The Top Nursing Schools in Rhode Island
Rhode Island is home to many excellent hospitals and offers easy access to both cities and coastal recreation. Although it’s the smallest state,12,150 nurses work in Rhode Island.
This guide can help you choose between the best nursing programs in Rhode Island. We explore how to get your Rhode Island registered nursing (RN) license and typical salaries.
Keep reading for more about nursing schools in Rhode Island and your career prospects.
The Best Nursing Schools in Rhode Island
The best nursing program in Rhode Island for you depends on your preferences, learning needs, background, and career goals. If you want to earn your license quickly, an associate degree in nursing (ADN) takes two years to complete. A bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) takes longer but is more valuable for career advancement.
Our Methodology: We use a data-driven methodology to rank the best nursing schools in Rhode Island, making it easier for you to find a program that works for you. Our methodology is based on metrics that we believe matter most to students, including academic quality, affordability, reputation, and program offerings.
Featured Online MSN Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
How to Choose a Nursing Program in Rhode Island
When choosing between nursing schools in Rhode Island, consider the program quality and National Council Licensure Examination for RNs (NCLEX-RN) pass rate, one of the strongest indicators of quality, tuition, and financial aid availability.
Acceptance and graduation rates and logistics of attending are also key. For example, if attending online, can you seek clinical placement as an online student in your community?
Because nursing accreditation is the most important factor in a program’s value, this guide only lists accredited programs.
Why Become a Nurse in Rhode Island
The 2019 NCLEX-RN pass rate for Rhode Island was 88.9%, above the national average of 88.2%, an indication of quality among nursing programs in Rhode Island. Rhode Island requires disclosure of nurse staffing ratios, since a higher nurse-to-patient ratio is associated with less burnout for nurses and better outcomes for patients.
Rhode Island has the third highest ratio of nurses to the total working population in the country, with 27.42 nurses for every 1,000 workers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). While this means demand for nurses is lower, it also means healthcare facilities are less likely to be understaffed than in most states.
Rhode Island also offers emergency temporary licenses to nursing school graduates in Rhode Island or RNs from other states who may work in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island is also famous for its natural beauty, with stunning coastlines. Newport, Rhode Island, is a world-famous tourist destination for its gorgeous Gilded Age mansions, many of which are open as museums.
Salary and Job Outlook for Nurses in Rhode Island
Both RN and nurse practitioner (NP) salaries in Rhode Island rank 11th highest in the country. RNs earn an average $85,270 annually, compared to >$82,750 nationally. Rhode Island NPs earn an average $126,760, above the national average of $118,040. The cost of living is also high at 117.2.
Rhode Island is projected to have only 4% job growth for nurses between 2018 and 2028, the lowest in the country.
Learn more about RN salaries in Rhode Island.
Highest-Paying Cities for Nurses in Rhode Island
Providence is full of historic interest and natural beauty. Home to Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, it offers easy access to Newport’s stunning beauty and world-famous mansions.
You can also access lovely small coastal towns and artist colonies from Providence.
Average Salary for RNs: $85,200
Source: BLS
Steps to Becoming a Nurse in Rhode Island
All states have nurse license requirements, whether RNs or advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). These include graduating from nursing school, passing the relevant examination, and completing a criminal background check.
Rhode Island also requires nurses to have at least one continuing education unit in Alzheimer’s and two hours in substance misuse training for their license renewals.
RN Requirements
To earn an RN license in Rhode Island, you must graduate with an ADN or BSN degree and then pass the NCLEX-RN and a criminal background check. You can get a temporary emergency license from the state board of nursing, though this may change after the COVID-19 pandemic. The license fee is $135.
If you attended nursing school in Rhode Island and take the NCLEX-RN as a Rhode Island resident, you must have your official transcripts sent to the board. Renewals are every two years and require 10 hours of continuing education for nurses. Nurses may apply for a six-month hardship extension.
APRN Requirements
To become an APRN in Rhode Island, you need a master of science in nursing or a doctor of nursing practice degree, a current and unencumbered RN license, and a passing score on the relevant board examination.
The state board of nursing requires verification of your education and certification, as well as a criminal background check. The application fee is $145.
Rhode Island is a full-practice authority state, but you must apply for prescribing authority, which you can do as part of your APRN application.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing in Rhode Island
To get a Rhode Island nursing license, you need at least an ADN, a passing score on the NCLEX-RN, and a criminal background check with fingerprinting.
Nursing school graduates or RNs from another state are eligible for an emergency temporary license, valid for 90 days, provided they have a verified job offer.
It takes at least two years to earn an ADN degree and four years for a BSN. Applications can take approximately four weeks.
If you graduated from a nursing school in Rhode Island or plan to work in a Rhode Island healthcare setting, you can apply for a 90-day emergency temporary license if you have a current employment offer in Rhode Island. You can start immediately once you submit a complete application.
No, Rhode Island is no longer part of the Nurse Licensure Compact. However, there is pending legislation to amend the interstate compact, as of March 2022. Nurses from other states can apply for a license by endorsement or a temporary emergency license if they already have a verified nursing job offer in Rhode Island.
It takes approximately four weeks to get a Rhode Island nursing license by endorsement. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, you can get a 90-day temporary emergency license if you have a verified job offer in Rhode Island. You can renew this license once.
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