Cost of BSN

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2013

From a financial standpoint, a general rule of thumb is to never borrow more money than you'll likely earn during your first year of working.

Although West Coast University is in southern CA, it is unlikely you'll earn even close to $128,000 annually there due to the tough job market combined with wage deflation. However, you will be stuck with a $1,500 monthly student loan repayment if you borrow the entire amount.

akanini, MSN, RN · Jan 10, 2013

All I can say is "Wow, that's REALLY expensive!" I honestly don't know what to say about this one. Keep up posted.

Kdrenee · Jan 10, 2013

OMG! My tuition is going to be around 50k and I was skeptical about that. There is no wait list for my program and its a BSN as well. It's a 3 year program. I will only be borrowing around 20k in loans and I am still terrified about that. I would be veryyyy skeptical about 128,000

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jan 10, 2013

Im currently looking into getting my BSN In West Coast University. Its a 39 month program. The cost of tuition is 128,000 for the whole program. This blew me away at first but the upside is there is no waiting time and you do graduate with a BSN. Any thoughts?

Hopefully, you are not really serious about going ahead with this program. Ridiculously high tuition can perhaps be justified for a nursing degree from a highly selective and nationally recognized program such as that at Johns Hopkins or U Penn, but $128k for a BSN from nearly anywhere else is madness in my opinion.

As a point of comparison, my BSN cost less than $15k, including books. Yes, I did it in stages: ADN through my local community college and the BSN on-line from a state-supported university and I saved where possible (always bought used textbooks, usually the prior edition). You may not be able to mirror this but there are many alternatives that will run far less than $128k.

As a final point, and I can't emphasize this enough, DO NOT BORROW the $128k! You will be paying off a loan of that size for most of your life, perhaps even into retirement. I urge you to not borrow at all if possible but if you absolutely, positively have to, borrow as little as possible. Student debt is a ticking time bomb and will absolutely eat your up.

sunbaby0811 · Jan 10, 2013

Do what?!? Oh heck no!!! My program (god willing if I get in) is going to be about $15k at a state school. Don't do it!!!!

Mrs.FlowersTheNurse · Jan 10, 2013

Well im going there... WCU... in Ahaheim... Tuition was reduced due to my transfer credits... I qualify for fin aid... and I'm using my husbands GI bill (I really hope that works out as planned) and so all ill be owing per year

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Mrs.FlowersTheNurse · Jan 10, 2013

I say... get your financial ducks in a row... try to reduce your person out of pocket cost as much as possible... grants... scholarships... etc

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MedChica · Jan 10, 2013

It's $128,000.

...and you're in California?

Man, that's a personal finance disaster waiting to happen.

Are you financing the full amt?

I'm just saying - most who go over $100,000 in student loans are medical doctors and lawyers...or went Ivy.

You won't even have a master's.

Just a BSN from a 3rd tier school(is it?).

Not that there's anything wrong with that. I attended a vocational school to gain entry into the nursing field...but I'll be damned before I'd lock myself down with $128,000 debt for it! LOL

(the military paid for mine...and it was $17000)

I've been researching LVN-BSN and BSN programs. This is the second or third school of it's type to spring up with it's astronomical tuition rates. I see that this West Coast University has a chapter in Texas?

$98,000? Are they affiliated with Devry? Is this a for-profit school? If so...you'd better make sure that those credits transfer.

If not, that degree is worthless.

ALLNURSES needs to make CNN hurry up and do that special on the 'Nursing student/Nursing shortage'.

These schools are beginning to get ridiculous in their attempt to meet the so-called 'demand' and mindless aspirants are lining up by the dozens to bend over and take it.

(with no lube)

...and they think the student loan debt bubble is huge, now? We probably haven't seen anything yet.

itsnowornever, BSN, RN · Jan 11, 2013

Well im going there... WCU... in Ahaheim... Tuition was reduced due to my transfer credits... I qualify for fin aid... and I'm using my husbands GI bill (I really hope that works out as planned) and so all ill be owing per year
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I did the same thing, and had a job quicker than quick. Is it expensive? Yes. BUT I just found out my hospital hired me, and then two others from my school. So we have a good name.

3rd tier? Where is that information coming from?

Mrs.FlowersTheNurse · Jan 11, 2013

I did the same thing, and had a job quicker than quick. Is it expensive? Yes. BUT I just found out my hospital hired me, and then two others from my school. So we have a good name.
3rd tier? Where is that information coming from?

Yup yup yup... I hear WCU peeps have great connections with the locals... I know a few grads and current students all of which are desired by the HR bigwigs...

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hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Jan 11, 2013

This blew me away at first but the upside is there is no waiting time and you do graduate with a BSN. Any thoughts?

Yes, but the downside is that the degree costs you $128,000. $128,000. For an undergraduate degree. In California. Where there is a glut of new grad nurses. Unless you have a solid plan in place to marry money or have a righ, long-lost uncle die and leave you a fortune, I would strongly caution against taking out that kind of debt for a BSN.

Seriously. Please don't do it.