Nursing Education in Connecticut in 2022

This report, created by the Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce, Inc. (CCNW) in collaboration with the Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData), provides information on the students and faculty at Registered Nurse (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) pre-licensure education programs in Connecticut for the time period of January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

This report uses data from a statewide survey of RN (Registered Nurse) and LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) pre-licensure nursing education programs completed by program deans and directors. The data were collected and analyzed in spring of 2023. This report also presents trends in new student seat capacity, new student enrollments, and graduations for pre-licensure nursing education programs from annual statewide surveys administered in 2017 through 2022. Previous statewide RN and LPN pre-licensure nursing education reports can be accessed for calendar years 2017, 2019, and 2020.

Registered Nurse (RN) Programs

In 2022, there were thirty-one (31) accredited RN pre-licensure nursing program options in Connecticut:

• Eight (8) 2-year associate degree programs,

• Ten (10) 4-year baccalaureate programs,

• Eleven (11) 12–15 month accelerated (2nd degree) baccalaureate programs, and

• Two (2) master's entry programs.

Total RN Student Enrollments

As of December 31, 2022, a total of 6,615 students were enrolled in RN pre-licensure education programs across Connecticut:

• 1,521 (23%) were in an associate degree program,

• 4,430 (67%) were in a baccalaureate degree program,

• 565 (8.5%) were in an accelerated (2nd degree) baccalaureate program, and

• 99 (1.5%) were in a master's entry degree program.

New RN Student Seat Capacity and Enrollments

Statewide, RN pre-licensure programs had 3,023 seats open for new student enrollments in the 2022 calendar year (31 more seats than in 2021). A total of 2,721 new students enrolled in RN programs in 2022, filling 90% of the available seat capacity. Of these new RN pre-licensure students,

• 865 (32%) were in an associate degree program,

• 1,282 (47%) were in a baccalaureate degree program,

• 483 (18%) were in an accelerated (2nd degree) baccalaureate program, and

• 91 (3%) were in a master's entry degree program.

The charts below show how new student seat capacity and enrollments by degree type for RN pre-licensure programs have changed from 2017 through 2022.

For baccalaureate and accelerated baccalaureate programs, both new student seat capacity and new student enrollments have increased steadily since 2018. However, the increase in enrollments in these programs has not kept pace with the increase in capacity. In both types of programs, the percent of available seats that were left unfilled increased from about 5% in 2020 to 12% in 2022. This may be attributable, in part, to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student enrollments across the higher education system.

For associate degree programs, both new student seat capacity and enrollments declined between 2021 and 2022, with just 3% of available seats left unfilled in 2022. Associate degree programs have filled nearly all seats available for new students in each year since 2019.

Enrollments in master’s entry programs also declined between 2021 and 2022, despite relatively stable seat capacity. In 2022, 28% of master’s entry seats were left unfilled.

New RN Student Capacity, Enrollments, and Utilization Rates by Program

The tables below provide the new student seat capacity, enrollments, and percent of capacity that was filled at each RN pre-licensure education program in 2022, reported separately by type of degree. Note that some RN programs filled more than 100% of their available seats because admitted students are not guaranteed a spot in the clinical portion of the nursing program, to account for expected student attrition prior to beginning clinical experiences, and/or due to readmitted and transfer students.

RN Pre-Licensure Program Graduates

Across all RN pre-licensure programs in Connecticut, the total number of graduates increased steadily from 1,736 in 2017 to 2,143 in 2022 (a 23% increase).

• The percentage of all RN program graduates who had completed an associate degree program decreased from 40% in 2017 to 36% in 2022.

• The percentage who had completed a four-year baccalaureate degree program increased from 38% in 2017 to 40% in 2022.

• The percentage who had completed an accelerated baccalaureate degree program increased from 15% in 2017 to 20% in 2022.

• The percentage who had completed a master’s entry program decreased from 6% in 2017 to 4% in 2022.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Pre-Licensure Programs

Three institutions provided LPN pre-licensure training in Connecticut in 2022 and are included in this report: Lincoln Technical Institute, Porter & Chester Institute, and Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health. As of the end of 2022, these institutions were operating seven day programs and five evening programs across seven towns.

During the 2022 calendar year, Porter & Chester Institute closed three LPN programs (the day and evening programs in Rocky Hill and the evening program in Stratford). Additionally, Stone Academy closed all programs and campuses in Connecticut on February 15th, 2023, and therefore did not complete the annual nursing education survey reporting on the 2022 calendar year which was distributed that month.

Total LPN Student Enrollment

As of December 31st, 2022, there were a total of 1,197 students enrolled in LPN pre-licensure programs in Connecticut, excluding students enrolled at Stone Academy.

New LPN Student Seat Capacity and Enrollments

In 2022, a total of 765 seats were available for new LPN pre-licensure students (excluding seats at Stone Academy) and 583 new LPN students enrolled, representing a 76% new LPN student seat utilization rate across all programs.

New LPN Student Capacity, Enrollments, and Utilization Rates by Program

LPN Pre-Licensure Program Graduates

This steep drop in LPN graduates coincided with an increase in the number of students withdrawing from their LPN pre-licensure program in 2021. A total of 1,111 LPN students withdrew from their program in 2021 (a 35% attrition rate), whereas just 570 LPN students withdrew from their program in 2020 (a 19% attrition rate).

Unfortunately, the attrition rate for 2022 cannot be accurately calculated because the survey question about total student enrollment, which formed the basis for calculating the attrition rate, was changed to ask for the count of students enrolled as of the end of the reporting period instead of those enrolled at any time during the full reporting period. This was corrected for the 2023 Annual Nursing Education Survey.

Nursing Students

Below, we report the demographic characteristics of students enrolled in pre-licensure nursing education programs in Connecticut as of December 31st, 2022. All LPN program statistics exclude students who were enrolled at programs operated by Stone Academy, which closed in early 2023.

We report data separately by degree type for RN programs (Associate, Baccalaureate, Accelerated Baccalaureate, and Master’s Entry). Students in pre-licensure LPN programs receive a certificate upon completion.

Students by Race and Ethnicity

The chart below shows nursing students’ race and ethnicity by program and degree type. Percentages are based on the 92% of students in pre-licensure RN programs and 93% of students in pre-licensure LPN programs whose race/ethnicity was reported.

For RN pre-licensure programs:

• Overall, the majority of RN students identified as white (69%), followed by Hispanic/Latino (14%), Black or African American (10%), Asian (4%), and other race/ethnicity categories (3%).

• The percentage of RN students identifying as White ranged from 54% in associate degree programs to 75% in baccalaureate degree programs.

• The percentage of RN students identifying as Hispanic or Latino ranged from 8% in accelerated baccalaureate degree programs to 19% in associate degree programs.

• The percentage of RN students identifying as Black or African American ranged from 5% in master’s entry degree programs to 19% in accelerated baccalaureate programs.

• The percentage of RN students identifying as Asian ranged from 3.6% in baccalaureate degree programs to 12% in master’s entry degree programs.

In contrast, only 19% of LPN pre-licensure students identified as White. Nearly half of LPN students (49%) identified as Black or African American, and 23% identified as Hispanic/Latino. Only 2% of LPN pre-licensure students identified as Asian.

Students by Gender

Students by Age

Calculations are based on the 91% of students in RN pre-licensure programs and the 100% of students in LPN pre-licensure programs whose age range was reported.

For RN programs overall, 73% of students were under 25 years old and 83% were under 30 years old. However, the age ranges of RN pre-licensure students varied widely by degree type.

• Students enrolled in baccalaureate degree programs had by far the youngest age distribution, with 95% being under 25 years old. For all other RN degree types, fewer than 50% of enrolled students were under 25 years old.

• Among RN programs, students enrolled in associate degree programs were most likely to be at least 30 years old (55%), followed by master’s entry programs (27%) and accelerated baccalaureate programs (25%).

LPN students also tended to be older, with only 20% of enrolled students being under 25 years old, and 55% being at least 30 years old.

Nursing Program Faculty

Below, we report characteristics of the faculty employed at pre-licensure nursing education programs in Connecticut in 2022. All LPN program statistics exclude faculty who were employed at programs operated by Stone Academy, which closed in early 2023.

Educational Attainment of Nursing Program Faculty

Among part-time LPN pre-licensure program faculty, 6% held a doctoral degree, 48% held a master’s degree, and 44% held a baccalaureate degree as their highest level of education.

Nursing Program Faculty by Age

RN Program Faculty

In 2022, 62% of Connecticut’s full-time faculty in RN pre-licensure programs were at least 50 years old and 27% were at least 60 years old.

Part-time faculty in RN pre-licensure programs tended to be younger than full-time faculty. In 2022, 55% of the 543 part-time RN program faculty whose age was reported were under 50 years old.

LPN Program Faculty

In 2022, 60% of the 37 full-time faculty in LPN pre-licensure programs in Connecticut (excluding those who were employed at Stone Academy) were at least 50 years old and 35% were at least 60 years old.

Among the 118 part-time LPN pre-licensure program faculty in Connecticut, 53% were at least 50 years old and 29% were at least 60 years old.

Nursing Program Faculty by Gender

As in prior years, in 2022 the overwhelming majority of faculty at RN and LPN pre-licensure programs, both full- and part-time, identified as female.

• Just 7% of full-time RN faculty and 6% of part-time RN faculty identified as male.

• Just 5% of full-time LPN faculty and 10% of part-time LPN faculty identified as male.

Nursing Program Faculty by Race/Ethnicity

The racial and ethnic breakdown of full-time and part-time faculty at RN and LPN pre-licensure programs are shown below. The LPN program numbers exclude faculty at programs operated by Stone Academy, which closed in early 2023.

RN Program Faculty

In 2022, 85% of the 318 full-time faculty at RN pre-licensure programs whose race was reported identified as White, 7% as Black or African American, 4% as Hispanic/Latino, and 3% as Asian.

Among the 519 part-time RN program faculty whose race was reported, 76% identified as White, 11% as Black or African American, 5% as Hispanic/Latino, and 5% as Asian.

LPN Program Faculty

In 2022, 76% of the 37 full-time faculty at LPN pre-licensure programs (excluding those at programs operated by Stone Academy) identified as White, 16% as Black or African American, 3% as Hispanic/Latino, and 5% as two or more race/ethnicity categories (which is included in the “Other” category in the chart to the right).

The greatest racial/ethnic diversity was present among part-time faculty at LPN pre-licensure programs. Among the 113 part-time LPN program faculty whose race was reported, 60% identified as White, 26% as Black or African American, 12% as Hispanic/Latino, and 2% as Asian.

Race/Ethnicity Breakdown of Nursing Program Students versus Faculty

Below, we compare the racial and ethnic breakdown of nursing program students and faculty in RN and LPN pre-licensure programs. Percentages for faculty are calculated across both part-time and full-time faculty.

Implications for Connecticut’s Nursing Workforce

Trends in RN pre-licensure program graduates and new enrollments

Between 2017 and 2022, the total number of students graduating from RN pre-licensure programs in Connecticut increased by 23%, suggesting growing robustness of the RN pre-licensure nursing education pipeline in the state.

However, student enrollments in RN pre-licensure baccalaureate and accelerated baccalaureate degree programs have not kept pace with increases in program capacity. In 2022, 12% of the seats that were available in these programs were left unfilled.

Proactive measures are needed to increase student recruitment into baccalaureate degree nursing programs in the state. These could include:

1. Enhanced marketing and outreach efforts highlighting the value and importance of a career in nursing, emphasizing the demand and impact on society.

2. Collaborating with high schools and community colleges to provide pathways for students interested in nursing.  

3. Offering financial incentives, scholarships, grants, or loan forgiveness programs to alleviate the economic burden of pursuing higher education.

4. Providing mentorship and networking opportunities for prospective students to connect with current nursing professionals and gain insight and support.

Trends in LPN pre-licensure program graduates and new enrollments

LPN program capacity for new enrollees dropped by 2,460 seats in 2022 due to the closing of Stone Academy (which closed abruptly in February 2023) and several Porter & Chester Institute programs. In 2022, there were only 182 unfilled seats in existing programs (not counting Stone Academy). Thus, there will likely be increased competition for spots in the remaining LPN programs, making it more challenging for prospective students to secure a position. This could limit the number of individuals able to pursue LPN education and enter the workforce as licensed practical nurses. High student attrition rates also decreased the number of LPN program graduates in 2021. The reduced LPN program capacity and high attrition rates may negatively impact the local healthcare industry, as a decrease in LPN graduates could result in a shortage of qualified professionals.

Under-representation of Black and Hispanic/Latino individuals in the faculty vs. student population of Connecticut’s nursing programs

Our data show that work needs to be done to increase the recruitment of Black and Hispanic/Latino nursing program faculty to better match the demographics of the student population, particularly in LPN programs. Recommended strategies include:

• Implementing targeted outreach and recruitment programs to attract candidates from these underrepresented groups. This can include partnering with professional organizations, ethnic minority nursing associations and societies, minority-serving institutions, and community groups to identify potential candidates and promote job opportunities.

• Offering mentorship and support programs for Black and Hispanic/Latino nursing students and professionals to help to foster a pipeline of future faculty members.

• Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment within the nursing program to attract and assist in retaining diverse faculty members.

• Instituting fair and unbiased hiring practices, actively seeking diverse candidates for open positions, and supporting diverse faculty growth to create a faculty body that better reflects the student demographics.

For more information, contact Dr. Tina Loarte-Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce, at Tina@CTCenterForNursingWorkforce.com.