Cheapest States for CNS License
48 states ranked by lowest licensing costs for CNS licensing, updated for 2026.
#1
South Carolina
$40
South Carolina ranks #1 for lowest licensing costs among all states for CNS licensing. App: $30, Exam: $0.
View South Carolina CNS requirements →Full Rankings
| # | State | Total Fees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina (SC) | $40 |
| 2 | Indiana (IN) | $50 |
| 3 | Kansas (KS) | $50 |
| 4 | Maryland (MD) | $50 |
| 5 | Nebraska (NE) | $50 |
| 6 | Oklahoma (OK) | $70 |
| 7 | Colorado (CO) | $75 |
| 8 | Georgia (GA) | $75 |
| 9 | Montana (MT) | $75 |
| 10 | Alabama (AL) | $78.5 |
| 11 | West Virginia (WV) | $80 |
| 12 | Iowa (IA) | $81 |
| 13 | Wisconsin (WI) | $82 |
| 14 | Michigan (MI) | $85 |
| 15 | New York (NY) | $85 |
| 16 | Idaho (ID) | $90 |
| 17 | Louisiana (LA) | $100 |
| 18 | Maine (ME) | $100 |
| 19 | New Hampshire (NH) | $100 |
| 20 | New Mexico (NM) | $100 |
| 21 | North Carolina (NC) | $100 |
| 22 | South Dakota (SD) | $100 |
| 23 | Texas (TX) | $100 |
| 24 | Utah (UT) | $100 |
| 25 | Vermont (VT) | $100 |
| 26 | Minnesota (MN) | $105 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania (PA) | $105 |
| 28 | Florida (FL) | $110 |
| 29 | North Dakota (ND) | $120 |
| 30 | Arkansas (AR) | $125 |
| 31 | Illinois (IL) | $125 |
| 32 | Washington (WA) | $130 |
| 33 | Rhode Island (RI) | $135 |
| 34 | Alaska (AK) | $150 |
| 35 | Arizona (AZ) | $150 |
| 36 | Massachusetts (MA) | $150 |
| 37 | Missouri (MO) | $150 |
| 38 | Ohio (OH) | $153.5 |
| 39 | Kentucky (KY) | $165 |
| 40 | New Jersey (NJ) | $180 |
| 41 | Delaware (DE) | $181 |
| 42 | Virginia (VA) | $190 |
| 43 | Connecticut (CT) | $200 |
| 44 | Nevada (NV) | $200 |
| 45 | Hawaii (HI) | $210 |
| 46 | Oregon (OR) | $250 |
| 47 | Wyoming (WY) | $310 |
| 48 | California (CA) | $500 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on official state licensing data collected from state nursing boards. Fee data includes application, examination, and fingerprinting costs as published by each state board. Data is verified regularly and updated for 2026.
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