Cranston, Rhode Island Colleges

Learn the basics about colleges and career Universities in Cranston, R.I. and what the city's economy currently offers to recent graduates.

Cranston, Rhode Island Career Colleges, Technical Schools, and Universities

Looking for accredited career colleges, technical schools, and universities in Cranston, Rhode Island. Each degree from a Cranston, Rhode Island Career College, a post-secondary for-profit institution, offers an education with an in-demand career field.

At career colleges in Rhode Island, you typically don't take general education classes in core subjects such as English and math. Instead, you focus on career-related courses.

Rhode Island Area Career and Technical Training Programs:

Cranston, R.I. Colleges and Universities

Originally called Pawtuxet, the modern-day city of Cranston is one of the most historic in the U.S., having been founded by a group that included the father of Benedict Arnold. It's seen its share of ups and downs - it was destroyed by a fire in the 17th century - but today is one of the economic hubs of the state and a place to consider for pusuing a higher education.

Cranston, R.I. Colleges and Universities

Located just south of Providence and north of Warwick, Cranston offers some of the best career training programs in the metropolitan area. The Cranston Area Career and Technical Center provides courses in a number of highly-employable fields, including pre-engineering robotics, graphics communications and interactive digital media. For aspiring health care professionals, the Sanford-Brown Institute location in Cranston provides training in fields such as cardiovascular sonography and medical assisting.

Students looking for a four-year college or university, however, can easily commute from Cranston to any of the schools in Providence, which include Providence College, a Catholic school, and Brown University, an Ivy League institution known for allowing undergraduates to design their own degree programs. Those looking for a public school option can consider Rhode Island College in Providence. South of Cranston, the city of Warwick is home to the New England Institute of Technology. Specializing in technical fields, NEIT also offers a core of liberal arts classes.

The 2001-12 average in-state tuition and fees for a two-year public college in Rhode Island were $3,676; for a four-year public school, $10,007; and for a four-year private non-profit, $33,943, according to The College Board.

A Glance at the Cranston Economy

Due to its location near a harbor and river, Cranston is a center of trade with an economy currently driven by the manufacture and sale of jewelry, food, metals and machinery, according to the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. Its leading employers include Swarovski Jewelry and Ross Simons Jewelers, heating components manufacturer Taco Inc., and consulting firm Thielsch Engineering. The median family income in Cranston, R.I. is slightly higher than the average U.S. income, meaning this could be a place to settle down following graduation from one of the colleges in Cranston or nearby.

Author: Timothy Mullaney

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