Nursing school cost by program
Nursing school cost depends mostly on the license: published prices at public colleges run from under $1,200 for CNA training to about $13,077 for an associate degree including prerequisites, and a bachelor's degree costs several times more.[s_panola][s_cuesta][s_miracosta][s_manatee][s_epcc_adn][s_mclennan][s_uwo][cb2026] The table lists what each school says its program costs and what that figure covers.
| Level | Program | Length | Published cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Panola College (TX) | 112 hours (64 lecture + 48 clinical) | $794 | Tuition, textbook, fees and the $125 state exam fee; scrubs extra |
| CNA | Cuesta College (CA) | 9 weeks | $676–$1,111 | California resident enrollment fees, books, uniform, $140 exam and health fees (upper estimate) |
| LPN / LVN | MiraCosta College (CA) | 14 months full-time (24 part-time) | $3,500 | Tuition, uniforms, books, physical and immunizations (approximate) |
| LPN / LVN | Manatee Technical College (FL) | 1,350 hours, about 11–13 months (day) | $9,196 | Estimated total including tuition, lab and fees ($7,553), books, uniforms and pre-admission costs |
| ADN (RN) | El Paso Community College (TX) | 4 semesters of nursing courses | $10,698 | AY 2026–27 estimate, nursing courses only (excludes prerequisites), includes NCLEX and Texas BON fees |
| ADN (RN) | McLennan Community College (TX) | 4 semesters (36 nursing credits) plus 24 prerequisite credits | $13,077 | County-resident estimate including prerequisites, supplies and licensure |
| BSN (RN) | Public four-year, in-state average | 4 years | $49,160 | College Board 2026–27 average tuition and fees × 4; excludes housing |
| Accelerated BSN | University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (WI) | 12 months | $50,338 | Accelerated BSN for bachelor’s holders; same tuition in and out of state |
Prices differ mainly by state, residency and what the school includes. Always compare like with like: one school's figure may include books, uniforms and licensing fees while another's is tuition only.
CNA classes cost
CNA classes cost about $800 to $1,100 at the public colleges above, including the state competency exam.[s_panola][s_cuesta] If a nursing home employs you, or has offered you a job, when training starts, federal rules say you cannot be charged for any part of it, and a nursing home that hires you within 12 months must trigger pro rata reimbursement of what you paid.[ecfr152] Steps and state hour rules are on how to become a CNA.
LPN programs cost
LPN programs cost about $3,500 to $9,200 in total at the two public schools above, for programs of roughly 11 to 14 months.[s_miracosta][s_manatee] Manatee Technical College in Florida lists $7,553 in tuition, lab and fees and $9,196 in total for its 1,350-hour day program; MiraCosta College in California estimates about $3,500 for its LVN program. The NCLEX-PN registration fee of $200 is extra unless the school includes it, and it rises to $350 on February 1, 2027.[nclex_fee] More on the route is on how to become an LPN.
ADN and BSN cost
An associate degree in nursing at a public community college costs about $10,700 to $13,100 by the two published Texas estimates, and a public four-year BSN costs about $49,160 in tuition and fees over four years at the 2026–27 in-state average of $12,290 a year.[s_epcc_adn][s_mclennan][cb2026] The College Board also puts average room and board at public four-year colleges at $14,430 a year, so living costs can exceed tuition.[cb2026] An accelerated BSN for bachelor's holders at UW Oshkosh costs $50,338 for 12 months.[s_uwo]
Does nursing school pay off?
Nursing school pays off quickly for most students because registered nurse pay is high relative to program cost: an ADN at the El Paso price, taken by a CNA keeping half of their pay, pays back in about 1.8 years at the RN 25th-percentile wage of $80,330.[s_epcc_adn][onet_rn][onet_cna][irs] A full-time student paying four years of average in-state BSN tuition recovers it in about 0.8 years of RN work, before housing costs.
| Route | Total cost incl. lost pay | After-tax gain per year | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADN, CNA keeping half of pay | $52,958 | $29,206 | 1.8 |
| BSN, full-time student | $49,160 | $65,342 | 0.8 |
An ADN followed by an online RN to BSN costs far less than four years of university tuition. For time to finish each route see how long is nursing school; LPNs should compare LPN to RN bridge prices, and RN pay by state is on nurse salary by state.
Paying for nursing school
Federal undergraduate Direct Loans first disbursed between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027 carry a fixed 6.52% interest rate; graduate unsubsidized loans carry 8.07%.[fr_rates] Since July 1, 2026, graduate nursing programs (MSN, DNP and nurse anesthesia) are not classed as professional degrees, so graduate nursing students can borrow at most $20,500 a year and $100,000 in total in Direct Unsubsidized loans.[fr_rule] Costs for those programs are on nurse practitioner school and CRNA school.
Frequently asked questions
How much is nursing school?
From under $1,200 for CNA classes to about $3,500–$9,200 for an LPN program, about $10,700–$13,100 for a community college ADN, and about $49,160 in tuition for a four-year public BSN (in-state average).
How much do LPN programs cost?
The two public programs we checked publish about $3,500 (MiraCosta College, California) and $9,196 (Manatee Technical College, Florida) in total.
How much do CNA classes cost?
About $794 to $1,111 at the two public colleges we checked, including the state exam. Nursing homes cannot charge aides they employ, or have offered jobs to, for approved training.
What is the cheapest way to become a registered nurse?
Usually an ADN at an in-district community college, often after working as a CNA or LPN, followed by an employer-supported RN-to-BSN later.
Sources
- Certified Nurse Aide program (112 hours, $794)
- Nursing Assistant program estimated costs ($676 to $1,111)
- 42 CFR 483.152, Requirements for approval of a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program
- Licensed Vocational Nursing program (14 months; about $3,500)
- Practical Nursing program (1,350 hours; estimated total cost)
- NCLEX Fees and Payment ($200 registration; $350 from Feb. 1, 2027)
- ADN Nursing Program approximate costs, AY 2026-2027 ($10,698)
- Associate Degree Nursing program cost estimate
- Trends in College Pricing 2026, Table CP-1 (average published tuition and fees, 2026-27)
- Accelerated BSN tuition (12 months, $50,338)
- Local Wages: 29-1141.00 Registered Nurses (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 31-1131.00 Nursing Assistants (state and metro percentiles)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Annual Notice of Interest Rates for Fixed-Rate Federal Student Loans (loans first disbursed July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027)
- Reimagining and Improving Student Education: Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations (professional degree definition; graduate loan limits)