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The Best Two-Year Colleges in Rhode Island

Community College of Rhode Island: the Best in RI Public Education



Getting a higher education in the state of Rhode Island can cost students a lot of money, but with the options in two-year colleges out there, it certainly doesn’t have to. Because of the size of Rhode Island, one will not much beyond the highly respected CCRI, which has been far and away one of the finest public schools in New England. Nonetheless, training and technical studies are open to students in places like the New England Institute of Technology, while local branches of Lincoln Tech and Sanford Brown Institute round out the field. These two-year colleges in Rhode Island are the best in the state.



The flagship community college of the state is CCRI, located on six different campuses throughout Rhode Island, in Warwick, Lincoln, Westerly, Newport and two locations in Providence. Students can pursue the degrees of the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science and the Associate of Applied Science, as well as different certificates and diplomas. Because the Community College of Rhode Island is the only state-sponsored two-year college in the state, it gets the lion’s share of resources from the public education budget.

CCRI students have a number of options from the Business, Art, Engineering and Technology, Administrative Office Technology, Chemistry, Human Services, Dental Health Programs, Allied Health Programs, Computer Studies and Music departments, while key Liberal Arts programs include the Associate of Arts in History, Mathematics, Sociology, Psychology and Philosophy. Allied Health programs include the Diploma in Practical Nursing (Level I) and the full Associate Degree in Nursing (Level II). Students interested in pursuing the Human Service degrees can get an Associate of the Arts in Social Work or Substance Abuse. CCRI also has a Fine Arts department, offering students the opportunity to pursue studies in Music.

Sanford Brown Institute: Healthcare Training in Cranston

There is no doubt that the healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing in the country and the Sanford Brown Institute located in Cranston is committed to helping students enter that profession ready to work. Sanford Brown Institute has established itself as one of the leading forces in healthcare training around the country, with Rhode Island getting one of its big centers in Cranston. Programs include Medical Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Technician, Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Cardiovascular Sonography Technology.

The Cranston Sanford Brown Institute gives students the opportunity to enter the Certificate Program in Pharmacy Technician, one of the challenging areas which involves an element of customer service as well as the all-important process of getting prescriptions right. Students can also enter the Certificate Program in Medical Billing and Coding, which helps students enter the healthcare profession from the administrative end. Every practice and every ailment has a specific code which must be recognized by insurance companies, something every student comes out ahead knowing.

Though different higher education programs in Rhode Island continue to draw a lot of interest, some students are looking to get an entirely practical education and enter the workforce in a technical career without further ado. In this case, the New England Institute of Technology is the obvious choice. An affordable, grounded education is on tap for anyone wanting to enter the Automotive Repair, Building Technology, Architecture Design, Communications, Medical Technology and even the challenging field of Aviation Science Technology – a new area of study at the New England Institute of Technology.

Students can pursue either associate degrees or full bachelor’s degrees when enrolling at NEIT, as transfer programs are actually in place as well. Among the degree programs, students can opt for a career in Clinical Medical Assistant Technology, which will get students ready to handle ultrasound, EKGs, automated blood chemistries and more. The Associate of Science Degree in Architectural Building Engineering Technology is for students who are wishing to enter this challenging field and learn about drafting, construction techniques, CAD and even Green & Sustainable building technologies.

There is no doubt that a career in beauty technology can lead to a great salary and a fulfilling life, and Lincoln Technical School based in Lincoln, RI is committed to helping students reach their goals in these professions. The programs offered get students ready to hit the ground running, with their focus entirely on the Massage Therapy and Cosmetology principles they have learned at Lincoln.

Massage Therapy is more than about comfort, as relieving pain, reducing stress, helping the flexibility of an individual and even eliminating toxins are all goals of the qualified massage therapist. Students who know that looking good is one of the best ways to feel good about oneself know that there is more to Cosmetology than some makeup. The program at Lincoln Tech gets students ready to turn a knack for beauty into a profession.

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