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NP School Cost Checklist
A printable checklist of the costs and income to count before you decide whether NP school is worth it, with space for your own figures and sources.
Use this checklist with Is NP School Worth It? How RN and NP Pay Compare. Every item comes from that guide. Write the figure, its source and the date you checked it. Ask the school for any total it does not publish.
Program costs
- Total tuition and fees for the full program: ________ Source: ________ Checked on: ________
- Tuition and fees for each school year: ________
- Books, software, uniforms and clinical equipment: ________
- Background check, immunizations and required screenings: ________
- Certification exam fee: ________ State licensing fee: ________
Costs of studying
- Travel, parking and housing for clinical placements: ________
- Hours per week I can keep working as an RN, by term: ________
- RN pay per year, before tax, that I expect to keep during school: ________
- Years I expect to study, from start to finish: ________
Loan terms (if I borrow)
- Amount I expect to borrow: ________
- Interest rate offered: ________ Term in years: ________
- Monthly payment after school: ________ Total interest over the term: ________
Pay I expect to earn
- RN pay in my area and setting, from a dated source: ________
- NP pay in the area and setting I plan to work in, from a dated source: ________
- The national BLS medians for comparison (May 2025): RN $97,550; NP $132,300
Questions to ask each program in writing
- What is the total cost of the full program, including fees?
- What are the withdrawal and refund rules if I stop early?
- Is the program on the CCNE or ACEN accredited list for my track?
- How many hours per week does the program expect?
Use the Is NP School Worth It? calculator with these figures. Nothing you enter is sent to RNtoNP.