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Online RN-BSN-MSN: Tuition

Cost per credit hour
  • $390 per undergraduate (BSN) credit hour

  • $695 per graduate (MSN) credit hour (Applies to the CNL, NE, and NMEL concentrations)

  • $955 per graduate (MSN) credit hour (Applies to the FNP and PMHNP concentrations)
Total number of credit hours
  • 30–120 undergraduate credit hours (depending on transfer credits)
We accept up to 90 transfer credits for the undergraduate portion of this program.

  • 36-45 graduate credit hours (depending on your MSN specialization)
Total estimated cost, minus fees
  • $28,380–$30,465 (with 90 undergraduate transfer credits)
  • $63,480-$65,565 (without transfer credits)
Additional Fees
  • Registration Fee: $115 (charged once per 15-week semester for the nonclinical tracks and once per 16-week semester for the nurse practitioner (NP) tracks) 
  • Library Fee: $40 (charged once per 15-week semester for the nonclinical tracks and once per 16-week semester for the NP tracks) 
  • Learning Technology Fee: $200 (applies to NU 554, 611 and 612 within the clinical nurse leader, nursing education and nurse management & executive leadership specializations) 
  • Lab fee: $1,300 (applies to NU 552, 573 and 621 within the FNP and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specializations) 
  • Clinical Oversight Fee:
    • $200 (applies to NU 611, 612, 619, 672, 673, 680, 681, 690 and 691)
    • $1,000 (applies to NU 606 and 607 within the FNP and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specializations)
    • $2,000 (applies to NU 561, 571, 572, 573 and 621 within the FNP and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specializations)
Other budgeting costsThis program’s estimated tuition doesn’t include textbooks, supplies, personal expenses and other fees you might incur.

*This is an estimate of total tuition based on the current school year cost per credit and is subject to change.

Military Students

We honor the dedication and service of those in the military and are committed to helping them succeed.

Ranked as one of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the North by U.S. News & World Report, Sacred Heart University is one of the first institutions in Connecticut to become a Yellow Ribbon School and is also approved for both the Montgomery and Post 9/11 GI Bills.

To find out if you are eligible to receive military education benefits, please feel free to request more information or call us at 877-791-7181.

What Financial Aid Is Available?

Pursuing a graduate degree requires a commitment of both time and money. At Sacred Heart University, we are committed to helping you explore all of the financial aid options that are available to you.

Learn more about what we can do to help make this process easier for you.

Financial Aid Options

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question we don’t cover here, request more information or call 877-791-7181.

This is one of the most significant cost variables in the RN-BSN-MSN program. SHU accepts up to 90 transfer credits for the undergraduate (BSN) portion of the pathway. Students who come in with 90 qualifying credits — for example, RNs who completed an associate’s degree nursing program — pay tuition on only 30 undergraduate credits at $390 each, reducing the BSN portion to approximately $11,700. By contrast, students with fewer transferable credits pay more in undergraduate tuition. The graduate (MSN) portion is billed separately at $695–$955 per credit depending on your specialization. Running your transcript through SHU’s admissions process early is the most important step in understanding your actual cost.

The FNP and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specializations within the RN-BSN-MSN carry a higher per-credit rate ($955 vs. $695 for non-NP tracks) because they include clinical practicum and lab components that incur additional instructional and oversight costs. These tracks also carry clinical-specific fees — including lab fees of $1,300 and clinical oversight fees of up to $2,000 per applicable course — which are not charged in the Nursing Education, Clinical Nurse Leader, or Nursing Management tracks. If cost is a key factor in your specialization decision, the non-NP tracks offer meaningfully lower total program costs while still resulting in an MSN credential.

Federal student aid through FAFSA — including subsidized loans (for eligible undergraduate students), unsubsidized loans, and Pell Grants (for qualifying students) — applies to the undergraduate portion of the RN-BSN-MSN pathway. Students should complete a FAFSA as soon as possible, even if they previously used federal aid for their associate’s degree, as aid eligibility is reassessed each year and for each degree level. Some hospitals also offer tuition assistance for RNs pursuing a BSN, particularly those seeking Magnet designation, which requires a BSN-prepared nursing workforce.

Yes. Sacred Heart University participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program and is military-friendly, and SHU’s online RN-BSN-MSN program is structured to accommodate active-duty service members and veterans. Eligible veterans may be able to use GI Bill benefits (Chapter 33 Post-9/11 or Chapter 30 MGIB) to offset tuition. Active-duty service members may also use Military Tuition Assistance (TA), which covers up to $250 per credit and $4,500 per year per service branch. Contact SHU’s military student services office to confirm how VA benefit calculations apply to the dual-level tuition structure of this particular program.

A student who enters SHU’s RN-BSN-MSN with the maximum 90 transfer credits and selects the FNP specialization can estimate their total tuition as follows: approximately $11,700 for the remaining 30 undergraduate credits (at $390 each), plus approximately $40,110 for 42 MSN-FNP credits (at $955 each), for a combined tuition estimate of roughly $51,810 before fees. Students selecting a non-NP specialization (e.g., Nursing Education or Clinical Nurse Leader) with full transfer credits would pay approximately $36,750 in total tuition. These are estimates only; actual costs depend on credit evaluation, fee applicability, and any tuition changes per academic year.