The Connecticut nursing school that fits you is the one that gets you through the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt without leaving you buried in loans. Pass rates vary across the state, and so does the public vs private nursing programs cost comparison, from public community college tuition to private university sticker prices several times higher.
The programs here include 2-year ADN pathways and 4-year BSN degrees, ordered mainly by first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates. Accelerated routes, net price, and free-tuition options also shape the choice, as do admission models and the state's licensing steps.
In a state with major hospital systems favoring BSN-prepared hires, the cheapest route and the most employable one are not always the same.
NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rates Behind Our Connecticut List
The NCLEX-RN is the one exam every Connecticut nursing graduate must pass before practicing, so first-time pass rates carry roughly three-quarters of each school's score here. Those rates are averaged over the latest three years and weighted by the number of test takers, with accreditation counting next and a small weight for completion and retention. The figures come from pass-rate data published by the Connecticut Department of Public Health and Board of Examiners for Nursing through 2026, and the benchmark is the 2024 national first-time rate of 94.2 percent for U.S.-educated candidates reported by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Against that mark, Central Connecticut State, Sacred Heart, and Northwestern Community College (ADN) come in above it in the latest year. The University of Bridgeport, Goodwin, Southern Connecticut State, and the University of Saint Joseph trail it by double digits. Compare ADN programs with ADN programs and BSN programs with BSN programs. Keep in mind that small cohorts can swing several points from one year to the next, so read any single year alongside the prior one. Test-taker counts are not yet reported for these programs.
| School | Program Level (ADN/BSN) | Most Recent First-Time Pass Rate | Prior Year Pass Rate | Approx. Test Takers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Connecticut State University | BSN | 100% | 87% | Not reported |
| Sacred Heart University | BSN | 99% | 98% | Not reported |
| Northwestern Community College | ADN | 95% | 93% | Not reported |
| Fairfield University | BSN | 90% | 95% | Not reported |
| Quinnipiac University (Hamden) | BSN | 89% | 96% | Not reported |
| Southern Connecticut State University | BSN | 81% | 90% | Not reported |
| University of Saint Joseph | BSN | 81% | 92% | Not reported |
| Goodwin University | BSN | 73% | 70% | Not reported |
| University of Bridgeport | BSN | 62% | 80% (marked in state data) | Not reported |
Connecticut Nursing Schools With the Strongest NCLEX-RN Outcomes
First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates are the closest thing nursing has to a public report card on readiness to practice, and the Connecticut schools below have the strongest records on that exam. Every program here is accredited, and the group spans the full range of entry points, from a 12-month accelerated degree in Groton to a six-campus community college network. These are schools a Connecticut student can realistically aim for this year.
How we ranked these
- Institution-wide graduation rates
- Program completion and retention
- NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates
- Accreditation status
- Net price after aid
- Original research on individual programs
- NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
- Program-level NCLEX pass rates from the state boards of nursing — ncsbn.org
- College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- In-house program catalog data
Western Connecticut State University
#1Danbury, CT · ~$18,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 97.2% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Connecticut residents wanting small, personal cohorts
A public university in Danbury whose BSN starts nursing coursework in the sophomore year, so students spend three full years in nursing classes, labs, and clinicals rather than waiting until junior year. Placements rotate through agencies in Danbury, Waterbury, and New Haven, giving students exposure to several health systems before graduation. Small cohorts and accessible faculty are a deliberate hallmark of the program.
- CCNE accredited
- 120 total credit hours
- 3.0 GPA minimum for admission
- Prerequisite science courses required
- Three years of nursing coursework
- Nursing classes begin in sophomore year
- Clinical partners in Danbury, Waterbury, and New Haven
- Smaller class sizes with accessible faculty
Yale University
#2New Haven, CT · ~$24,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 94.7% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Career changers with a prior bachelor's degree
Yale is the most selective school on this list, admitting fewer than 4% of applicants and graduating more than 95% of the students it enrolls. Its entry-level master's pathway is built for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field and want to move into nursing. New Haven places students beside one of the largest academic medical centers in the Northeast, and aid packages run deep for the students who get in.
- Entry-level master's pathway into nursing
- Designed for career changers with a bachelor's degree
Sacred Heart University
#3Fairfield, CT · ~$46,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 94.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Students who want clinical time abroad
Sacred Heart in Fairfield offers something rare for a private university: both a four-year BSN and a program that leads to an associate degree in nursing. The BSN leans on five dedicated nursing labs and high-fidelity simulation rooms, and the program reports a 99% first-time licensure pass rate. Juniors and seniors can earn clinical hours in Dingle, Ireland, or on service trips to Jamaica and Guatemala.
- 99% first-time licensure pass rate
- Five state-of-the-art nursing labs
- High-fidelity simulation rooms
- Study abroad in Dingle, Ireland
- Clinical trips to Jamaica and Guatemala
- Pathway to MSN programs
- Opportunities for research projects
- ACEN accredited
- Complete in 2 to 3 years
- 72 total credit hours
- Part-time enrollment available
- 700 clinical hours
- Automatic admission to RN to BSN
- NCLEX prep with content mastery testing
University of Saint Joseph
#4West Hartford, CT · $28,000/yr (est. net price) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 94.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
The University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford pairs a traditional four-year BSN with a 15-month accelerated second-degree option for career changers. Holistic care and ethical practice anchor the curriculum, and a fall 2025 affiliation with SoNE HEALTH opened supervised rotations at practices in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The BSN sets a 2.8 GPA minimum, with a C or better required in science courses.
- CCNE accredited
- Holistic care and ethical practice focus
- 2.8 GPA minimum
- C or better required in science courses
- Clinical placements in diverse care settings
- Prepares for RN licensure
- CCNE accredited
- 15-month accelerated track
- 53 total credit hours
- 3.0 GPA minimum
- Designed for second-degree students
- Prerequisite sciences completed within eight years
- Background check and drug screening required
Fairfield University
#5Fairfield, CT · $48,000/yr (est. net price) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 92.7% (3-yr weighted avg)
Fairfield University guarantees a clinical placement for every nursing student, which removes one of the biggest stressors in a BSN. Students log 504 clinical hours and 112 lab hours, much of it at Yale New Haven and Bridgeport Hospital, and the university reports an institution-wide graduation rate above 84%. Study abroad options in Australia and Italy let students keep the nursing sequence on track while spending a term overseas.
- CCNE accredited
- 85 total credit hours
- 504 clinical hours plus 112 lab hours
- Guaranteed clinical placement
- Placements at Yale New Haven and Bridgeport Hospital
- Study abroad in Australia and Italy
- State-of-the-art simulation facilities
Connecticut State Community College
#6New Britain, CT · $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 93.3% (3-yr weighted avg)
Connecticut State Community College is the most affordable and the largest nursing entry point on this list, with the ADN taught at six campuses in a hybrid mix of on-ground and online coursework. The four-semester program covers 35 nursing credits plus general education, and clinical partners include Hartford HealthCare, Yale New Haven Health, UConn Health, Nuvance Health, and the Veterans Health Administration. The college's institution-wide graduation rate sits near 24%, which is typical of a community college where many students transfer before completing, and a statewide transfer network moves graduates into BSN programs at Western, Southern, Sacred Heart, Saint Joseph, or UConn.
- ACEN accredited
- Four-semester, full-time program
- 35 nursing credits plus general education
- Offered at six Connecticut campuses
- Hybrid and on-ground delivery
- LPN-to-RN advancement pathway
- Transfers into BSN programs statewide
- Clinical partners include Hartford HealthCare and Yale New Haven Health
Southern Connecticut State University
#7New Haven, CT · ~$21,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 91.3% (3-yr weighted avg)
Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven structures its BSN as an upper-division program: students finish prerequisites, then move into intensive theory and clinical work. That design supports several entry points, including direct admission for high school seniors, a transfer pathway, and a part-time evening and weekend track for working adults. An Early College initiative lets high school students bank prerequisites early, and the campus sits minutes from Yale New Haven Hospital.
- CCNE accredited
- TEAS entrance exam required
- 3.0 GPA minimum
- Direct admission for high school seniors
- College admission pathway for transfer students
- Part-time evening and weekend track
- Early College for Nursing initiative
- Prerequisite courses available at community colleges
University of Connecticut
#8Storrs, CT · ~$25,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 90.3% (3-yr weighted avg)
UConn's Storrs campus hosts the state's flagship public BSN, a four-year program that threads nursing courses through all four years instead of reserving them for the upper division. Students train in the Clinical Simulation Learning Center and then rotate through more than 70 affiliated clinical sites within a 75-mile radius. A Waterbury-to-Storrs pathway added in 2026 lets students begin at the Waterbury campus and finish in Storrs, and admission remains fall-only and competitive.
- CCNE accredited
- Four-year, full-time program at Storrs
- Nursing courses begin in the first year
- Clinical placements at more than 70 affiliate sites
- Clinical Simulation Learning Center
- Waterbury-to-Storrs pathway added in 2026
- Fall-only admission
- 3.0 GPA minimum for change-of-major applicants
University of Hartford
#9West Hartford, CT · $30,000/yr (est. net price) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 87.5% (2-yr weighted avg)
The University of Hartford runs a 121-credit BSN with clinical experience beginning in sophomore year, so students are in hospital and simulation settings well before the senior capstone. Coursework spans adult health, maternal and child nursing, population health, and leadership, with anatomy, physiology, and chemistry underneath. No entrance exam is required and the GPA minimum is 2.7, making this one of the more accessible private BSNs in Connecticut.
- CCNE accredited
- 121 total credit hours
- No entrance exam required
- 2.7 GPA minimum
- Clinical experience starts sophomore year
- State-of-the-art nursing simulation labs
- Capstone seminar required
- Approved by the CT Board of Examiners for Nursing
University of Connecticut-Avery Point
#10Groton, CT · $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96.5% (3-yr weighted avg)
UConn Avery Point in Groton hosts the CEIN program, a 12-month accelerated second-degree BSN for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field. The program describes itself as the most affordable full-time accelerated option of its kind in Connecticut, and students get flagship research university resources plus a coordinated clinical placement team. Graduates earn a BSN and are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
- 12-month, full-time accelerated program
- For students who already hold a bachelor's degree
- Awards a bachelor of science in nursing
- Eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN
- Described as the most affordable option of its kind in CT
- Coordinated clinical placement team
2-Year Nursing Programs in CT: CT State's ADN and the Road to a BSN
Choosing a public ADN in Connecticut usually means trading some academic length for lower tuition and an earlier paycheck, but the two-year label rarely counts the prerequisite credits students must finish before the nursing sequence begins. The state's public associate degree nursing route now runs through CT State Community College, which awards an Associate of Science and prepares graduates for RN licensure.
Where the ADN Is Offered
The CT State Community College nursing program is offered at six campuses: Capital, Gateway, Naugatuck Valley, Northwestern, Norwalk, and Three Rivers. Admission is selective, and applicants may apply to multiple selective programs at CT State but only one campus for the nursing program, so campus choice matters.
The Real Timeline
The nursing sequence itself is four full-time semesters. Students complete 35 nursing credits alongside 36 to 44 general education credits. Before admission, however, students may need up to 21 prerequisite credits, including English Composition, college-level math, and Anatomy and Physiology I and II. Some prerequisites must be completed before applying or by the end of the application year, which is why a nursing school planning guide is useful: a realistic path from first prerequisite to licensure often runs two and a half to three years instead of two.
Admission Basics and Selection
Selective admission goes beyond general CT State enrollment. Applicants need to meet nursing school requirements: a nursing GPA of at least 2.7, a grade of C or better in English Composition, and grades of C+ or better in Anatomy and Physiology I and II taken within five years. TEAS exam scores must be at least 58.7 percent and must be from within the past three years. Selection is competitive and weights the TEAS at 25 percent, the A&P I grade at 25 percent, and the nursing GPA at 50 percent. Application windows run October 1 through February 1 at most campuses, while Northwestern and Three Rivers also offer a June 1 through September 1 window. Current Connecticut LPNs who meet admission requirements may also apply.
From ADN to BSN
For many graduates, the ADN is a bridge to a bachelor's degree. The clearest documented pathway from CT State's program runs to Central Connecticut State University's RN-to-BSN, which is part of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. That program awards up to 35 transfer credits for previous nursing coursework and requires 25 nursing credits plus at least 30 credits in residence, so an ADN graduate can often finish the bachelor's degree faster than a traditional four-year student. Outside Central, other RN to BSN programs in Connecticut may accept ADN credit, but students should confirm current articulation and residency rules with each school before enrolling.
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Traditional BSN, RN-to-BSN, and Online Nursing Programs in CT
A campus-based bachelor's for first-time students and an online bridge for working nurses are built for very different people, even though both end in a BSN. Knowing which one fits your situation saves time and tuition.
Traditional BSN: The Four-Year Route
The traditional BSN is designed for students who are not yet licensed. You complete general education and science prerequisites, then move into nursing coursework, simulation labs, and supervised clinical rotations. Graduates sit for the NCLEX-RN and enter practice as new registered nurses. Most Connecticut programs of this type are campus-based, and the program format shown for each school below tells you whether anything is offered in a hybrid structure.
RN-to-BSN: The Next Step After an ADN
RN-to-BSN programs serve nurses who already have an active license, typically through an associate degree. Because you have already completed clinical training, the coursework centers on leadership, community health, research, and evidence-based practice. Many programs are part-time and designed around shift work. If you are earning an ADN at a community college, this is the natural second step, and some schools offer articulation agreements that smooth the transfer of credits.
Online and Hybrid Options
Prelicensure nursing cannot be completed fully online. Clinical hours and skills labs have to happen in person, so even the most flexible entry-level programs require time on campus and at clinical sites. Online delivery mainly serves RN-to-BSN students and graduate nursing students, including those in DNP programs in Connecticut, who are already licensed and can often complete clinical-style requirements at their own workplace or a nearby site. When you compare programs, check each school's listed format so you know whether a program is campus-only, hybrid, or online.
Why Connecticut Employers Care About the BSN
Hospitals across the state, particularly those with or pursuing Magnet recognition, often prefer or favor BSN-prepared nurses. That preference reflects a broader push toward a bachelor's-educated nursing workforce, driven by the emphasis on critical thinking, leadership, and population health in BSN curricula. An ADN still gets you licensed and working in many ADN nursing jobs, but a BSN widens your options for hiring, promotion, and graduate study, including MSN Programs in Connecticut, later on.
If you are starting with an ADN, plan the bridge early. Confirm that your credits will transfer and ask whether your future employer offers tuition assistance.
Average Net Price at Connecticut Nursing Schools, Side by Side
Net price is what students pay on average after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the full cost of attendance. These are institution-wide averages, not personal quotes, so your price will depend on your own financial aid package. Every school in this lowest-cost group is public, which means the private nursing schools ranked on this page carry higher average net prices than anything shown here.
Getting in: Admission Models, Prerequisites, and CCNE/ACEN Accreditation
Connecticut nursing programs use very different gatekeeping models. Confirm each school's current rules before you plan your coursework.
- Direct admission vs. competitive entrySome universities admit freshmen directly into nursing, but direct admission rarely guarantees a seat. Central Connecticut State's Direct Admission expects a 3.2 high school GPA, chemistry with lab, Algebra II, and math eligibility (SAT Math above 580 or a placement exam). Otherwise, students start in Pre-Nursing. Southern Connecticut's High School Admission Pathway is selective and test-optional. The University of Hartford offers direct-entry BSN seats, limited by competition and clinical placements. Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, and UConn are often described as freshman-entry programs, so verify their 2026 model directly. CT State Community College uses selective, competitive admission after prerequisites.
- Entrance examsThe ATI TEAS is the most common exam, and some programs accept the HESI A2. CT State's RN program requires an official TEAS with an adjusted individual total of at least 58.7%. Only your most recent score counts. Southern's college-pathway applicants also take the TEAS.
- Science prerequisites and GPAExpect chemistry and biology in high school, followed by anatomy and physiology and related sciences in college. CT State lists up to 21 prerequisite credits. Southern ranks applicants on cumulative GPA, prerequisite GPA, and TEAS score. Hartford expects three years of lab science, including biology and chemistry.
- Accreditation checkBSN programs are typically accredited by CCNE, and ADN programs by ACEN. Look up any program's current status in the CCNE or ACEN directory before applying.
- Selectivity contextUniversity admission rates are institution-wide figures, not nursing acceptance rates. Nursing seats are usually more competitive.
Connecticut RN Licensure at a Glance
Questions to Ask Yourself
Other Connecticut Nursing Programs Worth a Look
Beyond the ranked programs above, Connecticut offers several more nursing schools, each with its own mix of location, delivery format, and cost. The directory below groups them by region so you can weigh commute distance against online flexibility. These entries are not ranked, and any of them could be the right fit depending on where you live and how you want to study.
Greater New Haven
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Greater Hartford
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Nursing: RN/ADN to BSN
- Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)
- Associate Degree in Nursing
Waterbury Area
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Traditional Track)
Fairfield County
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Traditional Track
- Accelerated Second-Degree CEIN/BS Program
- BSN Nursing Program
- Accelerated BSN
- RN to BSN Online Degree Completion
Eastern Connecticut
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing