RN Programs in Connecticut – Schools, Salary, and License Info

Connecticut, just like all of the United States, is home to nursing.

However, when it comes to deciding which school to attend, we are all confused.

And confusion comes for many reasons.

Sometimes you just haven’t figured out the program we want to study.

Other times you’re unsure about the place.

And lastly, it might be you just don’t have enough information on what to check for in a school.

That’s why I am writing this article.

To help you see the options and see which program and the nursing school works best for you.

The first thing to know is the assurance of licensure after you graduate from school.

That is a huge criterion to check for in a program.

You can do so by measuring the NCLEX-RN exam pass rates.

From this analysis, the 5 top-ranked schools in the state have been selected.

In particular, the current and historical pass rates were considered.

That is the percentage of the exam passes in the entire 20 RN programs across Connecticut.

Programs reviewed include schools that offer an Associate in Nursing (ADN/ASN), BSN, or Direct-Entry MSN Degree.

In Connecticut, nurses are providing high-quality care due to the state’s continuous support towards them.

In particular, nurses who have a higher education skill set and knowledge are being required the most.

Nurses with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing earn more money in a year.

They are also prone to have more leadership positions and various job positions in the future.

The state estimates that 1,200 nursing jobs will be opened until 2022.

For RN bridge programs visit:

• RN to BSN Programs in Connecticut
• RN to MSN Programs in Connecticut

ADN Programs in Connecticut

The easiest way to become an RN in Connecticut is by enrolling an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (AND).

This type of program can be found in junior community colleges, while their length is two years at most.

The program is gathered in 4 semesters in total.

After that, students are ready for the NCLEX exam and start working soon after with the RN license.

However, in Colorado, you will find 5 AND colleges through which one can get an RN.

So, there is hope for all to make the most of these options available.

What to Look For in an ADN Program in Connecticut

The two major issues to consider when looking for a suitable ADN program in this state are location and finances.

Then come other things, like the following.

Accreditation

There are two accrediting bodies in charge of accreditation of the educational institutions in Colorado.

One of them is the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (AECN).

While the other is the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

Students are encouraged to choose accredited schools so that their learning is of high quality and understanding.

In fact, that’s what is written on every school’s website and the accrediting body’s as well.

This information is renewed on a regular basis.

Licensing

Licensing is one of the criteria a student has to check before attending a program.

The school’s goal should be to prepare students for the NCLEX-RN exam through which they will earn the licensure in the short run.

From the collected national data, more than 1,500 graduates have taken the NCLEX-RN exam in the past year.

And there is still enough place for more qualified nurses.

Program Outcomes

Program outcomes are one of the key educational objectives of a nursing school.

Among them is also teaching excellence in teaching through which new candidates will be attracted.

To make the right choice, students are encouraged to check the admission department of the school they want to apply online.

Among the main program outcomes to be considered are:

• Number of graduates to students each year
• NCLEX-RN exam successes (yearly)
• Student engagement and satisfaction
• Related field-employment data

One of the several community colleges to mention is the Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Bridgeport.

The school offers an AND college with accelerated options and standard option programs.

The accelerated one is shortened in 4 semesters and it can be completed 18 months of classroom and clinical work.

ADN Program Admission Requirements in Connecticut

With the national growth in Nursing in Connecticut, students are required to fulfill the admission criteria of the school they apply to.

And this is valid for every person who is interested to enter the healthcare field.

These admission requirements are special for each school.

But the following ones are the most common requirements of the ADN programs in the state:

• Students must have a GPA of 2.5 or greater in pre-requisite courses
• Students must have successfully passed the TEAS
• Students must be considered ‘in good standing’ at the college of their choice
• Students must provide transcripts and application fees to the Admissions department at their school

Tuition and Costs of ADN Programs in Connecticut

The price of a nursing program is always a concern to students.

That’s even more of a pressure in post-secondary education too.

However, they are mainly asked to pay tuition for classes, faculty, and facilities.

Pre-licensure students, on the other hand, are asked to manage payment of materials, textbooks, equipment, and uniforms.

One way to make both of these payments easily, students should make a research in the school’s total program cost in the first place.

One example to consider is Gateway Community College.

This college advises students that their per-credit-hour fee is about $230 to a cap of 17 credit hours per semester.

Program and student fees are extra.

Advantages of ADN Programs

Advantages of AND programs are important when it comes to program and school choice of a student.

Being the first step to RN license, DN programs offer diverse placements, lower tuition costs at the college level, and so on.

LPN to RN Programs in Connecticut

LPN to RN transition programs is shorter than the traditional programs in Connecticut.

But they are a good opportunity for nurses who are interested to become RNs in the future.

LPN to ADN/BSN Programs

LPN programs in Connecticut are various.

Students can choose a diploma program, an LPN to ADN, or an LPN to BSN program.

The most popular programs are the LPN to ADN ones.

They are short.

You can finish them in two semesters.

A school to attend an LPN to ADN program is the Saint Vincent’s College at Sacred Heart University.

This college utilizes a mixture of online and classroom-based learning.

Also, there is an LPN to BSN bachelor degree program available in Connecticut.

The latter can be completed in 16 months, or two years in total.

In East Hartford, the Godwin College offers another RN to BSN program.

Through it, students are prepared for compassionate nursing care.

Being admitted to these programs is still a matter of meeting requirements.

LPN to RN programs have different requirements.

Most of all, they require a graduate student from an LPN program approved by the state as well as having an LPN license.

BSN Programs in Connecticut

BSN programs are two times longer than ADN ones.

The reasons for this difference are many.

A BSN degree is the ideal choice for students who don’t know which program to enroll.

By attending this program, students are taught bedside care, nursing management, and leadership roles within the hospital or clinic environment.

A BSN degree may be a job criterion in some job placements.

While there are 8 or more universities that offer a BSN degree around Connecticut.

Some jobs have criteria that favor a candidate with a BSN as compared to other credentials.

What To Look For in a BSN Program in Connecticut

Every decision we make in life takes some amount of time and energy from us.

Sometimes we need to be willing to do so cost what it may.

Thus, choosing the proper BSN program in Connecticut is a challenge as well.

In the long run, a student will have to check if the program is accredited first.

Apart from that, he or she needs to also evaluate program effectiveness, cost of attendance, and clinical placement quality.

Enrolling a BSN program in a campus area is to be considered.

In this program can apt freshmen students and those who look for other transitory RN to BSN programs.

This way, they will be able to earn a BSN program in the short run.

Nursing students basically have a number of program options to consider in Connecticut.

The greatest number of programs can be found in Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Connecticut.

In an accredited program, for instance, students may enter as freshmen or complete the school’s two-year RN-to-BSN stream.

BSN Program Length in Connecticut

BSN programs usually take two semesters per year.

Amid the semesters, there are breaks.

These breaks are in summer.

While blocks of clinical placement are interspersed with classroom time so that there is a perfect learning environment for students in the state.

Students, for instance, may choose minor or general courses within their interest area.

While the full-time commitment of a nursing program is for the classroom, clinical, work, and social matters.

BSN Program Admission Requirements in Connecticut

There is always some variance in admissions between institutions, even for a profession as regulated as nursing.

However, some general BSN admission criteria are similar between schools:

• Complete course pre-requisites with a grade of C or higher
• List personal and professional volunteer involvements
• Submit a personal essay to be evaluated on structure, grammar, and content
• Submit immunization documents
• Provide official transcripts from all prior institutions

Tuition and Costs of BSN Programs in Connecticut

BSN tuition cost in Connecticut varies even within the state’s area.

In general, it includes paying for tuition, equipment, texts, and other student fees.

However, it is important to make a research about the program costs before applying to a school.

What you need to bear in mind is that costs separate from tuition can be included in the total price or remain as program expenses.

One school to check for this cost is Quinnipiac University.

Its freshman tuition goes to $41,000 in a year.

While students can also benefit from financial aid as well.

Advantages of BSN Programs

A BSN degree is the easiest path to a nursing career.

With this degree, nurses are more paid than RNs who don’t have it.

And they also have more job opportunities in the long run.

Since there are many BSN programs available in the state, no one can complain about it.

MSN Programs in Connecticut

Whenever we finish something, we start something else.

After a BSN degree there comes the Master of Science in Nursing.

With this degree, a nursing student can apt for additional medical roles such as Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Midwife, and Nurse Practitioner.

All these titles are available to those with graduate-level education.

Students can both apply for online and local studying options to the same degree.

MSN Program Length in Connecticut

A standard MSN program in Connecticut lasts 3 semesters of study, with a full-time commitment.

The programs require a lot of time and effort, so students should think twice about the part-time job they want to indulge in in the meantime, since it may affect their coursework.

MSN Admission Requirements in Connecticut

Admission requirements in an MSN program in Connecticut are different from program to program.

Mostly, it is a matter of the pathways graduate students choose, the demand and space as well.

However, some core admissions criteria are the same for all schools:

• Submit all required applications for university and program admission
• Provide a transcript of your BSN with a competitive GPA
• Provide a professional resume
• Provide RN licensure information; be eligible to practice nursing in Connecticut
• Have submitted on your behalf the requisite number of professional reference letters to the graduate program Admissions department

Tuition and Costs of MSN Programs in Connecticut

MSN program cost in Connecticut includes tuition, equipment, course materials, and other additional expenses.

Other costs such as housing can be included or not.

That is a matter of a school’s policy for graduate students.

One example of the cost is the Yale School of Nursing.

Its cost per semester for the MSN program goes around $19,000.

In this cost, however, incidental and housing costs are not covered.

For NP programs visit:

• Connecticut DNP Programs
• Connecticut FNP Programs
• Connecticut Nurse Practitioner Programs
• Connecticut Post-Graduate Certificate Nursing Programs

Getting a Connecticut Nursing License

The Connecticut application for nursing licensure through examination or endorsement should include a completed licensure application which must include applicant SSN.

The form can be accessed online only.

The following documents must also be submitted:

• Proof of U.S. citizenship or immigration status
• Completed screening forms including a copy of driver’s license
• Any applicable documentation that shows proof of a name change (i.e. for marital or other purposes)
• Complete the NCLEX-RN examination

RN transcripts are to be mailed directly to the state nursing board from your post-secondary institution

Applying for endorsement of your out-of-state licensure includes all the above information as well as the following documents:

• Current/active license from another state
• Verification of original licensure by examination
• Verification of current state license
• Proof of employment or of graduation
• NURSES verification request (if applicable)

Declare any and all other states’ licenses including state, issuance, expiration, number, and status.

Non-U.S. applicants should arrange to have their certification verified by CGFNS International

Accelerated Nursing Programs in Connecticut

Accelerated programs in nursing are available in Connecticut too.

In fact, there are 5 colleges where students can attend this type of program.

They usually take 12 to 15 months with a full-time schedule.

Some of these programs have prerequisites that have to be met before entering into the accelerated program.

One of them is making the length of the program a bit longer than just the degree portion.

Whereas the costs of taking these programs vary from college to college depending on the number of credit hours that are involved, meaning if you have prerequisite courses required your costs may be a bit more.

• Connecticut Accelerated BSN Programs
• Connecticut Accelerated MSN Programs

Latest Connecticut NCLEX-RN Pass Rates and Statistics

• Total Number of State Approved Schools: 20
• 2019 Average Statewide Connecticut NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 94.3%

The Best RN Schools in Connecticut

With 5 RN schools, Connecticut has offered enough nursing programs for its potential students.

However, there are also online learning opportunities to consider.

This way, students can make the most of both their study and work time.

RN Salaries in Connecticut

RN salaries depend on the type of program you attend.

Usually, an MSN degree is paid higher than an ADN or BSN one.

Anyway, there are different factors that influence a nurse’s salary.

Among them, place, work experience, and qualifications are to be named.

The more of these criteria you meet as an employee, the better the salary you get at work.

Annual Salary Range:

Regional Salary in Connecticut

RN Programs by State