How much does an online RN to BSN program cost?
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The cost of an RN to BSN program is going to differ between schools and also based on your residency. This type of program can cost you close to $60,000, but there are many affordable options across the country – one of the most affordable is offered at the University of Alabama at prices close to $7,000 regardless of your residency. The biggest perk with this is that there are a lot of RN to BSN programs that are offered entirely online in an asynchronous format, and will allow you to complete your clinical practice wherever you’re already located. Because of this, you have the opportunity to select one that fits your budget.
Tuition is something that is extremely variable, in that it is unique to each school. It won’t be difficult for you to find an affordable online RN to BSN program, though. One thing that works in your favor financially with these programs is that many of them are shorter, and they allow for you to transfer credits, both of which could enable you to cut corners with cost. Another avenue you could take is making sure you compare in-state to out-of-state costs because going to a school in your state is usually more affordable. At University of South Florida, in-state tuition is $6,410, more than $10,000 cheaper than it is for out of state students ($17,324); the University of Central Florida is even more affordable for in-state students costing just $2,522, versus $10,126 for their out of state counterparts. There is also a unique opportunity that is potentially available to you because of the field in which you work. Continuing education in the medical field is incredibly important because medical care is consistently expanding, and because of this fact, many employers have tuition reimbursement programs if your continued education will directly improve your work in the field. There are also Career Ladder programs where a hospital or other medical facility could provide you a scholarship to nursing school, and then reward you with a position on their staff after your successful completion of the program. Programs like that are offered because nurses are in consistently high demand all over the country. All of this is in addition to traditional scholarships or grants for which you can apply. The most affordable school, even though there are cheaper options at different in-state schools, is the University of Alabama. The reason it is considered to be so affordable is that all of their online students are charged tuition as if they were in-state students, so the education they provide costs $7,206 and the program can be completed in three semesters for full-time students, they also offer part-time paths that will take longer. They are located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and the program isn’t entirely online, there are lab science courses they require to complete your RN to BSN. These lab science courses can be taken on campus, or at a participating school near you and then the credits can easily be transferred over.