Raritan Valley Community College Nursing: Programs, NCLEX & Requirements (2026)
Somerset and Hunterdon County's public community college offers an ACEN-accredited Associate of Applied Science nursing program with Generic RN and PN/AD (LPN-to-RN) pathways, TEAS-based selective admission, and published tuition for Spring 2026. Figures below come from RVCC's nursing and tuition pages—confirm deadlines and cohort statistics with the Health Science Department and the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
Contents
Quick Facts
Key Takeaway
RVCC combines county-priority clinical admission for Somerset and Hunterdon residents with a published Kean University transfer option for RN graduates who want a BSN, plus transparent TEAS thresholds and per-semester nursing program fees on the official tuition page—useful anchors when you compare total cost across New Jersey community college ADN programs.
Overview & Why Students Choose RVCC
Raritan Valley Community College sits in Branchburg, New Jersey, serving Somerset and Hunterdon counties with a selective, ACEN-accredited nursing program that awards an Associate of Applied Science. The college emphasizes county-priority clinical placement for residents, a separate PN/AD track for licensed practical nurses, and an articulated BSN completion route through Kean University for graduates who want to continue.
Admission to RVCC is not the same as admission to the clinical nursing major: students typically begin in the AS in Health Science (pre-nursing) until prerequisites and TEAS benchmarks are met, then apply to the clinical cohort.
On its Nursing RN page, RVCC publishes ACEN licensure statistics showing a 98.25% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for 2024 (first-time test takers). Confirm the next cohort with RVCC and compare to New Jersey Board of Nursing publications when available.
Reasons students choose RVCC
County priority for clinical seats
Generic RN applicants who live or work in Somerset or Hunterdon counties receive priority review; out-of-county students may compete for remaining seats after in-county applicants.
Published TEAS expectations
RVCC lists ATI TEAS minimums (including overall 60% and section floors) alongside GPA rules, so you can self-screen before requesting a clinical application.
Transparent nursing fees
The Tuition & Fees schedule adds a nursing program fee each semester you are officially enrolled in the major—budget this alongside per-credit tuition and the general services fee.
Kean BSN pathway
The college advertises an opportunity to continue toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Kean University after the AAS; verify course transfer and admission with both schools.
Nursing Programs Offered
RVCC structures nursing into pre-licensure associate pathways only (no RN-to-BSN or graduate nursing on campus). The catalog lists a Generic RN sequence and a PN/AD option for licensed practical nurses; both award an AAS and prepare you for NCLEX-RN. This guide uses Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) as the plain-language label for the RN prep track while matching RVCC's official AAS degree names in tables and schema.
Pre-licensure
Nursing/RN, Associate of Applied Science (Generic RN)
Four semesters of nursing courses after prerequisites; curriculum published on the Nursing RN page totals 68 credits including general education. Graduates earn an AAS and meet eligibility for NCLEX-RN. Delivery is face-to-face with clinical labs and community rotations.
Nursing (PN/AD), Associate of Applied Science
For NJ LPNs who graduated from an accredited practical nursing program (minimum 3.25 GPA per catalog) and hold a current license. Includes NURS 130 Nursing Transition in summer plus roughly one academic year of nursing coursework (65 credits total in the PN/AD catalog listing). Confirm seat timing with the nursing office.
RVCC states it does not accept nursing courses from other colleges and does not admit transfers from other nursing programs. You must complete at least six RVCC credits before applying to clinicals. Confirm any updates on the official nursing page.
NCLEX-RN Pass Rate
According to Raritan Valley Community College's published Nursing Licensure Statistics (ACEN disclosure reproduced on the Nursing RN page), the first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for 2024 was 98.25% (first-time test takers). Historical rows on the same table include 94.81% (2023) and 93.06% (2022).
For jurisdiction-level verification, consult New Jersey Board of Nursing publications and NCSBN reporting tools. A direct state PDF may list RVCC under its institutional name for a given reporting cycle.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate (2024) | 98.25% (RVCC ACEN disclosure, Nursing RN page) |
| Source | RVCC Nursing RN — Licensure Statistics; New Jersey Board of Nursing. Confirm current cohort data with RVCC and the Board. |
NCLEX outcomes change by cohort. Always confirm the latest pass rates with the New Jersey Board of Nursing and RVCC before making application decisions.
International Students & Internationally Educated Nurses
Requirements for international applicants and internationally educated nurses vary by institution and by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. Use the checklist below as a starting point; verify every item with RVCC admissions, the international student office (if applicable), and the Board.
- English-language proficiency: TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or other scores required for academic admission at RVCC.
- Transcript evaluation: Course-by-course evaluation (e.g., WES) if you completed prerequisites outside the United States.
- New Jersey Board of Nursing: For RN licensure and NCLEX eligibility—especially if you hold a nursing credential from another country—follow the Board's checklist for international applicants.
- Immigration & visa: Clinical courses require placement at U.S. healthcare sites; confirm F-1 or other visa status supports required attendance and background-check rules.
Policies change frequently. Verify with RVCC and the New Jersey Board of Nursing before you commit to a start term.
Admissions: A Realistic Look
RVCC uses selective admission to the clinical nursing major. You must attend a Clinical Nursing Pre-Application Session to receive the clinical application, meet prerequisite coursework (including anatomy and physiology within five years for Generic RN), earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75, and submit ATI TEAS scores that meet published minimums. There is no waiting list; applicants are ranked and admitted by cohort.
Application timeline
| Entry Term | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 Generic RN | January 9, 2026 (early) | Listed on Nursing RN page; confirm if extended. |
| Fall 2026 Generic RN | May 1, 2026 (late) | Late deadline per RVCC Nursing RN page. |
| Other terms / PN-AD | Not publicly disclosed | See nursing FAQ PDFs and catalog for PN/AD intake. |
Admissions snapshot
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Acceptance rate (nursing) | Not publicly disclosed |
| Minimum GPA | 2.75 cumulative (Generic RN); PN/AD catalog lists 2.75 and additional LPN GPA rules |
| ATI TEAS | Required; overall minimum 60%; English & Reading each 58.7%+ (Generic RN page) |
| County priority | Somerset/Hunterdon live-or-work applicants reviewed first for Generic RN |
Tuition & Cost of Attendance
RVCC publishes Spring 2026 per-credit tuition on its official Tuition & Fees page: $192 for Somerset/Hunterdon in-county students and $272 for out-of-county or out-of-state students, plus a $53 general services fee per credit. Students officially enrolled in the nursing program pay an additional $1,130 nursing program fee each semester. Out-of-county workers in Somerset or Hunterdon may qualify for a per-credit reduction with approved employment documentation.
RVCC also posts a 2025–2026 cost of attendance table for financial aid (for example, $7,350 tuition & fees line for full-time in-county students in one published scenario)—that figure is for aid packaging and may not include the nursing program fee line-by-line; use your term bill as the final authority.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Tuition (Spring 2026) | $192/cr in-county; $272/cr out-of-county/OOS; + $53/cr general fee; + $1,130/sem nursing fee when enrolled in nursing |
| Source | RVCC Tuition & Fees. Confirm current amounts with the Bursar. |
Student Outcomes & Career Prospects
RVCC publishes rolling cohort metrics on its Nursing RN page under ACEN licensure statistics. Completion and employment percentages vary by class year—interpret them alongside NCLEX data and confirm methodology on the source page.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate (2024) | 98.25% (RVCC ACEN disclosure, Nursing RN page) |
| Program completion (example) | Class of 2024 — 71% (same RVCC statistics block) |
| Graduates obtaining a job (example) | Class of 2023 — 88.9% (same RVCC statistics block) |
| Source | RVCC Nursing RN. Confirm current rates with RVCC and the New Jersey Board of Nursing. |
Is RVCC the Right Fit for You?
RVCC fits students who want an ACEN-accredited Associate Degree in Nursing pathway with transparent TEAS rules and county-aware seat allocation, and who can commit to full-time clinical sequencing without expecting to transfer nursing coursework from another college.
✓ Good fit for students who—
- Live or work in Somerset or Hunterdon counties and want priority consideration for clinical admission.
- Are seeking an affordable public tuition structure with published nursing fees and a Kean BSN transfer option.
- Are current NJ LPNs who meet PN/AD GPA and licensure prerequisites.
✗ May not be ideal for students who—
- Need to bring in nursing credits from another nursing program (RVCC does not accept them).
- Are out-of-county without a plan for competitive admission after in-county applicants.
- Are seeking an online-only or hybrid-only ADN—RVCC's pathway is campus-based with clinical rotations.
Local Healthcare Ecosystem
Branchburg sits in the Raritan Valley corridor between Somerset and Hunterdon counties—markets with community hospitals, multi-hospital systems, ambulatory networks, and long-term care employers that routinely hire RN graduates. RVCC's catalog states clinical experiences occur in acute, subacute, long-term, and community settings across the region.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Clinical placement list | Not publicly disclosed as a static hospital list on the pages reviewed; confirm current contracted sites with clinicalnursing@raritanval.edu. |
| Regional demand | Central New Jersey continues to recruit bedside RNs across med-surg, oncology, behavioral health, and community health roles—aligns with RVCC's adult, psychiatric, pediatric, and maternal-newborn nursing courses. |
Student Experience & Campus Life
RVCC's nursing curriculum pairs classroom instruction with college lab, simulation, and community clinical experiences. The college does not operate on-campus housing; most students commute. Student support includes Health Science advising, the RVCC Resource Center and food pantry, and broader campus services outlined in the nursing student handbook.
Resources & Next Steps
Contact & location
- Campus location
- Branchburg, NJ
- Address
- 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg, NJ 08876, US
- Telephone
- 908-526-1200
- Clinical nursing email
- clinicalnursing@raritanval.edu
- Website
- raritanval.edu
Official links
Your “Next 7 Days” checklist
- Read the Nursing RN page and download the Nursing Program Student Handbook for policies.
- Compare your transcripts to RVCC prerequisites (BIOL 124/125 within five years, GPA 2.75+, six RVCC credits).
- Schedule the ATI TEAS through ATI Testing and aim to meet RVCC's published minimums before the clinical deadline.
- Register for a Clinical Nursing Pre-Application Session—required to receive the clinical application.
- Email acts@raritanval.edu for a Health Science advising appointment if you are a current student.
- Build a budget using tuition + general fee + nursing program fee + books, uniforms, and immunizations.
- Add the Fall 2026 early and late deadlines (January 9 and May 1, 2026) to your calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Raritan Valley Community College a good school for nursing?
RVCC's associate nursing programs are accredited by ACEN and approved by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. RVCC publishes first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates as part of ACEN licensure statistics (for example, a reported 98.25% for 2024 first-time test takers). Confirm current cohort outcomes with RVCC and the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
What nursing programs does RVCC offer?
RVCC offers a Generic RN track (Nursing/RN, AAS) for pre-licensure students and a PN/AD option for licensed practical nurses advancing to RN, both leading to an Associate of Applied Science and NCLEX-RN eligibility. The college also highlights a BSN completion pathway through Kean University.
What is the NCLEX-RN pass rate for RVCC?
According to RVCC's published Nursing Licensure Statistics on the Nursing RN page, the first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for first-time test takers was 98.25% in 2024. For official jurisdiction-level reporting, see New Jersey Board of Nursing and NCSBN resources.
Does RVCC require the ATI TEAS?
Yes. RVCC requires the ATI TEAS for Generic RN and PN/AD applicants. The Nursing RN page lists minimum overall and section scores (for example, overall 60% or higher and English and Reading each 58.7% or higher for Generic RN applicants). TEAS may be taken once every three months. Confirm current cutoffs with the nursing department.
What are the application deadlines for RVCC's Fall 2026 Generic RN program?
For Fall 2026, RVCC lists an early application deadline of January 9, 2026 and a late deadline of May 1, 2026 on the Nursing RN page. Deadlines change by term; verify the current academic year on the official nursing page.
What tuition does RVCC publish for Spring 2026?
RVCC's Tuition & Fees page lists Spring 2026 tuition of $192 per credit for in-county (Somerset/Hunterdon) students and $272 per credit for out-of-county or out-of-state, plus a $53 per credit general services fee. Students enrolled in the nursing program are also charged a nursing program fee of $1,130 per semester when officially enrolled. Confirm amounts on the official Tuition & Fees page.
Who gets priority for RVCC nursing clinical seats?
Generic RN applicants who live or work full- or part-time in Somerset or Hunterdon County receive priority placement when clinical applications are reviewed; out-of-county applicants may be considered for remaining seats after in-county applicants. PN/AD applicants with documented Somerset or Hunterdon residency also receive priority per the catalog.
Can I transfer nursing coursework from another college into RVCC?
RVCC states that it does not accept nursing classes from other schools for transfer credit and does not admit students transferring from other nursing programs into the clinical nursing program. Applicants must complete at least six credits at RVCC before applying to the clinical program.
What job-placement outcomes does RVCC publish?
RVCC's Nursing RN page lists graduate employment percentages by class year from ACEN disclosure (for example, 88.9% for the Class of 2023). Methodology and cohort definitions appear on the same page. Confirm current figures with RVCC.
References
- Raritan Valley Community College — Nursing RNraritanval.edu/Nursing-RN
- RVCC — Tuition & Fees (Spring 2026 rates)raritanval.edu/paying-for-college/tuition-and-fees
- RVCC — Nursing Program AccreditationNursing program accreditation
- RVCC Catalog — Nursing (PN/AD) programcatalog.raritanval.edu
- New Jersey Board of Nursingnjconsumeraffairs.gov/nur
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)ncsbn.org
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Registered Nursesbls.gov/ooh
Editorial Standards & Review
About the author: Francesco Di Siena, RN, writes evidence-based nursing education guides for NurseOnShift.
Review: This page was reviewed by Araceli Collado, RN, for NCLEX alignment with RVCC's published ACEN statistics, tuition figures from the Spring 2026 Tuition & Fees page, and admission requirements from the Nursing RN and catalog pages.
Disclaimer: This page is for general reference only. It does not constitute professional, admissions, or financial advice. Requirements, deadlines, tuition, and policies change; always verify with the institution and the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
Published: March 27, 2026 · Last reviewed: March 27, 2026 · Medical Review Process · Editorial Policy