College Choice, an independent online publisher of college rankings and reviews, has named Worcester State University to its list of Most Affordable Nursing Degrees in Massachusetts. WSU came in at number three on the list of 10 institutions.
With an average tuition of $8,857 at WSU, the Dr. Lillian R. Goodman Nursing Department offers a bachelor’s degree in nursing with three entry/completion paths. One track is for new prelicensure students (traditional). A second track is for currently-licensed registered nurses having an associate’s degree or diploma in nursing. The third track is for current licensed practical nurses with a diploma in nursing.
The degree offerings align with an initiative by the Institute of Medicine that seeks to double the number of registered nurses in the country who have a Bachelor of Science in nursing, with the goal being 80 percent by 2020, from the start level of 40 percent.
Courses include Introduction to Professional Nursing, Principles of Pathophysiology and Pharmacology, Nursing Science and Leadership in Nursing.
Nursing schools are actively trying to realign their bachelor’s offerings to cater to both new nursing students and those who are already licensed and working registered nurses, according to College Choice. In Massachusetts, that’s about 85,140 active registered nurses, earning a mean hourly wage of $42.82 ($89,060/year).