Program Details Registered Nurse AAS-T

Here is a general overview of the program and a schedule of classes. This information may be subject to change. Please contact your adviser for more information regarding the courses. To see which materials are needed for your courses, click this bookstore link and enter the course information.

General Overview

When can I start? Fall 2025

How long is the program? 6 quarters with 76 total credits, plus 40 credits of prerequisites (116 total credits)

When do classes meet? 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays; weekends are possible with clinical classes

The Nursing Program at Renton Technical College prepares students for employment as registered nurses in a variety of health care environments. We focus on culturally-responsive, comfort-oriented, highly-skilled care to serve all ages in our region's diverse populations. Once you complete your classes and clinic hours, you will be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam. Candidates will need to successfully achieve a score of 80% or higher on the exam to obtain work licensure.

What do registered nurses do?

What is the average salary?

$102,680 annually in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area. Most registered nurses in King County earn at least $80,770.

Who can I contact with questions?

New students, please visit our Zoom lobby (Links to an external site.) to talk with someone by video chat, or e-mail our advising department.
For current students, please visit RTC's advising page (Links to an external site and look for the faculty counselor assigned to Registered Nurse, Associate Degree.

Overall Materials Needed:

Access to a functioning laptop or computer (you may use computers in the RTC Library or Learning Resource Center)
Webcam
Working internet connection
CastleBranch account ($106)
Personal health insurance for the duration of the program
Immunizations
General liability and malpractice insurance ($15.72 per year)
2 sets of scrubs and comfortable black or gray shoes ($150)
Medical supplies ($153 for watch, penlight, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff)
Textbooks and learning materials (approximately $825)
NCLEX preparation software ($750)

Minimum grades: You must earn a grade of 2.5 or higher in all of your NURS classes in order to graduate.

Applying to the Program

You must apply to the Registered Nurse program. See the RTC website for details about deadlines and information sessions! Here are the basic requirements:

You must be 18 years old when you begin the fifth quarter of the program.
You must complete 8 prerequisite classes in General Education with the GPAs specified below. Courses must have been completed within the previous 10 years:
- MATH&146 Intro to Statistics - 2.7 GPA minimum
- PSYC& 200 Lifespan Psychology - 2.7 minimum
- BIOL& 160 General Biology - 3.0 GPA minimum
- BIOL& 241 Human Anatomy and Physiology I - 3.0 minimum
- BIOL& 242 Human Anatomy and Physiology II - 3.0 minimum
- BIOL& 260 Microbiology - 3.0 minimum
- CHEM& 121 Chemistry - 3.0 minimum
- ENGL& 101 English Composition - 3.0 minimum
Learn more about math and English placement options!
You will submit an unofficial transcript showing these classes, as well as a copy of your high school diploma, GED, or high school completion equivalent and the prospective student document.

Admission is competitive! You can have the minimum grades, but that does not mean that you will be selected for the RTC nursing program.

RTC also requires scores from the TEAS exam: a score of 75 overall on Version 6 and a minimum score of 70 in each subcategory including Math, Science, English and Reading.

Once you are accepted to the Registered Nurse program, you will need to provide proof of immunizations.

Supply Checklist

Click here to go to the Nursing Supply List Page. You will use the same set of books throughout the program.

Materials Warning

Some materials on this page are listed as TBD, which means that the materials have yet to be determined. Please consult your instructor on what textbooks or materials are required for the class. If you rent a textbook, make sure you return it by the deadline. If you purchase a textbook, you can sell it back to the RTC bookstore -- but make sure that you won't need the book again for classes in the future!

Quarter 1 Classes

Quarter 1 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
NURS 103	Introduction to Nursing Theory	YES	3
NURS 108	Foundation of Nursing Practice Theory	YES	4
NURS 109	Foundations of Nursing Practice Laboratory	YES	3
NURS 114	Health and Wellness Theory	YES	2
NURS 195	Foundations of Nursing Practice Clinical	YES	4
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,874

Quarter 2 Classes

Quarter 2 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
NURS 117	Alterations in Health Care Needs Theory	YES	5
NURS 118	Alterations in Health Care Needs Laboratory	YES	3
NURS 198	Alterations in Health Care Needs Clinical	YES	4
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,052

Quarter 3 Classes

Quarter 3 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
NURS 105	Reproductive Health Theory	YES	4
NURS 107	Reproductive Health/ Mental Health Nursing Clinical	YES	3
NURS 112	Mental Health in Multicultural Community Theory	YES	4
NURS 119	Reproductive Health Laboratory	YES	1
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,067

Quarter 4 Classes

Quarter 4 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
NURS 208	Major Acute Alterations in Health Care Needs Theory	YES	5
NURS 209	Major Acute Alterations in Health Care Needs Laboratory	YES	3
NURS 295	Major Acute Alterations in Health Care Needs Clinical	YES	5
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,185

Quarter 5 Classes

Quarter 5 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
NURS 203	Major Chronic Alterations in Health Care Needs Theory	YES	5
NURS 207	Major Chronic Alterations in Health Care Needs Laboratory	YES	2
NURS 294	Major Chronic Alterations in Health Care Needs Clinical	YES	5
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,498

Quarter 6 Classes

It's time to apply for your AAS-T degree!

Quarter 6 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
NURS 210	Complex Multi-System Acute Alterations in Health Care Needs Theory	YES	5
NURS 281	Leadership and Management Theory	YES	2
NURS 296	Preceptorship	YES	4
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $1,944

Grand Total Estimated Cost for these 6 quarters: $15,635 plus health insurance and immunizations

Grand Total Estimated Cost including 40 credits of prerequisites: $20,830 plus health insurance and immunizations

Additional costs to work in Washington:

The NCLEX exam for Certified Registered Nurse has a $200 registration cost. You may have to pay additional fees to the Pearson testing center.
The Registered Nurse license fee for WA state is $120.

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