The Cost Of Nursing School
Many families are unable to pay outright for a college education.
The cost of a four year degree in the United States is anywhere between $9,970 to $25,620 per year and $34,740 per year .
The cost of attending college continues to increase and has been for almost 10 years. Students pursuing a degree in nursing are not the exception to this.
Students who would like to get their bachelors in nursing can expect to pay anywhere from $40,000 to north of $100,000 per year based on what school they choose to go to .
Some students have been able to find tuition relief by going the associate route.
Students getting their associates degree in nursing can expect to pay between $3000 to $14000 a year.
All of those numbers look really high but its not even the whole picture. Those numbers only look at the tuition side of the equation.
Its unreasonable to assume that number will be the only expense you would have in nursing school.
For example what about the cost of your textbooks?
If youve never paid for school textbooks before, youre going to wish you hadnt when you look at those prices.
In college, Ive spent well over $1000 several times for one semesters worth of textbooks.
Ive had one textbook that was a couple of hundred dollars by itself.
Other expenses would be your
- Nursing uniform
- Liability insurance your school will make you get
- Miscellaneous nursing school supplies like a stethoscope, blood pressure coughs and so forth.
Those are all school-related.
To break it down.
Master Of Science In Nursing
Average cost:$35,000 to $70,000
Having a Master of Science in Nursing can open more career doors for a nurse for example, graduates could find employment as nurse practitioners, nurse researchers, nurse administrators, or nurse educators.
Most traditional MSN programs are designed for students who have already earned their BSN and take one to two years to finish. There are also three- to four-year bridge programs available for nurses who dont have their BSN.
What You Need To Consider Before Enlisting
Although the benefit of getting a fully-funded education via the military is a huge benefit, there are also some major considerations you will have to make before deciding if the military route is right for you.
All tuition programs through the military will require a service commitment that can vary from months to years. Before you enlist, youll want to ask yourself some of the following questions:
All these are great questions to think about and consider in your decision to join the military. It can also be helpful to connect with other nurses who have gone that route to get their nursing education paid for by the military to hear firsthand how the experience was for them.
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Ten Government Assistance Programs For Nurses
In addition to federal loan programs, there are also government assistance programs that may be available to help you pay for your nursing degree or get reimbursed later on after financing your degree. Here are some of the government assistance programs available for aspiring nurses or nurses looking to advance their careers:
Use Private Student Loans To Fill The Gaps
After youve exhausted your scholarship, grant, and federal student loan options, private student loans can help fill any financial gaps left over.
Keep in mind that private loans dont come with the protections of federal loans, which means they should be a last resort when it comes to borrowing for school.
However, private student loans do offer some benefits of their own, such as:
- Higher loan limits: You might be able to borrow up to your schools cost of attendance with private student loans.
- No application deadlines: Unlike with federal loans, you can apply for private student loans at any time while youre enrolled in school.
Tip:
There are also some lenders that offer student loans for bad credit, but these loans tend to have higher interest rates compared to good credit loans.
If youre struggling to get approved for a private student loan, consider applying with a creditworthy cosigner to improve your chances. Even if you dont need a cosigner to qualify, having one could get you a lower interest rate than youd get on your own.
Learn More: Private Student Loan Repayment Options
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Other Types Of Grants
In some cases, there are also grants available through your school, or through other private and public organizations, so you can check with your school on what other types of grants they can recommend applying for. Additionally, do your research and look at local organizations and online for specific grants you may be eligible for.
Graduating With As Little Debt As Possible
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How To Approach Paying For Nursing School
Options for financial aid are available for students of all backgrounds and prior education levels. Whether youve just graduated high school or youre an adult learner returning to school for the first time in decades, you can research aid that works for you and your unique situation. There are scholarships, loans, and grants tailored to different types of students, and they can be found from both private lenders and the federal government.
For all students, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a great place to start. The FAFSA can determine what government assistance you may qualify for and is used by many schools financial aid packages.
Consulting With Your Program And Financial Aid Office
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The Case For Starting With Cna Programs
CNA programs are typically the least expensive to complete out of all nursing degrees or licenses and can be a valuable stepping stone to nursing degrees. If you attend a program that charges tuitionremember, not all doyoull generally graduate with little to no debt to begin with. But, there are some opportunities to either have your tuition and supplies paid for before you begin or have those costs reimbursed after completion.
See if you qualify for Pell or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants. For both options, you need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid . FAFSAs must be submitted between October and February, so relying on federal aid may limit when you can begin school. To earn these grants, community colleges are usually your safest options, as theyre most likely to receive government fundingbut other educational or training facilities may also offer them. Talk to your schools financial aid office to see if they participate in these grant programs.
If your program doesnt qualify you for Pell or FSEOG grants, you should be mindful of where you apply for jobs.
However, this isnt necessarily universalyou may need to work in a facility with a Medicare and/or Medicaid contract. These repayment requirements also often only apply to nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Check with your employer or with your individual state board of health or medicine to see what their regulations are.
Apply For Federal Student Loans
If you cant fund your education entirely through scholarships and grants, you may qualify for a federal student loan. When you submit your FAFSA, youll learn about federal student loans you qualify for.
If you meet the governments low-income requirements, you may qualify for a subsidized loan. You dont pay interest on this type of loan while youre in school. If you dont meet these income qualifications, you may still be able to obtain an unsubsidized loan. Youll be responsible for paying interest you accrued on the loan while attending school.
Most federal loans offer lower interest rates than private loans and you dont need to start paying them back until after graduation. If you have trouble staying on your repayment plan, the federal government may work with you to defer or lower loan payments.
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Best Ways To Get Paid To Go To Nursing School In 2021
- 6 minute read
The nursing profession is a very profitable one. There are about 2.86 million registered nurses working in the United States already.
They provide support and care for patients. This includes giving them medication or preparing them for surgery.
On average, a licensed and practicing nurse takes home $47,480 every year. These figures are as of 2019 and are courtesy of theBureau of Labor Statistics.
So, if you want a profession with money-making opportunities, try nursing school. Yet, going to nursing school is not a walk in the park.
The cost of it alone may discourage you from going ahead with it. University tuition in the US is expensive and is always on the rise.
For the 2018/19 session, it reached an average of $14,512. This makes many students take ridiculous amounts of student loans. Among 2019 graduates, the average debt amount was $27,000.
The irregular job market already leaves so many people unemployed. This means theres almost no way to pay back these loans.
So, if youre reading this, you want to get paid to go to nursing school. In this article, well show you how you can get a quality education for well, nothing!
Introduction To How To Pay For Nursing School
There is no denying that paying for college can be expensive. However, not following your career goals can be even more expensive. How to pay for nursing school should not keep you from following your dream of becoming a nurse. Considering that your lifetime earnings will be one million dollars more than someone who holds merely a high school diploma or GED, earning an advanced degree now seems like a small price to pay for a lifetime of larger pay and opportunity. Whether you attend college part-time or full-time, at a two-year or four-year degree program, or even at a short-term certificate program, you will need to figure out how to pay for your education.
Generally, you can keep the cost of higher education lower by attending a public, state supported, college or university rather than a private school. No matter where you end up attending nursing school, you can get a quality education form a public four-year college or universities, a two-year community college, or a private vocational or certificate program. Public and private institutions offer everything from a CNA certificate to a Masters level nursing degree. Fortunately, wherever you decide to prepare for your career in nursing, chances are very good that financial aid will be available to you. However, bear in mind that by attending a fully accredited institution you will enjoy the broadest spectrum of financial aid opportunities available to you.
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Nursing School Is A Worthy Investment
Despite the initial sticker shock of all the related costs to pay for nursing school, its important to consider how your investment in your nursing school education will pay off in the long run. Not only does the profession offer the opportunity to do rewarding work and make a difference, nursing is also an industry thats expected to grow as nurses are in high demand and compensated well for their efforts.
Need help figuring out if nursing school is a good investment for your future? Complete this form to speak with an admissions representative who will help guide your search.
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Become A Cna And Work While In School
I worked as a patient care tech/CNA through out school. My organization offered tuition reimbursement, as well as a Baylor program! I was able to work part time, keep my benefits, and be paid full time while Im enrolled full in nursing school. In return, my organization asked me to stay for two years! And that also secured me a guaranteed nursing job post NCLEX! – meagsperr
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Where Can I Find Scholarships
Scholarships are offered far and wide by organizations, companies, individuals, and even communities. A great place to start your scholarship search is by asking the financial aid office at your school. They can point you in the direction of any institutional-based or community opportunities offering scholarship money.
The important thing to note is that the earlier you start your scholarship search, the better. Many scholarships have tight deadlines that you need to get your application in by. As you find scholarships that suit your situation, stay organized so you can keep track of their deadlines to ensure you get everything submitted on time.
Staying organized through the scholarship process is the key to securing as many awards as possible. If you want to get started on your own, here are some great places to look:
Tips To Pay For Nursing School
by Graeme Mills | Apr 28, 2021 | Blog, Nursing Professionals Blog |
Nursing professionals face a tough choice between earning an income or going to nursing school. As , mentions in her Spotlight piece that it can be hard to forgo the income of working full-time as a CNA to further your education. And its especially easy to push it off to a later and later date. So after many years of working as a CNA, she wishes she had gotten her education before starting a family and taking on greater responsibilities, saying that the opportunity for education isnt always there.
Although nursing school may seem financially daunting and time-consuming, there are some key ways that a nursing assistant can pay for the education they need to further their career and brighten their future.
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Explore Employer Tuition Assistance
Many employers provide tuition assistance programs to nurses for example, Intermountain Healthcare will reimburse up to 100% of tuition costs for eligible nurses earning BSNs.
If youre already employed as a nurse, be sure to check with your employer to see if they offer any tuition assistance.
Tip: