Pro Tip
To finance your education, make sure you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). The FAFSA is the portal to financial aid opportunities like scholarships, grants and work-study programs.
Consider Your Future Goals
The main reason to complete an RN-to-B.S.N. program is to advance your career opportunities and earning potential. These bridge programs require a current RN license and sometimes an associate degree in nursing, allowing you to work through accelerated coursework to earn your bachelor’s degree. Once you earn your B.S.N., you can work toward nursing roles in management, leadership and research.
A main consideration when researching RN-to-B.S.N. programs is the amount of field experience required. Since these programs are generally geared toward working nurses, some do not include in-person clinical or practicum requirements and focus more on theoretical coursework in areas like nursing leadership and informatics. However, if you want to gain additional experience, you might consider a program with a practicum experience in the field.
Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options
Eliminating major outliers, per-credit tuition rates for the 10 programs in our guide ranged from $120 to $459. Over the course of a 120-credit bachelor’s degree, these rates translate to approximately $14,400 to $55,000 in total tuition costs. Keep in mind that most of the rates provided in this guide are for in-state students, and because an RN-to-B.S.N. is a bridge program, these programs typically require fewer than 120 credits.
For a point of comparison, as of the 2022–23 academic year, the National Center for Education Statistics found that the average annual tuition cost at four-year schools was $17,709, which translates to around $70,000 in total tuition over four years.
To help find funding resources for your education, submit the FAFSA. To qualify for federal student aid opportunities like scholarships, grants and work-study programs, you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA. You can pursue similar opportunities through nonprofit and professional organizations and schools themselves.