New York is one of the most competitive states when it comes to nursing schools. Before deciding to go to school in the state, you might be wondering what the cost of nursing school in New York is.
The truth is, the cost of nursing school in New York varies depending on the program you choose, where you go to school, and how much financial aid you qualify for. While we can provide an estimated cost, to get a better idea of your tuition costs, you’ll want to fill out the FAFSA®.
The FAFSA® will provide your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and is sent directly to the schools you’re considering. Once they have this information, they can tell you about the grants, scholarships, and loans that might be available to you if you decide to attend.
Once you know if you can afford the tuition, as well as any additional expenses, you’ll be in a better position to decide what nursing school is right for you. But first, let’s take a look at the estimated numbers.
What Nursing Programs Are Offered in New York?
New York colleges and universities offer a variety of different nursing programs. Whether you’re looking to get your Bachelor’s degree or are aiming for a shorter certificate program, there’s bound to be a program that makes sense for your career aspirations.
If you don’t know the difference between nursing programs or have no idea where to begin, don’t worry about it. Nursing comes in so many different forms that it takes a little bit of research to understand what each one is and what the education timeline is for them.
While we don’t have all the in-depth information, we’ve put together a list of popular nursing programs available at colleges throughout New York. Don’t see the one you’re looking for? That doesn’t mean it’s not an option. Check with the schools you’re considering to see if the nursing program you want is offered.
Nursing Programs in New York
| Registered Nurse Required Education: ADN or BSN (Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing) | Nurse Practitioner Required Education: MSN (Master’s of Science in Nursing) | Nurse Midwife Required Education: MSN (Master’s of Science in Nursing) |
| Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurse Required Education: Post-secondary non-degree awards | Clinical Nurse Specialist Required Education: MSN or DSN (Doctor’s of Science in Nursing) | Intensive Care Unit RN Required Education: ADN or BSN (Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing) |
| Travel Registered Nurse Required Education: ADN or BSN (Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing) | Dental Hygienist Required Education: ADN (Associate’s Degree in Nursing | Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Required Education: ADN (Associate’s Degree in Nursing) |
| Physician Assistant Required Education: MSN (Master’s of Science in Nursing) | Pediatric Nurse Required Education: ASN or BSN | Obstetric Nurse Required Education: ASN or BSN |
One thing that every student needs to be aware of when looking at nursing schools is their accreditation. Attending a school that is not registered as an accredited nursing education program with the state of New York could mean trouble for your career.
The accreditation process ensures the program meets New York State’s standards as provided by the Rules of the Board of Regents and the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. If you go to a school that doesn’t have accreditation, you will be unable to get your license to practice as a nurse in the state.
To get the full list of New York nursing programs that have met the state’s standards, you can view their website here.
If the state board does not approve of the school you decide to attend; it will prevent you from taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). If you’re unable to take the NCLEX, you won’t be able to become a licensed nurse. Even worse, you could be required to repeat your education at another institution. You can find a full list of approved nursing schools at the New York Board of Nursing.
Average Cost Per Nursing Program
in New York
Because of the various factors that go into tuition, fees, and other costs associated with your education, narrowing down the average cost of a nursing program in New York is a little tricky.
We’ve compiled some data we gathered from various nursing sites to provide a broad look at how much specific nursing programs might cost. You’ll notice these have pretty wide ranges, that’s because some of them factor in private schools, longer programs, and locations outside of urban areas.
| Diploma Nursing Programs Length: Depends  Total Cost: $18K – $40K | Nursing Assistant (NA) Program Length: 6 Months Total Cost: $9,000 | Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) Length: 4 Years Total Cost: $40k – $200k |
| Licensed Practical Nurse LPN/LVN Length: 13 Months Public Costs: $5k – $25k Private Costs: $20k – $40k | Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) Length: 13 Months Public Costs: $6k-40k Private Costs: $30k-100k |
To get a cost that more closely matches the program and schools you’re considering, you should start by filling out the FAFSA®.
Once the FAFSA® has been processed and sent to your school of choice, the financial aid office will be able to give you a better estimate of your cost. They’ll factor in your EFC and tuition to get an idea of what aid could potentially be available to you.
When you talk to your financial aid office, be sure to ask whether their “cost of attendance” includes your tuition, exam fees, textbooks, living expenses, and other expenses and fees. Sometimes, this information gets left out of the total cost, leaving you with a much bigger bill than you expected.
Top 5 Nursing Schools in New York
& Their Costs
From cost to location and reputation, there are many reasons to consider one school over another. A great place to start when you’re trying to choose where to go is with the reputation of the school (especially in the medical field) and how much it’s going to cost you to attend. With nursing programs, some schools offer a little extra incentive to encourage students to apply and stick with it through to graduation.
For instance, some schools will help with licensure exams or job placements after you finish. As you consider schools, make sure you’re looking at how the whole picture is going to affect your “cost” to attend.
To get started, here are the top 5 nursing programs in New York state according to various nursing websites.
| Wagner College Annual Tuition: $62,131 Programs Offered: BSN, MSN, DNP | University of Rochester Annual Tuition: $70,108 Programs Offered: RN to BSN, RN to MSN, BSN, MSN |
| University at Buffalo Annual Tuition: $27,036 Programs Offered: Certificates, RN to BSN, DNP, Nurse Anesthetist | Molloy College Annual Tuition: $50,184 Programs Offered: RN, LPN, BSN, MSN, DNP | New York University Annual Tuition: $72,900 Programs Offered: BSN, MSN, DNP |
Average New York Nursing
Salary by Speciality
A lot of prospective nursing students are concerned with another frequently asked question— how much will I make? Similarly to cost, a lot of factors go into your potential salary. For instance, it depends on your level of experience, education, location, and accomplishments. You might be at the same point in your career as someone who lives in Kansas, but as New York nurse, you’re likely to be making more money.
We researched some of the more popular nursing careers and the salary range for each of them in New York. These numbers have been taken from various sources, including PayScale and GlassDoor.
| Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) New York Salary Estimate: $39k – $62k | Registered Nurse (RN) New York Salary Estimate: $48k – $99k |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) New York Salary Estimate: $86k – $151k | Nurse Midwife New York Salary Estimate: $112k – $158k |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) New York Salary Estimate: $93k – $113k | Intensive Care Unit RN New York Salary Estimate: $77k – $142k |
| Physician Assistant New York Salary Estimate: $78k – $120k | Obstetrics Nurse New York Salary Estimate: $70k – 87k |
Each nursing specialty brings a little something different to the table, but as you can see, there’s potential for pretty significant growth. The state of New York holds one of the country’s biggest urban environments, which opens up a lot of opportunity for higher-paying salaries.
Unfortunately, this also means the cost of your education will be higher. One thing to keep in mind as you begin looking at schools in various states is that the nursing certification is state-specific. If you decide to get certified in one state but move to another, you will need to be recertified.
So if the cost of nursing school in New York is too high, and the salary expectations don’t make up for it, there are plenty of other options throughout the country that you can consider.