RN Programs in New Hampshire
Pursuing a registered nurse (RN) degree in New Hampshire can be a difficult yet rewarding career choice. Limited space at RN programs in New Hampshire is the number one reason for the critical nursing shortage across the state.
Many applicants to RN school in New Hampshire are being wait listed or turned away all together due to there not being enough space to enroll a satisfactory number of students. Yet, graduates of New Hampshire RN programs are able to find work quickly due to the severe nursing shortage the state is facing. Registered nurses are in extremely high-demand, and applicants should spend time perfecting their applications.
There are two ways to prepare for this career for residents of New Hampshire. Students may choose to complete either a two-year Associate Degree program or a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Graduates from both programs qualify to take the required national exam that is necessary for licensure.
RN Licensure in New Hampshire
Graduates from an accredited RN program may apply for their license in New Hampshire. Before it is issued, the graduate must pass the NCLEX-RN.
New Hampshire RN Registry
New Hampshire Board of Nursing
21 South Fruit Street, Suite 16
Concord, NH 03301-2431
RN Jobs and Salary in New Hampshire
Registered nurses are needed in clinics, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, home health agencies, and doctor’s offices. Registered nurses in New Hampshire earn an average of $29.84 hourly and $62,060 annually. The most sought-after RN positions are concentrated in New Hampshire larger cities.
Listed below are some of New Hampshire’s largest employers of registered nurses:
Catholic Medical Center, Manchester
Foundation Medical Partners, Nashua
Exeter Hospital, Exeter
Manchester Community Health Center, Manchester
Elliot Hospital, Manchester
Brookdale Senior Living, Milford
Orthopaedic Surgery Center, Concord
Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, Nashua
New England Alliance for Health, Manchester
RNs in New Hampshire earn an average annual salary of $61,650.
RN Programs in New Hampshire
Each program has its own admission requirements. Students are encouraged to apply one year before they hope to begin classes. .
The following RN programs lead to an Associate Degree. These programs are typically two-years in duration, but they may vary slightly from school to school. Many of these programs accept students who apply to the program, but the student must maintain a 2.0 average in all classes. Other Associate Degree programs require the SAT test, and they expect a score of at least 1,000 on this test. The ACT is also accepted, and a minimum score of 20 is expected. The applicant may also be required to have graduated in the upper half of their graduating class.
Many community colleges offer opportunities for students to take pre-nursing classes, such as physiology, chemistry, and advanced high school math classes like Algebra II that they did not have in high school. If the student maintains a satisfactory grade point average, he or she may then enter the nursing program. Most Associate Degree programs require that students maintain at least a 2.0 average in nursing classes as well as in general education programs.
The following list shows the RN programs in New Hampshire that lead to an Associate Degree:
White Mountain Community College
Department of Nursing
2020 Riverside Drive
Berlin, NH 03570-3799
River Valley Community College
Department of Nursing
1 College Drive
Claremont, NH 03743-9707
Keene Academic Center
Department of Nursing
310 Marlborough Street
Keene, NH 03431
Lakes Region Community College
Department of Nursing
379 Belmont Road
Laconia, NH 03246
Manchester Community College
Department of Nursing
1066 Front Street
Manchester, NH 03102
Nashua Community College
Department of Nursing
505 Amherst Street
Nashua, NH 03061-2952
Great Bay Community College
Department of Nursing
320 Corporate Drive
Portsmouth, NH 03801
NHTI-Concord’s Community College
Department of Nursing
31 College Drive
Concord, NH 03301
Rivier College
Department of Nursing and Health Sciences
420 Main Street
Nashua, NH 03060-5086
St. Joseph School of Nursing
5 Woodward Avenue
Nashua, NH 03060
These RN programs lead to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). These programs are four-year academic programs. Most colleges and universities require that the student has the proper college preparatory courses, such as chemistry, physiology, 4 years of English, 3 years of math, and preferably 3 years of a foreign language. Students without this academic background are often advised to begin their studies at a community college and to transfer to the BSN program after earning their Associate’s Degree.
BSN programs usually also require that the applicant has references from high school teachers and their counselor. They often prefer students who have volunteer experience in a hospital or nursing home. While most BSN programs are stringent in their admission policies, a few are not. For this reason, it is recommended that applicants who want to begin one of these programs contact the individual schools. An admission counselor often has the authority to bypass certain requirements so that a student is accepted into a program.
Colby-Sawyer College
Department of Nursing
100 Main Street
New London, NH 03257-4648
St. Anselm College
Department of Nursing
100 St. Anselm Drive
Manchester, NH 03102-1310
University of New Hampshire
Department of Nursing
4 Library Way
Durham, NH 03824
Massachusetts College of
Pharmacy and Health Sciences
School of Nursing
1260 Elm Street
Manchester, NH 03101
For reviews and a full list of RN programs in the state, please visit Nursing Schools in New Hampshire.
