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In-state tuition · 2025 NCLEX pass rates

The Cheapest RN Programs in the U.S. — That Actually Pass the NCLEX

Ranked by published in-state tuition from U.S. Department of Education data, across every board-approved RN program in the country. Every school shows its 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate next to the price — a cheap program whose graduates don't pass the boards isn't a bargain, it's a detour.

25 Cheapest RN Programs by In-State Tuition

Among schools with a rated RN program. Tuition is the whole institution's published in-state price per year, before aid — an ADN takes about two years.

#SchoolStateTypeIn-state tuition / yrBest 2025 NCLEX-RN rate
1Yuba CollegeMarysvilleCaliforniaPublic$1,12883.1%
2Compton CollegeComptonCaliforniaPublic$1,14280.4%
3San Diego City CollegeSan DiegoCaliforniaPublic$1,146100%
4Imperial Valley CollegeImperialCaliforniaPublic$1,14895.6%
5Cypress CollegeCypressCaliforniaPublic$1,15098.5%
6Chabot CollegeHaywardCaliforniaPublic$1,1500%
7Santa Monica CollegeSanta MonicaCaliforniaPublic$1,156100%
8Saddleback CollegeMission ViejoCaliforniaPublic$1,15698.8%
9Allan Hancock CollegeSanta MariaCaliforniaPublic$1,15693.9%
10Napa Valley CollegeNapaCaliforniaPublic$1,15682.5%
11Miracosta CollegeOceansideCaliforniaPublic$1,158100%
12College of the CanyonsSanta ClaritaCaliforniaPublic$1,16689.8%
13Solano Community CollegeFairfieldCaliforniaPublic$1,17295.5%
14Southeast New Mexico CollegeCarlsbadNew MexicoPublic$1,17692.9%
15Santa Ana CollegeSanta AnaCaliforniaPublic$1,18095.1%
16Pasadena City CollegePasadenaCaliforniaPublic$1,18094.3%
17San Joaquin Delta CollegeStocktonCaliforniaPublic$1,18084.6%
18Chaffey CollegeRancho CucamongaCaliforniaPublic$1,18493.2%
19Monterey Peninsula CollegeMontereyCaliforniaPublic$1,188100%
20Glendale Community CollegeGlendaleCaliforniaPublic$1,19198%
21San Bernardino Valley CollegeSan BernardinoCaliforniaPublic$1,19689.1%
22Shasta CollegeReddingCaliforniaPublic$1,19796.5%
23College of the RedwoodsEurekaCaliforniaPublic$1,19882.9%
24Merced CollegeMercedCaliforniaPublic$1,20097.9%
25Ohlone CollegeNewarkCaliforniaPublic$1,20291.3%

Cheapest RN Programs With a 90%+ NCLEX Pass Rate

The same ranking, restricted to programs whose 2025 first-time pass rate beat 90% — well above the national average of 86.5%. Cheap and effective.

#SchoolStateTypeIn-state tuition / yrBest 2025 NCLEX-RN rate
1San Diego City CollegeSan DiegoCaliforniaPublic$1,146100%
2Imperial Valley CollegeImperialCaliforniaPublic$1,14895.6%
3Cypress CollegeCypressCaliforniaPublic$1,15098.5%
4Santa Monica CollegeSanta MonicaCaliforniaPublic$1,156100%
5Saddleback CollegeMission ViejoCaliforniaPublic$1,15698.8%
6Allan Hancock CollegeSanta MariaCaliforniaPublic$1,15693.9%
7Miracosta CollegeOceansideCaliforniaPublic$1,158100%
8Solano Community CollegeFairfieldCaliforniaPublic$1,17295.5%
9Southeast New Mexico CollegeCarlsbadNew MexicoPublic$1,17692.9%
10Santa Ana CollegeSanta AnaCaliforniaPublic$1,18095.1%
11Pasadena City CollegePasadenaCaliforniaPublic$1,18094.3%
12Chaffey CollegeRancho CucamongaCaliforniaPublic$1,18493.2%
13Monterey Peninsula CollegeMontereyCaliforniaPublic$1,188100%
14Glendale Community CollegeGlendaleCaliforniaPublic$1,19198%
15Shasta CollegeReddingCaliforniaPublic$1,19796.5%
16Merced CollegeMercedCaliforniaPublic$1,20097.9%
17Ohlone CollegeNewarkCaliforniaPublic$1,20291.3%
18Citrus CollegeGlendoraCaliforniaPublic$1,20492.9%
19Los Angeles Harbor CollegeWilmingtonCaliforniaPublic$1,238100%
20Los Angeles Pierce CollegeWoodland HillsCaliforniaPublic$1,23896.8%
21East Los Angeles CollegeMonterey ParkCaliforniaPublic$1,23894.6%
22Los Angeles Trade-Tech CollegeLos AngelesCaliforniaPublic$1,23891.8%
23Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta BarbaraCaliforniaPublic$1,24096.7%
24Modesto Junior CollegeModestoCaliforniaPublic$1,28291.2%
25Sacramento City CollegeSacramentoCaliforniaPublic$1,28896%

The cheapest part of nursing school is protecting the investment

Whatever tuition you land on, failing the NCLEX delays your RN income by months — that's the expensive outcome. NurseSavvy turns your own course materials into NCLEX practice from semester 1 for $9.99/mo, the smallest line item in any of these budgets.

Start freeIs nursing school worth it? →What nursing school costs →Highest-paid nursing programs →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest way to become an RN?

An ADN at a public community college — the list above starts at $1,128 a year in published in-state tuition. Two years of that plus NCLEX fees is routinely under a fifth of a private BSN's sticker price, and RN licensure is the same license either way. Many nurses then finish an RN-to-BSN online while working.

Is a cheap nursing program worth it if the NCLEX pass rate is low?

No — tuition you pay at a program whose graduates don't pass the boards is money spent without the license. That's why every school listed here carries its 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate (national average: 86.5%), and why the second table filters to programs at 90% or better.

Why is my state’s cheapest school not on this list?

The ranking uses published in-state tuition from the U.S. Department of Education, so schools outside federal student-aid reporting (many hospital-based programs) and schools without a published 2025 pass rate are excluded. Your state page lists every board-approved program, including those.

Do these prices include fees, books, and living costs?

No. This is the school’s listed in-state price for one year before financial aid. Students from another state often pay more. The full cost also includes pay you may give up while you are in school. The calculator below can add that up.

Methodology

Tuition is published in-state tuition and fees per year from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release); pass rates are 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rates from each state board of nursing. Ranked lists include only schools with both figures — hospital-based programs outside federal reporting and programs without a published 2025 rate are on their state pages instead. Prices are sticker, not net; most students pay less after aid.

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