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I am still trying to catch up on some older questions I never got to. Here is a great question about affording Nursing School College Programs:

Hey Sarah,

I am REALLY interested in becoming a Registered Nurse RN. The only problem is, I am really not doing very well financially. I know that college or nursing school can be really expensive. I really can’t see how I can afford paying for school for the next 2-4 years. Can you offer any suggestions to help me finance nursing school? Thanks

Rita

Hey Rita,

Thanks so much for your question. First of all, Nursing School can definitely be expensive. Luckily, there are many great programs and opportunities in this day and age that will allow you to realize your dream of becoming a nurse. There are lots of ways you can help to pay for your education. So I would like to cover some methods you can use.

How to Pay for Nursing School or Medical College: Ways to Finance Your Education

1. Financial Aid–The government offers a free financial aid application to see if you qualify for state or federal funds. Most of the time, these are grants that do not need to be repaid. This is a great way to take get a nursing degree! You can often get enough financial aid to cover your full costs, or at least most of it. You can apply for free at fasfa.ed.gov.
2. Nursing Scholarships–Most nursing colleges will offer scholarship packages for new students. There are often several different scholarships available for different people. Example: you may get a scholarship based on income, or grades, etc. So definitely check with your local college’s scholarship or nursing department to find out if you can obtain any scholarship assistance.
3. Employee Tuition Reimbursement–Many employers (such as hospitals and organizations) will offer a tuition reimbursement program. My job offers this, and many others do as well. In this situation, if you work for a company or organization, they will often pay for your schooling as long as you agree to continue working for them. It benefits them to have your expertise, and it benefits you because you can move up the career ladder. So, for example, let’s assume you want to be a nurse. You could always go and work part-time at a hospital or place that offers tuition reimbursement (as a CNA or Entry Level Worker), and then they will help cover the cost of your tuition for nursing school. This can be a great way to not only cover your schooling costs, but also build a relationship with your employer.
4. Student Loan Programs–The other 3 options above would be best, as you don’t have to pay back the funds. But if you can’t get any of those (or need a little extra help), you can always apply for School loans. Student loans are available at almost any major college or university. You can contact your local college or university for more information regarding student loans. Just remember that you must pay them back once you graduate, and often have to pay interest charges. So be careful. =)
5. Credit Cards– Credit cards are one more way you can help cover the costs of tuition. Credit cards are not the best option, but they are one possible option. Even if you don’t use a credit card to pay for tuition, you can use them for other things such as buying textbooks online. In any event, just be sure to use credit cards responsibly, and only spend what you  have to (and pay it off as soon as possible).

Conclusion: There are Many Ways to Pay for Nursing School, Don’t Give Up

I had to make a lot of financial sacrifices while I was a student, but it was definitely worth the effort. I am so glad that I pursued my dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. It may be hard to stay focused and afford the rising tuition costs, but just know that there are programs and ways to help you realize your dreams of becoming a nurse.

Good luck =).

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One of the biggest questions facing a new Registered Nurse RN is whether or not they should further their education. It wasn’t too long after I had graduated from Nursing School that the question started to slowly come into my own mind on a serious level.  After all, there are lots of pros and cons to going back to nursing school and getting a Master’s of Science in Nursing.

At this point in time, I have decided that I am not going to go on to get my Master’s (Nurse Practitioner). Instead, I am just going to focus on being an RN Nurse. I may go back in a few years, but it makes much more sense for me to just gain some experience and work full time at this point in time.

I have noticed that some of the people I graduated nursing school with have also struggled with this decision. In fact, some of my nursing classmates have went directly into the Master’s program, completely bypassing working as a Registered Nurse.

There are plenty of pros and cons about going back to get your Nurse, and I thought I would list a few of them below.

Pros of Getting a Master’s of Science in Nursing Degree (Nurse Practitioner)

• Higher Salary–Many Nurse Practitioner’s make a very good income. Starting salaries can vary from state to state, but many start at around $50,000-60,000, and the average salary for a Nurse Practitioner with a few years experience gets up to around $80,000 or so. Definitely a very nice salary!
• More Skills–As a Nurse Practitioner, you gain a lot of skills in the medical profession. With this degree and license, you can usually write prescriptions, and do a lot of doctor-related skills. In fact, a Nurse Practitioner is practically considered a doctor in some settings.
• Better Career Options–With a Master’s degree in Nursing, you will also gain a better career advantage. This degree can give you the tools you need to advance to higher positions, or even teach nursing on the college level. So that is very nice.
• Employer Tuition Reimbursement–If you work at an organization as an RN before going back, many will sponsor you and pay part or all of your tuition to get a higher degree. Of course, you will also be obligated to work for this company for a set number of years (in most cases). But that is great that you can potentially go back to school and have most (and sometimes all) of it payed for by your employer.

Cons of Getting a Master’s of Science in Nursing Degree (Nurse Practitioner)

• More school–Ugh, after 4 years of very difficult studying, I am a little burned out at this point. It generally takes 1.5-2 years or so to complete the Masters of Science in Nursing program. At this point, school is the last thing I want to do.
• Lost Wages–If you have to cut down to part-time as an RN, or stop working altogether to focus on academics, it will cause a loss of income up-front. Of course, with the raise in salary that you can potentially gain, it will probably make up for it. But for those who are struggling financially, working may be a better option for now.
• More Responsibility–With a higher income also comes more responsibilities. You will have much more difficult work, and much more legal responsibility working as a Nurse Practitioner.
• Different Hours–Most Nurse Practitioner hours are typically the Monday-Friday 9-5 jobs. I am sure there are some positions that offer 12 hours shifts (like most Nursing jobs do), but the majority of positions I know about seem to be 5 day a week jobs.  I do prefer the 12 hour shifts better. It allows me to get a full income, while still having some days off so I can pursue other hobbies & interests. So it would be hard to change from a 12 hour shift 3 days a week, to 5-6 days per week.

Conclusion: Nurse Practitioner is a Great Job, But I’ll Hold Off for Now

The nurse practitioner (Master’s of Science in Nursing Degree) is a great degree and career. There are lots of benefits to becoming a Nurse Practitioner, and many Nurses will find themselves going back to further their education.

As for me, I think I am going to focus on trying to really learn my job & be the best RN I can be. I can always go back in a few years if I choose to do so.

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