and you won't be getting any younger. Furthermore, the economy can not be predicted or how well you will be able to do in the economy as a new grad RN. You might get a job relatively easily or you might not be able to get a job for a very long time. You can't predict the future. Look at future with BSN and license versus future without BSN and license. At any rate, depending upon CNA pay until you retire at 65 will not cut it. I think your better bet is to gird up with income or savings as best you can, and go for that BSN. Good luck with your decision.

Starting Over... · Jun 26, 2011

50K for BSN? Where the heck are you going to school!?!?

I'm not trying to sound rude but there are other options that will cost way less and will allow you the ability to become an RN

I'm in a similar boat as you in terms of going back to school and here are the cost effective ways that I've decided to go about it. The only thing left for me to do is to make a decision on which semester to start. I may apply for the spring program to give me time to put some funds together.

1) Obtain an associates degree in nursing - The is the cheapest option and you will still get a job. I know this because I have a friend that got a job immediately (as well as other new graduates from nursing schools) after obtaining her license and she is still employed. There are some places that will be picky and require a BSN but I say apply anyway if you meet the minimum requirements. It's all about how you market yourself that will get you the job.

Not to mention, you already have a Bachelor's . Yes, it's in another field but it shows that you graduated from a four year program. The HR translation is that this is a job application that is disciplined, possibly professional, can commit to something long term.

2) If you are not convinced and still feel the BSN route is the way to go, take the prereqs at a community college (cost less) and then transfer to another college for the nursing program that costs less. They are out there, you just have to look

3) Maintain a high GPA and apply for scholarships. The min to graduate from nursing is a 3.0 so you have to get higher than that. Now before you start whining that nursing school is tough, yadda yadda yadda..... , look at your course load. You may have to take less classes if you find you cannot maintain a gpa higher than 3.0. Look for a tutor if you are really struggling.

4) Graduate and get the degree (Insert happy dance here)

5) Apply anywhere you can to get a job. Don't worry about the salary, benefits, etc...

Your goal is to get employed where you can gain experience. After you gain experience, it will be easier to shop around for a higher paying job.

Also, set your sight on hospitals that have loan repayment programs. Those programs are out there and from what I am hearing from people in the field (in my area outside this forum) is that not too many people are applying because they don't "like" the area, position, hospital, etc....

When it comes to finding a job for the first time, you really are not in a position to be picky so if you keep an open mind, apply, and get the position; your loans are paid, problem solved.

5) Be positive!!!! The job market will improve. Ever study physics or taken one class in it? If so, then you are well aware of the concept what comes up most go down and what goes down must come up. Around 8 yrs or so, when most of my friends were gainfully employed, I lost my job due to a layoff. I struggled but I did not give up. I took jobs that I really didn't like. They weren't demeaning or low paying positions, it's just that at my old job (the one I lost) allowed me to almost set my own hours whereas the positions I took were administrative positions that required me to be at work everyday from 9-5. Not my cup of tea. Over time, I was able to change industries and make more money however, the 9-5 aspect did not change.

Now the tables are turned. I have a job and a lot of new friends I have made through life's travels have lost theirs. Re-read my physics definition.

If you ever find yourself in a position where you cannot find a nursing position (after you get your RN) which I find highly unlikely , you can always accept a non-nursing job while you continue to look for nursing jobs. This will allow you to still pay bills while looking for that nursing job

Remember to send out lots of resumes, network, follow-up, etc.

Basically, the same things you did that have helped you land jobs in the past.

Here's how you have to look at nursing. As long as their are people on this planet, there will always be a need for nurses. The more "seasoned" nurses are not going to be nurses forever. New grads will eventually become seasoned and they will not be nurses forever either. See how there will always be a need for nurses?

I wouldn't worry unless they replace nurses with robots and if they do, the upkeep alone would be costly.

I'm a single mom with a mortgage, car note, student loans (from my bachelors degree) etc... so I know exactly what it means to be on a budget and not want to go in over your head.

You have to be positive and believe that it will work for you but only if you want it bad enough.

leenak · Jun 26, 2011

$50k sounds about right for a 2 year BSN/Accelerated BSN program in a private university, if not somewhat on the low end. In my area, the private schools cost between $50k-$70k.

There are cheaper options out there but there also tends to be more competition. I'd look at your state university system to see if you can go there. If you aren't set on a BSN, then you can also look at your community college system and pursue an ADN.

AprilAnney · Jun 27, 2011

I'd recommend just going for an ADN at your local community college. Significantly cheaper and the same job at the end of the tunnel.

dgolden · Jun 27, 2011

while I agree that the ADN may be more cost effective ( and don't get me wrong- they have incredible programs and make wonderful RNs), You should probably research around the hospitals near you and the future places you hope to search for a job. Many hospitals are reducing their ADN staff ( Not something I agree with, but IS happening) and the BSN does make you more competitive for the job slots.

Good luck!

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Jun 27, 2011

That is an insane amount of debt relative to the value of the degree.

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jun 27, 2011

I was recently accepted into a post-BA BSN program and am having doubts about the tuition, and the problems new grads are having getting hired. I am over 40 and been on partial layoff for 2 years taking science classes and looking forward to nursing school to now unable to pull the trigger on the tuition deposit.
I feel like I should work for a year as a CNA while seeing if the job market returns. The $50,000 seems high for an education that doesn't gaurantee a job. The folks at the school do there best to make the degree seem like a winner either way but a job at the end of the tunnel is not a nice bonus to me, it's a necessity.

That's a great deal of money and unless someone else is footing the bill, I would look at other options.

The option that Starting Over suggests - getting your ADN - is worth seriously considering. Assuming that you can attend a local community college, getting your associates and becoming an RN should be fairly low-cost proposition. Once you are an RN, you have the option of continuing your education via any number of on-line RN-BSN programs, many of which will run less than $10,000, such as Univer of Texas-Arlington, Ohio Univer, Univer of Wyoming and Fort Hays State (there are many others, some with tuition in this range but others significantly more costly).

If you go this route, you total tuition outlay should be substantially less than half the $50k figure you're looking at now. Like you, I also have a prior non-nursing degree and chose to pursue nursing via this route. The cost for me to complete my ADN, including the pre-reqs that I didn't already have such as A&P, nutrition and micro, was about $7,000. I am just starting the RN-BSN program at OU and anticipate that will run about $9,000, including books and fees. So my total for the BSN should be about $16,000. If you are fortunate enough to find a job after getting your ADN, your employer might even cover the cost for a BSN.

In my view, your goal should be the BSN for a couple of reasons. The first is that there is an accelerating trend toward the BSN as the minimum educational credential. In my geographic area, while the job market for all new RN's is tough, the market for ADN's is much tougher: Nearly all job postings for new grads have gone from "BSN preferred" to "BSN required". Even though my CC nursing program is one of the more selective in my area, with an excellent reputation and a very respectable 1st time NCLEX pass rate, something like 80% of my 2010 graduating and 50% of the 2009 class have not been able to find nursing jobs. This trend toward the BSN may not be fully underway in all parts of the country but it certainly is happening in most. From what I can see, there is a high degree or correlation with the BSN trend and the growth in the supply of new nurses, so I would expect it continue into the foreseeable future.

The second reason for a BSN is for career progression. The BSN will almost certainly be required for you move up the nursing ladder.

Also keep in mind that in many states, you are eligible for the CNA exam after completing the first semester of nursing school. If you can find a CNA position and work while in school, so much the better. Not only will you have some income, you may also have a leg up on getting hired when you become an RN - even with "only" your ADN. Of the 20% of my classmates from 2010 who are presently working as nurses, the overwhelming majority were CNA's or PCT's at the hospitals they were hired at as RN's. No guarantees, but this helps swing the odds a bit in your favor.

Best of luck with your decision.