Most Affordable Online RN to MSN Programs: Finding Low-Cost Schools
A high quality, low-cost online RN to MSN can help you take the next step in your nursing career. This guide showcases the most affordable online RN to MSN programs, and includes how much they cost, how they work, and how to get in. Bypass your BSN and go straight to your master’s.
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Nursing Nursing Ed.Profiling Affordable Online RN to MSN Programs
Earning an online MSN can lead to advanced roles, higher pay, and specialized nursing opportunities, without the time and expense of completing separate bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Affordable RN to MSN bridge programs are designed to streamline your education while allowing you to stay in the workforce.
These programs offer several key advantages:
- Accelerated degree structure – Combined undergraduate and graduate coursework shortens the time to graduation.
- Lower overall costs – Online formats reduce commuting, housing, and campus-related expenses.
- Work-friendly scheduling – Flexible course delivery helps students balance school, employment, and family life.
- Financial aid support – Grants, scholarships, and nursing-specific funding can further reduce tuition.
Below, we profile three online RN to MSN programs to show how these cost-effective options can help you reach your career goals.
Lamar University
Lamar University’s Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing Online program prepares RNs for leadership roles in a variety of education and practice settings. The 100% online course of study allows RNs to earn both a BSN and an MSN more quickly, as credits for some courses can be used for both degrees.
Two track options are available: MSN in Administration and MSN in Education. Both tracks require earning 56 credits and the entire program can be completed in as few as 36 months.
Tuition and Fees: The current per-credit tuition rate is $346 and the estimated total tuition and fees cost is $27,320.
Financial Aid: All students must complete the FAFSA to determine their eligibility for financial aid. Types of available aid include:
- Scholarships (both internal and external)
- Grants
- Work-study
- VA benefits
- Student loans
- Installment and emergency deferment plans
Additional Costs:
- Books and supplies (approx. $1,000 to $1,500 per year)
- Lab fees for some courses (amount varies)
- Clinical placement fee (varies and depends on location and site requirements)
- Graduation fee ($100 to $150)
Stevenson University
The RN to MSN Online Program at Stevenson University features one of the shortest program lengths available, with full-time students able to complete their studies in around 2 1/2 to 3 years.
Three concentrations are offered:
- Nursing Education
- Nursing Leadership/Management
- Population-Based Care Coordination
The 45-credit program is designed for working RNs with fully-online options, eight-week course sessions, and six program start dates throughout the year. Courses are built around RN work schedules and include a 16-week course in outpatient care.
Graduates are awarded both BSN and MSN degrees.
Tuition and Fees: Tuition for the BSN portion of this bridge program is $495 per credit. The MSN portion costs $635 per credit, except for the first MSN course, which is charged at the undergraduate rate.
The total tuition cost is approximately $38,000. There are no mandatory fees.
Financial Aid: Stevenson University offers a tuition assistance program for RN to MSN students with awards up to $30,000. Qualified students are also eligible for additional funding resources including:
- Grants
- Loans
- Scholarships
- Graduate assistantships
Additional Costs: Potential costs not included in the tuition include:
- Books and supplies
- Living and travel expenses
- Loan fees
Wheeling University
The hybrid-formatted RN to MSN program at Wheeling University combines online coursework with in-person clinical rotations that can be completed in the student’s local community.
Students earn up to 12 graduate-level credits during the BSN portion of the program, allowing them to get a head start on the MSN portion of the program. Following completion of foundational MSN courses, students choose to complete coursework in one of two specialties:
- Family Nurse Practitioner (42 total credits)
- Nursing Administration (51 total credits)
The entire program is completed in approximately three years. Graduates earn both BSN and MSN degrees.
Tuition and Fees: Total tuition cost estimates are $26,500 for the FNP track and $22,000 for the Nursing Administration track. The per-credit tuition rate is $400 for BSN courses and $550 for MSN courses.
Program fees include:
- New student fee ($130)
- Technology fee ($130 per semester)
- Graduation fee ($265 per degree)
- Typhon tracking system fee ($85, one time)
- Remote proctor fee ($15 per exam)
Financial Aid: Students can access most of the university’s scholarship and grant programs during the application process. Scholarship and grant categories include institutional, competitive, endowed, federal and state, and private.
Every student must complete the FAFSA. Some external scholarships and grants require separate applications.
Student loans and tuition payment plans are also available.
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Comparing Cost: Online vs Campus RN to MSN
RN to MSN programs save students time and money whether they’re online or campus based. But online programs tend to be more affordable than their on-campus counterparts.
Here’s why:
- Online students save money by not having to travel to and from campus to attend classes. Over time, travel costs really add up for campus-based students.
- Travel to and from campus also takes time, making it more difficult for on-campus students to maintain full-time or even part-time employment.
- Public schools today often charge the same low state resident tuition rate to all online students regardless of where they reside. This is almost never the case for campus-based programs that charge higher tuition costs to out-of-state residents.
On the other side, online students must bear the costs of a reliable computer and high-speed internet service. But today, of course, virtually everyone pays for these, anyway.
How to Lower the Cost of Your Online RN to MSN
Affordability is a major benefit of an online RN to MSN program, as explained above. But there are lots of things you can do to make your online education even more affordable.
Here are some valuable tips to help you do just that.
Explore Scholarship Opportunities, Fee Waivers, and Beyond
Not surprisingly, financial aid tops our list of resources for lowering your RN to MSN program costs. The good news is that there are lots of financial aid types that qualifying RN to MSN students can tap into, including:
- Scholarships and grants
- Fee waivers
- Tuition discount, deferment, and installment plans
- Employer tuition reimbursement
- Student loans and loan forgiveness programs
Scholarships top the list because they are not paid back, making them essentially “free money” to help pay for your education. Many local, regional, and national scholarships are reserved for nursing students, including some exclusively for MSN degree seekers.
Scholarships are often directed to specific student populations, such as underrepresented minorities, women, students from a particular geographic area, students pursuing careers in particular nursing specialties, etc.
Professional organizations are also a major source of nursing-focused scholarships. Examples include the American Red Cross and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Fee waivers are often offered directly by nursing schools themselves. Additionally, many RN to MSN programs use NursingCAS, a centralized application service for nursing education programs, which offers its own fee waivers and assistance program.
Regardless of the financial aid types your interested in, the best place to start your funding search is by contacting the financial aid offices at the schools you’re considering.
Keep a Part-Time Job
RN to MSN programs understand that, regardless of how affordable they are, there are plenty of students that need to work during the course of their studies. As a result, many RN to MSN programs offer part-time and other flexible study options that allow their students to remain employed part-time while pursuing their degrees.
Continuing to work part-time, of course, can help you pay your bills, but it can also help you eliminate or reduce the need for taking out a student loan.
Benefit from Employer Tuition Reimbursement
Many hospitals and other healthcare facilities offer tuition reimbursement opportunities to their most valued employees.
Employer tuition reimbursement programs work by having employees pay for an approved education program (like an RN to MSN program) upfront and then reimbursing the employee for their tuition costs, often after successful program completion. In exchange, the employee agrees to remain working for that employer for a stated length of time.
If you’re a working RN interested in pursuing your master’s through an RN to MSN program, it’s always worth checking with your employer to see if tuition reimbursement is available. You’ve nothing to lose and maybe a whole lot of money to save.
Expert Insight
Here’s something to know before seeking tuition reimbursement from your job. If you’re currently working as an RN and want financial assistance for your NP program for example, your job may pay part of your tuition if you agree to work for them as an NP after graduation. But if NPs aren’t hired at your job, you may not qualify for this benefit.
Utilize Discounts for Nursing Students
An often overlooked way to save on your nursing education is by taking advantage of the abundant freebies, discounts, and other perks available to nursing students. These benefits can be found in practically every area of your life, including:
- Education
- Health and wellness
- Housing
- Nursing uniforms and equipment
- Restaurants and retail
- Technology
- Transportation
- Travel
Tapping into nursing student perks can take a bit of searching, but you can start by checking with your employer, any nursing professional organizations you belong to, and even your RN to MSN program itself.
