Pawtucket, Rhode Island Colleges

Learn the basics about schools and colleges in Pawtucket, R.I., and the economic sectors that could intrigue recent graduates.

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

Looking for accredited career colleges, technical schools, and universities in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Each degree from a Pawtucket, 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:

Pawtucket Colleges and Universities

A lot has changed since Samuel Slater built the first fully-mechanized American cotton-spinning mill in Pawtucket in 1793. Nowadays, Pawtucket is not only an important industrial center, but an up-and-coming arts hub with a diversified economy and plenty of opportunity for graduates of nearby colleges.

Pawtucket Schools and Colleges

Salve Regina University, based in the Rhode Island town of Newport, offers courses at the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center in Pawtucket. The school confers bachelor's and graduate degrees, and its Pawtucket location caters in particular to adult students. Four-course graduate certificate programs are offered for those who are looking to update their skill set or start on a new career path. Rhode Island is the smallest U.S. state, but it's a higher education heavy-hitter, and many of its most famous schools are an easy commute from Pawtucket.

Academic and creative all-stars from around the world can be found at Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, in neighboring Providence. RISD is a preeminent arts school, and Brown is known as a progressive Ivy League school that lets undergraduates create their own degree programs. Other schools within 15 miles of Pawtucket include Providence College, Rhode Island College and Roger Williams University. In-state tuition and fees averaged $10,007 for a public four-year Rhode Island college in 2011-12, and ran to $33,943 for a private four-year college, according to The College Board.

A Glance at the Pawtucket Economy

Graduates of RISD may want to settle down in Pawtucket, which has gained a reputation as a hothouse for the arts. The city boasts a 307-acre arts district, having converted 23 old mills into studio spaces. The 2011 mean annual wage for artists and designers in the Providence metro area was $50,760, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although some of its historic mills are no longer used for industrial purposes, Pawtucket is still a big manufacturing town, as world headquarters for the toy maker Hasbro. Travel company Collette Vacations is another major employer.

Author: Timothy Mullaney

Tim Mullaney's recognitions include the Salamander Magazine Prize and the Gival Press Short Story Award. He is a former Van Lier Fellow at the Asian American Writers' Workshop in New York City and has taught writing at Washington University in St. Louis. He currently lives in Chicago.

College Education Training in Rhode Island Cities: