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RN programs by state

1,124 RN programs in 46 states and 1 territory, with costs, results and funding that can make them free

865 schools offer these programs, and each state on this page approved its programs for workforce funding. Compare the states below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care and teach patients and their families about health conditions. To work as one, you graduate from an approved nursing program (a bachelor's or associate degree in nursing, or a hospital diploma) and pass a licensing exam for your state nursing license.¹

Compare RN programs by state: cost, pay and results

RN programs by state
State	Programs	Most cost	Earned a year, estimated	Working 6 months later	Finished
Alabama	13	$10,824 to $13,971	about $49,700	Not reported	64%
Alaska	1	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Arizona	12	$10,200 to $62,275	about $57,700	70%	67%
Arkansas	36	$10,594 to $22,054	about $56,000	69%	52%
California	27	$1,840 to $4,900	Not reported	90%	87%
Colorado	17	$11,050 to $33,930	about $83,700	67%	75%
Delaware	5	$1,195 to $15,350	Not reported	Not reported	100%
Florida	67	$7,551 to $42,960	about $57,100	83%	63%
Georgia	25	$5,953 to $10,297	about $52,200	81%	54%
Hawaii	2	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Idaho	1	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Illinois	69	Not reported	about $60,100	82%	Not reported
Indiana	23	$9,461 to $52,790	about $52,900	64%	64%
Iowa	20	$15,342 to $53,725	about $57,000	91%	71%
Kansas	9	$9,854 to $41,175	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Kentucky	30	Not reported	about $27,000	66%	50%
Louisiana	35	$14,690 to $35,968	about $61,800	Not reported	Not reported
Maine	8	Not reported	about $57,100	82%	79%
Maryland	5	$4,944 to $12,630	about $62,800	83%	78%
Michigan	35	$16,140 to $45,236	about $68,200	82%	77%
Minnesota	63	$10,825 to $30,796	about $55,300	84%	77%
Mississippi	40	$7,449 to $11,670	about $58,700	86%	75%
Missouri	61	$12,750 to $27,840	Not reported	Not reported	85%
Montana	2	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Nebraska	6	$24,174 to $81,505	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Nevada	4	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
New Hampshire	4	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
New Jersey	2	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
New Mexico	15	$5,777 to $23,202	about $70,700	73%	100%
New York	11	$7,988 to $19,549	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
North Carolina	57	$5,228 to $7,068	about $59,000	86%	49%
North Dakota	11	$12,577 to $55,693	about $60,400	93%	68%
Ohio	102	$12,164 to $38,146	about $56,700	86%	67%
Oklahoma	16	$5,320 to $17,070	about $60,200	Not reported	100%
Oregon	6	$12,021 to $20,822	about $44,000	100%	89%
Pennsylvania	23	$15,780 to $38,867	about $66,400	Not reported	88%
Puerto Rico	12	$14,880 to $23,567	about $14,000	Not reported	100%
South Carolina	5	$13,000 to $14,548	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
South Dakota	5	$11,065 to $11,726	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Tennessee	35	$11,143 to $48,316	about $54,400	90%	77%
Texas	107	$5,628 to $13,821	about $64,100	86%	77%
Utah	8	$17,835 to $35,830	about $47,600	Not reported	68%
Virginia	6	$13,402 to $35,722	Not reported	Not reported	32%
Washington	44	$6,680 to $16,504	about $66,900	90%	96%
West Virginia	13	$13,000 to $37,600	about $58,800	Not reported	96%
Wisconsin	20	$10,435 to $13,198	about $44,200	79%	49%
Wyoming	6	$6,597 to $10,748	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported

Each figure is the middle program in that state. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools may offer RN programs too. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).How these figures are made

Are there free RN programs in the US?

WIOA funding can pay for RN programs in the US

Every program on this page is approved for WIOA funding: public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It can pay for training for eligible adults, people who lost their job and young people.²People on public assistance, with a low income or lacking basic skills come first, and veterans have priority.³Your state or local area may limit how much WIOA pays and for how long. If a program costs more, a Pell Grant, a scholarship or severance pay can cover the rest.⁴

Ask at an American Job Center

Eligibility rules apply, and services vary from state to state. Your local American Job Center can tell you whether you qualify. The Department of Labor's page links to the center finder, or call 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).⁵

Or pay for RN programs yourself

Without funding, prices differ by state: most RN programs cost $1,840 to $4,900 in California and $24,174 to $81,505 in Nebraska. Each state's page lists every program with its price.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Where the RN program numbers by state come from

Which RN programs are counted?

Programs each state approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁵ Schools that never applied for approval are missing.

What the figures for each state mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where too few programs report a figure, the table says "Not reported".

Sources for the facts about RN programs

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