Key Takeaways
- Private RN to BSN programs in Kansas can cost less per credit than public university options – the assumption that public always means cheaper does not hold up.
- Mandatory fees at public schools like Wichita State can push the real per-credit cost well above the advertised base rate.
- Both CCNE and ACEN are widely recognized and accepted nursing accreditations – what matters most is that a program holds one of them.
- Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN) approval is a separate requirement from national accreditation, and not every program makes that distinction clear.
- Completion time, start date flexibility, and practicum requirements can affect a working nurse’s total cost just as much as tuition rates.
For working RNs in Kansas weighing their options, the tuition comparison between private and public online RN to BSN programs tells a story most people do not expect. The gap is smaller than assumed – and in some cases, it is flipped entirely.
Private Schools Are Beating Public Tuition Rates
The common belief is straightforward: public universities are state-funded, so they must be cheaper. For online RN to BSN programs in Kansas, that belief does not consistently hold up under current published tuition data.
Two private institutions – Baker University and Newman University – currently post per-credit rates that come in below several public competitors. That reflects a broader structural shift in how private universities price online nursing programs to compete for working adult students. Newman University’s online RN to BSN program is priced at $250 per credit and is designed for completion in 12 months – details are available at newmanu.edu/academics/rn-to-bsn. That puts it in direct, competitive territory with public options that carry higher base rates and additional fees on top.
How the Per-Credit Numbers Stack Up
Using current published tuition rates and credit requirements, the side-by-side comparison looks like this:
Private Programs: Baker ($230/credit) & Newman ($250/credit)
Baker University’s online RN to BSN requires 30 nursing credits at $230 per credit, putting base nursing-course tuition at approximately $6,900. The program runs in eight-week terms with multiple start dates throughout the year – January, March, June, August, and October – and can be completed in as little as one year.
Newman University’s program is priced at $250 per credit for 30 professional nursing credits, for a base tuition of approximately $7,500. The program is fully online and advertises a 12-month completion timeline for working nurses.
Public Programs: Wichita State ($272.48 base + $125.43 in fees = $397.91/credit) to Pittsburg State ($326 + $36 distance fee = $362/credit)
Wichita State University’s published online undergraduate tuition is $272.48 per credit. Its RN to BSN program requires 31 professional nursing credits, placing base tuition at roughly $8,447. Mandatory nursing-specific fees, covered in the next section, change that number significantly.
Pittsburg State University charges $326 per credit for its designated online programs, with 30 nursing credits required. Base tuition runs approximately $9,780 – already higher than both private options before any additional fees are applied.
Program Type Per Credit Est. Base Tuition Baker University Private $230 ~$6,900 (30 credits) Newman University Private $250 ~$7,500 (30 credits) Wichita State University Public $272.48 + fees ~$8,447+ (31 credits) Fort Hays State University Public $275.65 ~$8,270 (30 credits) Washburn University Public $282 ~$8,460 (30 credits) Pittsburg State University Public $326 + $36 distance fee ~$9,780+ (30 credits)
These are base nursing-course tuition estimates only, calculated from current published per-credit rates multiplied by program credit requirements. Prerequisites, general education requirements, university fees, books, and other costs will affect total program cost. Always verify current rates directly with the institution.
Base Tuition Is Not Your Whole Cost
The per-credit rate is where most people stop reading – but it is rarely the number that appears on a billing statement.
Mandatory Fees at Public Schools: Wichita State’s $72.00 Online Health Professions & $53.43 Nursing Fees; Pittsburg State’s $36 Distance Fee
Wichita State’s tuition page breaks out college and department fees for fully online students. Nursing students face a $72.00 Online Health Professions fee and a $53.43 Nursing fee per credit hour – adding $125.43 per credit on top of the $272.48 base rate. That brings the effective per-credit cost closer to $397.91 for nursing-specific credits, which changes how WSU compares to private-school pricing.
Pittsburg State adds a $36 distance education fee per credit to its already-higher $326 base rate, pushing the effective per-credit cost to $362. At 30 credits, that is roughly $10,860 before other institutional fees are factored in.
Private programs like Baker and Newman do not carry those same layered nursing-specific surcharges, which is a meaningful part of why their all-in costs can land lower even when base rates look similar at a glance.
Practicum & Field Requirements
Another cost that does not appear in tuition tables is time – specifically, time away from work for any in-person components. A program advertised as completely online may still include a practicum, fieldwork, or clinical component.
- Fort Hays State University requires a 32-hour in-person clinical practicum during NURS 449, completed with a BSN-prepared preceptor. FHSU works to arrange this locally, but it is a real scheduling consideration.
- Pittsburg State University includes a Family Health Care Nursing with Practicum course – so completely online does not mean every component is asynchronous.
- Wichita State University includes a leadership practicum and applied-learning component within its curriculum.
Programs that keep all learning experiences online and within a nurse’s existing work environment minimize scheduling disruption – a factor that matters as much as dollar amounts for full-time working RNs.
Accreditation Matters as Much as Price
CCNE & ACEN: Both U.S. Dept. of Education-Recognized, Widely Accepted by Employers & Graduate Schools
The two main nursing accreditation bodies – the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) – are both recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and are widely accepted across employers and graduate programs. A CCNE-accredited BSN carries the same credential standing as an ACEN-accredited one, so the accreditor name on a program’s page matters far less than whether accreditation exists at all. All of the Kansas programs discussed here hold CCNE accreditation.
KSBN Approval: A Distinct State Requirement Separate From National Accreditation
The Kansas State Board of Nursing explicitly states that national nursing accreditation does not substitute for state board approval. They are separate designations serving different purposes. Not every program confirms KSBN approval in its consumer-facing materials. Newman University is notable for explicitly stating both its CCNE accreditation and KSBN approval on its program page – a level of transparency that simplifies the verification step for prospective students. When evaluating any program, it is worth confirming three things independently: institutional accreditation, CCNE or ACEN nursing accreditation, and state board approval status.
Flexibility for Working Nurses
Completion Time & Start Date Options
Most of the programs compared here are built for nurses who are already working full time, and their structures reflect that. Eight-week course blocks, asynchronous delivery, and multiple annual start dates are common features across both private and public options.
- Baker University: Five start dates per year; full- or part-time enrollment; flexible pacing options.
- Newman University: Fall and spring starts; 12-month completion design structured across two semesters.
- Wichita State University: Students can finish in as little as one year or spread coursework over up to six years part time, taking one course at a time.
- Pittsburg State University: 12-month accelerated option with full- and part-time tracks available.
For RNs with variable shifts or irregular schedules, the number of start dates per year and the ability to adjust pace without penalty are practical considerations that can outweigh small per-credit differences.
Newman Delivers the Best Overall Balance
When all the variables are on the table – per-credit rate, total base tuition, fee structure, accreditation clarity, KSBN approval transparency, completion speed, and online delivery – Newman University’s RN to BSN program holds up as the strongest combination among the programs reviewed.
At $250 per credit with no layered nursing-specific fees, a fully online format, a 12-month completion pathway, CCNE accreditation, and explicit KSBN approval language, it checks every box a working Kansas RN is likely to prioritize. Having all of those qualities together at that price point – and below most public-university per-credit rates once fees are included – is what sets it apart.
For nurses who assumed private meant pricier, the per-credit comparison here is a useful correction. Price, accreditation, and flexibility do not require a trade-off, and filtering only by the public vs. private label is the wrong approach when the actual numbers tell a different story.
Newman University offers online nursing programs designed around the realities of working healthcare professionals – see current program details at newmanu.edu.
Newman University
3100 McCormick
Wichita
Kansas
67213
United States
