The best and cheapest RN to BSN schools.

scceda, BSN, RN · Sep 29, 2013

Try Western Governors University, the only drawback is they don't have grades, so your GPA can't be more than 3.0.

mama.RN · Sep 29, 2013

Look at your local community colleges that may have special affiliations/relationships/programs with four-year schools with RN-to-BSN programs. For example, my local community college now has a program where you can get your BSN through a prestigious four-year nursing school located in a nearby state, but by taking the courses at the community college and paying the community college tuition rate.

pknurse · Sep 29, 2013

State schools (e.g. CSUs).

Go to your state's BRN website, look at accredited RN-BSN programs. WGU is cheap - however, that depends on how long you want to finish it in. The shorter time, the cheaper.

rookiebaby · Sep 30, 2013

Right now I am currently in University of Wyoming. I am taking 3 classes/9 credits and I am paying roughly $1,800 a term.

I will be taking about 40 credits to finish my BSN and that is roughly $10,000.

So far it is going really well. The instructors are on point and are always willing to help.

noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP · Sep 30, 2013

I'm doing Purdue Calumet's. It's around $11,000 for the whole degree. I have a previous bachelors so I didn't have to take any prerequisites but I think those with ADN's only had minimal prerequisites (English II and Statistics).

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 30, 2013

I agree about checking your state universities. I am in NC, many of the state schools have online programs and are not that expensive. I think mine @ East Carolina is 35ish hours and will be roughly $7500 give or take (I am renting books). Many of the Carolina system schools have an online RN-BSN program. I am sure your state does.

DoGoodThenGo · Oct 2, 2013

I agree about checking your state universities. I am in NC, many of the state schools have online programs and are not that expensive. I think mine @ East Carolina is 35ish hours and will be roughly $7500 give or take (I am renting books). Many of the Carolina system schools have an online RN-BSN program. I am sure your state does.

While state and local college/universities can and often do offer excellent nursing education at very affordable rates, that usually also means they attract far more applicants for open seats than can be admitted. Pre-nursing students can find themselves cooling their jets for one, two or more semesters waiting (hoping) to be formally admitted.

Here in NYC the various state and "city" university systems are packed with nursing and pre-nursing students. For say a incoming class with about 100 slots there could be easily >200 applicants with a good majority all having GPAs at 3.0 or even >3.5 with excellent NLN or similar type exam scores.

It is no surprise that some simply bite the financial bullet and go to private colleges such as NYU. Yes, they will pay vastly more in tuition and such but OTOH they won't have to wait over a year or more just to be accepted into the program.

featherzRN, MSN · Oct 4, 2013

WGU rocks! Yes, they only have a 3.0 GPA but many have gotten into graduate school just fine. Haven't actually heard of anyone getting turned down, although it's possible I suppose for very competitive schools. I graduated in just over three months/$3.5K - don't think you can beat that! :)