ndRNCA

I graduated 6 years ago and didn't start repayment for almost a year after. I graduated with over 100K in debt; never expecting it to be that high. Now I am familiar with a lot of the refinancing programs, and we are on track to have our debt paid off by 2023. Like the 2nd response, I remember a lot of organizations offering bonuses and loan repayment incentives as recently as 07/08. I live in southern California and in my area, I haven't seen anything like that. I know there are some rural areas that offer incentives, but not enough to warrant a relocation.

My husband and I currently have $160,000 in student loan debt. We have consolidated the loans down to the lowest interest rate and are on track to pay them off in 6 years. Have any nurses had recent luck with student loan repayment and assistance? When I went to nursing school a decade ago, there were signing bonuses, loan assistance from employers, and in general lots of programs to help nurses with student loans. Now, most of this seems to have dried up, unless you want to join the military, live on an Indian Reservation or are lucky enough to work for a facility approved for the HHS program. Has anyone had luck in the last 2-3 years with an employer, state program, grant, anything to help supplement their loan debt? I did get approved for the California Nursing assistance program, with pays $8K over two years. We make too much money for student loan forgiveness, so we each have a private, consolidated loan of about 80K, and each payment is $1200/month.

California. Surgery.

I overall disagree with this article. I did see it printed before reading it here. I think it's hard to get younger men to want to come into the profession, but I think a majority of those would be well served to at least entertain the idea of nursing as a career. Would women rather have an unemployed husband with outmoded skills or lacking them all together, over a nurse that possibly goes to an office and wears a dress shirt? You'd have to be awfully insecure to pick the former in my opinion. I make $115k a year working 36 hours a week with no nights, holidays, weekend or call. Tell me what other job offers these benefits with that pay. Don't worry, I'll wait.

Anyone have any luck finding money to use to pay back student loans? I am in California and have applied for and was approved for an occupational scholarship. It pays $1000 a quarter, up to $8K. I have $85K in student loans and haven't had much luck finding anything else. Ideas?

Based on your post, nursing is not your passion, and you can't do it just for the paycheck. Not all nursing positions require bathing or even direct patient care. You could become an RN and work for an insurance company. I would research the job market and available nursing programs in your area. You want to make sure you will have career options if you do go forward with your schooling.

This is an old post, but I just relocated to California, and had some thoughts for those who may be in this position, LPN, finish your RN in California. My early understanding is that nursing programs in California are very competitive, more so than other states. You may find the waiting lists and number of applicants to those that get accepted is higher than other states. So I would complete your BSN before moving to California. Use a program that is CCNE or NLN accredited. If you are an LPN or an RN with a ASN or ADN from another state, you may find it easier to complete your BSN before relocating, and it may make it easier to transfer your license.