Top Nursing Schools in Rhode Island for ADN and BSN Students

Rhode Island's RN education market is compact: a single public ADN at CCRI, public and private BSN programs, and online RN-to-BSN options for nurses working while in nursing school who want to finish the degree. For a reader weighing where to apply, a nursing school application guide is more useful because that smaller field makes each choice carry more weight, since relocating or commuting for a stronger program is a real cost in a state this size.

This list orders schools by first-time NCLEX-RN performance rather than name recognition, which separates it from generic "best of" rankings. Pass rates reward the programs that prepare graduates to pass on the first attempt, and in Rhode Island the statewide first-time average has been below the national figure, so the spread between schools matters more than a brand name suggests.

Rhode Island Nursing Schools With the Strongest NCLEX-RN Outcomes for 2027

These programs are ordered with first-time NCLEX-RN performance as the primary lens, using takers-weighted, multi-year pass rates from the latest three years of state board reporting, with accreditation standing and completion and retention patterns settling any close calls. Each card names the degree level and format so you can see quickly whether the route is a campus-based associate degree, a four-year bachelor's, an accelerated second degree, or an online completion track. Where Rhode Island has published a first-time NCLEX-RN result for a school's graduates, that figure appears below.

Inside Our Scoring: Exam Results First, Then Accreditation and Completion

How much does accreditation matter when you compare Rhode Island nursing schools, and what else shapes the order? Exam results come first, and accreditation sits right behind them.

Exam Results Carry the Most Weight

First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates over the latest three years make up roughly three-quarters of each school's score, and our guide covers how to read NCLEX-RN pass rate data. Weighting by test-taker count keeps one small or unusual cohort from pushing a school up or down the list.

Accreditation: What We Could Verify

BSN programs typically hold CCNE accreditation, while ADN programs typically hold ACEN accreditation, so it pays to know how to verify nursing school accreditation before comparing schools. ACEN lists both Community College of Rhode Island and New England Institute of Technology (East Greenwich) as accredited associate nursing programs.¹² NEIT's listing also shows accredited practical, baccalaureate, and master's programs, but it does not say which is prelicensure RN education, so we do not treat it as a BSN confirmation.²

For the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, Salve Regina University, and Providence College, the CCNE and ACEN directory results we reviewed did not establish a current prelicensure RN status.³⁵ Rhode Island Board materials do not name those programs either.⁴ That is a gap in what we could confirm, not a finding that they lack accreditation. This matters most for Providence College's newer program: the Board grants initial approval before the first students are admitted, and official approval can follow only after graduates and standards are reviewed.⁴ Confirm any new or candidacy-stage program directly with the school and the accreditor's directory.

Tie-Breakers and Context

Completion and retention separate schools with similar exam results. Net price and Scorecard earnings appear for context only and do not change the order.

Why Accreditation Matters to You

Accreditation can affect your next steps in practical ways:

• BSN completion: RN-to-BSN programs commonly expect an accredited prior degree, so review RN to BSN accreditation requirements.
• Graduate school: Admissions offices often look for an accredited nursing degree.
• Employers and the military: Some hospitals and military nursing roles require it.

Check the current directory listing before you enroll, since status can change.

First-Time NCLEX-RN Results by School and Degree Level

ADN programs are listed first, then BSN programs. For comparison, the Rhode Island statewide first-time average was 84.9% in the most recent year (92.2% the year before), and the national average was 86.7% (93.6% the year before), so Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island ran roughly level with the national figure, CCRI matched the state average, and New England Institute of Technology and Salve Regina fell below both. Johnson & Wales University's 100% has no prior-year result to compare against, which often points to a newer program with a small cohort, so treat that figure, and any single-year swing, with caution. Pass rates reflect 2026 reporting drawn from Rhode Island Department of Health nursing data. Accreditation is not listed in this dataset, so confirm each program's current status directly with the school before applying.

Rhode Island RN Licensure at a Glance

CCRI's ADN vs. a Four-Year BSN: Time, Cost, and Career Ceiling

Rhode Island's ADN-to-BSN bridge got easier in 2026, when CCRI and the University of Rhode Island launched a fully online RN-to-BSN option that CCRI graduates can enter after earning the ADN and passing the licensing exam. The route is real, but it is not a guaranteed, one-size-fits-all pipeline.

How the Routes Compare

• CCRI Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) (public): About 24 months for students who finish prerequisites and the curriculum on schedule. Cost is directionally the lowest of the three. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Many employers hire ADN nurses, though BSN preferences are growing.
• Public BSN (RIC or URI): Typically 48 months and 120 credits at RIC. Cost sits in the middle. Graduates are NCLEX-RN eligible and meet the BSN preference many hospitals now state.
• Private BSN: Same four-year length, generally the highest cost level. Licensure and hiring outcomes match the public BSN.
• CCRI to BSN transfer: Plan on roughly two years for the ADN plus about one year for an RN to BSN program. RIC's online program requires 30 credits (22 nursing, 8 elective) and awards 37 transfer credits for prior nursing coursework, but no source sets one guaranteed total for every CCRI graduate. URI admits nursing students in the fall and offers an online RN-to-BS for associate-degree RNs.

What the Joint Admissions Agreement Does and Doesn't Cover

The CCRI-RIC/URI Joint Admissions Agreement is a broad transfer pact, not a nursing-specific one. It guarantees at least 30 transfer credits toward general education, with a total of at least 60 applicable credits. To qualify, you must enter before 30 credits, choose an approved transfer track, finish the associate degree within five years, and keep a 2.40 GPA. It does not promise that every ADN nursing course counts toward upper-division nursing. Confirm your own credit picture with an advisor at RIC or URI before you enroll.

Is CCRI a Good Way to Become an RN in Rhode Island?

Yes, for many people. The strengths are low cost and a clear path to NCLEX-RN eligibility in about two years. The catch is twofold. Entry into the nursing program is competitive, so a place is not guaranteed after prerequisites. And over time, many hospitals prefer or require a BSN, and that expectation creates the route to graduate study, including MSN Programs in Rhode Island, and leadership roles. Treat the ADN as a lower-cost first step and plan the bridge early, ideally while working as an RN.

Faster Routes: RN-to-BSN, Accelerated, and Second-Degree Nursing in Rhode Island

Johnson & Wales University in Providence operates a 16-month Accelerated Second Degree BSN in 2026, delivered in a hybrid format with Summer, Fall, and Spring starts. Rhode Island College also offers a campus-based Second-Degree BSN, but its length is individualized: third-party sources place it around 20 to 36 months depending on prerequisites, with Fall and Spring entry and a 3.0 minimum GPA for admission.

Who These Accelerated Tracks Fit

These second degree nursing programs are built for students who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field and have completed science prerequisites. They are not fully online prelicensure routes; in-person labs, simulations, and clinical requirements remain part of the process at Johnson & Wales. The University of Rhode Island does not currently list an accelerated BSN, and Providence College is still pursuing initial accreditation while it considers an ABSN, so there is no confirmed length or start date there.

Online RN-to-BSN for Working Nurses

Licensed registered nurses have faster, flexible options. New England Institute of Technology's Online RN-to-BSN, one of the best online RN to BSN programs in Rhode Island, is 100% online and can be finished in 15 to 36 months. Salve Regina's Online RN-to-BS is asynchronous and self-paced, with a pathway as short as 12 months, six start dates per year, and a $373 per-credit rate for 2026-2027. Rhode Island College's RN-to-BSN keeps nursing coursework online and can be completed in as little as one year, with Fall and Spring entry. A late 2026 report also described a fully online URI-CCRI RN-to-BS pathway, though official enrollment details were still pending as of this writing. These are particularly practical for working CCRI associate-degree graduates who already hold an RN license and want to finish the bachelor's while employed.

If In-State Seats Fill

Because Rhode Island's accelerated second-degree options are limited and not fully online for prelicensure students, some applicants look out of state. The RN-to-BSN and ABSN hub pages on registerednursing.org list online alternatives from other states that may accept Rhode Island residents, especially when local cohorts are competitive.

Average Net Price After Aid: Public vs. Private Rhode Island Nursing Schools

Public campuses generally cost far less after aid, with CCRI and Rhode Island College at the low end and Providence College at the top at $48,523 a year. Johnson & Wales is the notable exception: its average net price falls below URI's. Keep in mind that these figures are institution-wide averages after grants and scholarships, not a quote for nursing students specifically, so ask each financial aid office for a nursing-specific estimate.

What Registered Nurses Earn in Rhode Island

Rhode Island RN pay sits near the six-figure mark, a useful benchmark when weighing tuition against earning potential.

RN Pay and Job Demand Across Rhode Island's Metro Areas

The latest federal wage survey does not report separate metro-area figures for these nursing roles, so the table shows 2025 statewide pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which also reflects nurses in the Providence-Warwick area that crosses into southeastern Massachusetts. Rhode Island's 10,090 registered nurses earn a median of $100,640, and state projections for 2022 to 2032 call for 6.5% growth to about 12,703 RN jobs, with roughly 740 openings a year when new positions, retirements, and career changes are counted together. New graduates often start closer to the 25th percentile ($81,840), so weigh that figure against the net price and debt data shown earlier: lower-cost routes such as an associate degree are typically offset fastest, while higher private-school borrowing simply takes longer to pay down at the same salary.

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