Six programs accept Washington residents and lead to NCLEX-RN eligibility, which the state requires for licensure. Tuition ranges from roughly $9,500 to $15,000, and programs run 18 months to two years depending on how quickly you want to finish.
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Which RN programs should Washington students compare first?
Six Washington RN options cover associate, bachelor, and accelerated pathways into NCLEX-RN eligibility. The table below ranks them by total cost. Click a name to jump to the detailed write-up.
| Program | Length | Tuition | Credential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma Community College — Associate of Nursing, RN Option | 18 mo | $9,500–$15,000 | NCLEX-RN prep |
| Bellevue College — Associate Degree in Nursing | 2 yr | $10,000–$16,000 | NCLEX-RN prep |
| Seattle Central College — Associate Degree Nursing | 2 yr | $10,000–$16,000 | NCLEX-RN prep |
| Spokane Community College — Associate Degree Nursing | 2 yr | $10,000–$16,000 | NCLEX-RN prep |
| Columbia Basin College — Associate in Nursing | 2 yr | $10,000–$16,000 | NCLEX-RN prep |
| Lake Washington Institute of Technology — Nursing AAS-T | 2 yr | $11,000–$17,000 | NCLEX-RN prep |
Tacoma Community College — Associate of Nursing, RN Option
- Cost:
- $9,500–$15,000
- Length:
- 18 mo
- Format:
- Hybrid
- Accreditation:
- Washington Board of Nursing approved
- Credential prep:
- NCLEX-RN
- FAFSA eligible:
- Yes
Tacoma Community College lists a six-quarter nursing sequence after prerequisites. It works best for South Sound students who want an associate RN path and later transfer toward a BSN.
View program at Tacoma Community College →Bellevue College — Associate Degree in Nursing
- Cost:
- $10,000–$16,000
- Length:
- 2 yr
- Format:
- Hybrid
- Accreditation:
- Washington Board of Nursing approved; NLN CNEA accredited
- Credential prep:
- NCLEX-RN
- FAFSA eligible:
- Yes
Bellevue College's ADN prepares graduates for beginning RN practice and NCLEX-RN eligibility. It is a strong Eastside option for students who want board-approved training without starting with a four-year BSN price.
View program at Bellevue College →Seattle Central College — Associate Degree Nursing
- Cost:
- $10,000–$16,000
- Length:
- 2 yr
- Format:
- Hybrid
- Accreditation:
- Washington Board of Nursing approved
- Credential prep:
- NCLEX-RN
- FAFSA eligible:
- Yes
Seattle Central is the city-center option for students who need clinical access in Seattle. The tradeoff is competition for seats, but the location can matter if you already live or work near major Seattle health systems.
View program at Seattle Central College →Spokane Community College — Associate Degree Nursing
- Cost:
- $10,000–$16,000
- Length:
- 2 yr
- Format:
- Hybrid
- Accreditation:
- Washington Board of Nursing approved
- Credential prep:
- NCLEX-RN
- FAFSA eligible:
- Yes
Spokane Community College is the eastern Washington anchor in this list. Compare it if you want community-college tuition and clinical placements closer to Spokane rather than Seattle or Tacoma.
View program at Spokane Community College →Columbia Basin College — Associate in Nursing
- Cost:
- $10,000–$16,000
- Length:
- 2 yr
- Format:
- Hybrid
- Accreditation:
- Washington Board of Nursing approved
- Credential prep:
- NCLEX-RN
- FAFSA eligible:
- Yes
Columbia Basin College serves Tri-Cities students who want to stay local for nursing school. It is the practical comparison point if Seattle-area programs are too far away or too expensive to commute to.
View program at Columbia Basin College →Lake Washington Institute of Technology — Nursing AAS-T
- Cost:
- $11,000–$17,000
- Length:
- 2 yr
- Format:
- Hybrid
- Accreditation:
- Washington Board of Nursing approved
- Credential prep:
- NCLEX-RN
- FAFSA eligible:
- Yes
LWTech is a Kirkland-based RN pathway for students on the east side of Lake Washington. It belongs on the shortlist if location and transfer-oriented technical-college training matter more than a traditional university campus.
View program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology →Which RN credential path should you choose?
RN programs differ by award level, but every pre-licensure path has to prepare you for NCLEX-RN and state licensure.
| Credential | Issuing body | Exam cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADN Associate Degree in Nursing | Community college | Varies by college | Fastest lower-cost route to NCLEX-RN eligibility and entry-level RN work. |
| BSN Bachelor of Science in Nursing | University | Varies by university | Students targeting hospitals that prefer bachelor-prepared nurses or future graduate study. |
| ABSN Accelerated BSN | University | Varies by university | Career changers who already hold a bachelor degree and can handle an intensive schedule. |
| NCLEX-RN National Council Licensure Examination | NCSBN | $200 exam fee | Required licensure exam after graduation from a board-approved RN program. |
Credential and accreditation sources: NCSBN, AACN, and ACEN.
How much do RN programs cost in Washington?
RN programs in Washington state range from $9,500 to $17,000 depending on the college, because tuition reflects in-state subsidy levels, accreditation type, and whether the program qualifies for federal financial aid.
Every program here is a state community or technical college approved by the Washington Board of Nursing, so the price gap comes down to each school's tuition rate and transfer pathway, not program quality. The table below sorts programs from lowest to highest cost.
| Tier | Tuition range | What you get | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-cost state community college | $9,500–$15,000 | In-state tuition covers NCLEX-RN preparation and Washington Board of Nursing-approved clinical training, and the program is FAFSA-eligible. | Tacoma Community College |
| Mid-range state community college | $10,000–$16,000 | In-state tuition includes NCLEX-RN preparation, FAFSA eligibility, and Washington Board of Nursing approval, with some campuses also holding NLN CNEA programmatic accreditation. | Bellevue College |
| Regional technical institute transfer program | $11,000–$17,000 | Tuition covers an AAS-T degree designed for transfer, NCLEX-RN preparation, Washington Board of Nursing approval, and access to federal financial aid. | Lake Washington Institute of Technology |
How do you become a registered nurse in Washington?
- 1
Choose ADN, BSN, or accelerated BSN
education2-4 weeks · $0 (research only)
Washington accepts all three degree paths for RN licensure: the 2-year ADN, the 4-year BSN, and accelerated BSN programs for those who already hold a non-nursing bachelor's degree. Research which fits your timeline and budget, keeping in mind that many Washington hospital systems now prefer or require a BSN for new hires.
- 2
Complete a board-approved nursing program
training licensing16 mo to 4 yr · Varies by program
Enroll in one of the 6 Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission-approved RN programs and complete all required coursework, clinical rotations, and skills labs. Program length ranges from about 16 months for accelerated options to 4 years for a traditional BSN.
- 3
Pass NCLEX-RN and apply for state licensure
career1-3 months · $200+ state fees
After graduating, register for the NCLEX-RN through Pearson VUE ($200 exam fee) and submit your licensure application to the Washington State Department of Health, which adds state fees on top. Most candidates receive their results within 48 hours of testing, with the full license issued within a few weeks of approval.
Do you need a license to work as a registered nurse in Washington?
Washington requires registered nurses to hold an active state license before practicing. The Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission issues RN licenses, and applicants must graduate from a board-approved pre-licensure program to qualify. Passing the NCLEX-RN is the central requirement, and your program choice directly affects whether you can sit for that exam and complete the state application. The current postings below show exactly what Washington hiring managers list once that license is in hand.
What is the Washington job market like for registered nurses?
We pulled the most recent registered nurse postings open to Washington residents from Indeed, employer career sites, and relevant professional job boards. The numbers below summarize roughly 7,480 postings from the last 90 days; the three sample postings further down are representative examples we analyzed to figure out what employers actually require.
Top-level findings: median posted pay is $109,400, 4% of roles are remote or remote-eligible, and the largest employers hiring right now include MultiCare Health System, Providence, UW Medicine.
Sources: posting count from Indeed; median salary from BLS OEWS 29-1141.
Sample postings analyzed below
All three postings share the same hard floor: a current Washington State Registered Nurse license and Basic Life Support certification. Beyond those two credentials, every employer expects competency in patient assessment, medication administration, and documentation inside an electronic health record. UW Medicine raises the bar further, with postings that "often prefer specialty experience, charge nurse exposure, or a BSN depending on the unit."
The day-to-day expectations read similarly across employers. MultiCare describes "collaborating with physicians and the care team while supporting patients and families through changing conditions." Providence frames the same work as "respectful collaboration with interdisciplinary teams" paired with "medication safety" and "patient education." Neither posting leaves room for a new grad who can only perform tasks in isolation.
All three roles are onsite acute care positions in major Washington metro areas, Tacoma, Everett, and Seattle. None are remote. The experience floor is unstated but implied: UW Medicine's preference for specialty background or charge exposure signals that a straight-from-school candidate competes harder there than at a community hospital like MultiCare.
If you are choosing a nursing program, prioritize one that guarantees clinical hours in inpatient acute care settings and supports BSN completion, since that combination directly addresses what these Washington employers are screening for.
FAQ
Can I work full-time while enrolled in any of these programs?
None of these programs publish part-time or self-paced tracks, and clinical rotations typically require daytime availability. Most nursing students find full-time work difficult to sustain alongside the coursework and clinical hours.
Do these programs accept FAFSA?
Yes, all six programs accept FAFSA. Costs range from $9,500 at Tacoma Community College up to $17,000 at Lake Washington Institute of Technology, so filing early is worth doing regardless of which program you choose.
Will an out-of-state program count for Washington employers?
All six programs listed are Washington state schools accredited to prepare graduates for the NCLEX-RN, which is the licensure standard Washington employers require. If you attended a program outside Washington, your school would need to meet Washington State Nursing Commission approval standards.
How long until I can sit for the NCLEX-RN exam?
Tacoma Community College's program takes 18 months, so graduates there can apply to test soonest. The other five programs run two years before graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.