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Nursing Education Story

Where are nurses educated in Connecticut?

This report explores the state of pre-licensing nursing education in Connecticut. This report includes information about students and faculty. It focuses on Registered Nursing programs (RN) and Licensed Practical Nursing programs (LPN).

This is an old, 2017 survey analysis. See the most recent analysis.

Programs

Registered Nurses Degree Programs

In Connecticut, there are 18 institutions with accredited RN programs, 6 of which are community colleges.

  • Capital Community College
  • Central Connecticut State University
  • Fairfield University
  • Gateway Community College
  • Goodwin College
  • Naugatuck Valley Comm. College
  • Northwestern CT Community College
  • Norwalk Community College
  • Quinnipiac University
  • Sacred Heart University
  • Southern Connecticut State University
  • St. Vincent's College
  • Three Rivers Community College
  • University of Bridgeport
  • University of Connecticut
  • University of Saint Joseph
  • Western CT State University
  • Yale University

Connecticut has 2,452 budget seats for nursing applicants for RN programs. In 2017, 2,368 students enrolled on day one of class. Of those enrolled, 80 students disclosed that they held an LPN license.

Due to near capacity enrollments and limited attrition in our RN Programs, the only way that that the State of Connecticut can increase annual graduation numbers for the RN would be to expand enrollments at the existing 18 schools.

Among 6 community colleges that offer an RN program,

there were 1112 qualified applicants that applied, of whom 65% were admitted. 601 of the admitted students enrolled on day 1 of the program. 89% of students were female, 11% male.

Registered Nurse Graduates in 2017

In 2017, 38% of RN graduates got a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, and 27% graduated with an Associate degree.

Practical Nurses Degree Programs

Connecticut has 1,489 budgeted seats for LPN program applicants.

In 2017, 1595 qualified applicants applied to LPN programs, the vast majority of whom got admitted. 1183 students were enrolled on day 1 of class. 10% of students were male, and 90% were female.

1574 of 1595, or over 98% of qualified applicants got accepted to an LPN program.

Students

Students by Age

Registered Nurses

RN students tend to be younger than LPN students. There are more students aged 17-25 than all other ages combined (including those who chose not to disclose their age).

Licensed Practical Nurses

LPN students tend to be older than RN students. There are more LPN students who are in their 50s than those aged 17-20.

Students by Race

Registered Nurses

Three quarters of students training to become RNs self-identified as White. About 9% of students are Black, and 8% of students chose not to disclose their race.

Licensed Practical Nurses

Unlike RN students, LPN students are primarily Black (65%). 19% of LPN students are white, followed by Native Hawaiian (5%). 8% of LPN students chose not to disclose their race.

Students by Ethnicity

10% of RN students and 13% of LPN students self-identify as Hispanic.

Students by US Citizenship

Registered Nurses

Eight schools reported having 114 students who did not self-identify as U.S. citizens. Of those, 68 go to Norwalk Community College, 18 to Capital Community College, 12 to Naugatuck Valley Community College, and 10 to Gateway Community College.

Licensed Practical Nurses

Three schools reported their students' citizenship status. Both Stone Academy and Porter and Chester reported no students who were not U.S. citizens. Lincoln Technical Institute reported 9 students who were not U.S. citizens.

Faculty

Most nursing faculty are part-time in both LPN and RN programs.

Faculty by Education Level

Full-time Faculty

Most full-time RN faculty have a PhD. Most full-time LPN faculty have a master's degree.

Part-time Faculty

Most part-time RN faculty have a master’s degree. Most part-time LPN faculty have a bachelor's degree.

Faculty by Age

Among full-time LPN faculty, there are staff that are younger than 30 and older than 70. All of the part-time LPN faculty are between the ages of 31 and 70. Most of the RN staff are between the ages of 41 and 55, though their ages range the entire age span. The age of most of part-time RN faculty is unknown.

RN Faculty by Age

LPN Faculty by Age

Faculty by Gender

Most part-time and full-time RN and LPN faculty self-identify as female.

Faculty by Race

Most of the full-time and part-time RN and LPN faculty self-identify as White. Among full-time LPN faculty, there is one Asian faculty member and 20 Black faculty members. Among the part-time LPN faculty, there are 30 Black faculty members, there are no members of other races. There are a larger number of part-time RN faculty who are people of color compared to full-time staff. The race of 319 part-time RN faculty is unknown.

RN Faculty by Race

LPN Faculty by Race

Faculty by Ethnicity

Over 96% of LPN and RN faculty, both full- and part-time, self-identify as non-Hispanic.

Faculty by US Citizenship

No LPN faculty identified as non-U.S. citizens. No full-time RN faculty identified as non-U.S. citizens, one part-time RN faculty member identified as a non-U.S. citizen.