Best Nursing Schools in Texas

Texas is one of the commonly opted destinations by students who wish to take up a program in nursing. This is mainly because there are plenty of institutions offering quality education in the field at budgets that suit every type of student. Students will easily be able to enroll in RN-to-BSN programs which will in turn provide them with higher payments in the healthcare industry.

The nursing programs offered in Texas have a flexible format that people can fit into their schedules. While most institutions offer on-campus programs, students will also be able to find plenty of online and blended programs that are equally valued in the country. The programs here are aimed at preparing students for licensure and upon the completion of the program, students will be able to take the NCLEX-RN examination along with the Texas nursing jurisprudence examination. Students must clear both these examinations to practice in the state.

Choosing the Best Nursing School

When choosing a nursing school, students should be aware of their requirements for the course. According to the amount of time one can invest into the nursing program, they will have to choose from a traditional or online program. Since some institutions also provide blended programs, students who are currently practicing or who wish to take up other professions to cover educational expenses will be able to find and apply for such programs.

Students will also have to be mindful of the reputation the institution has and the accreditation it holds. Accreditations like CCNE or ACEN are the most sought-after markers by students from across the country. One will also have to look for the graduation rate of the program they are applying for along with the NCLEX pass rate. Upon shortlisting the institutions that have suitable programs, students will have to cross-check details that are specific to them like the acceptance rate for the program and the tuition for in-state and out-of-state students.

Cost of Studying Nursing in Texas

The cost of studying nursing in Texas is dependent on the type of institution one is applying to and the level of the program they are enrolling in. Students will either be charged per semester or per credit depending on the institution and this can range from $3,000 to $58,000 per year. The fees will also be different for in-state students and out-of-state students. Oftentimes, out-of-state students will have to pay a tuition fee that is 2 or 3 times more than the in-state tuition.

Students will also have to account for additional expenses the program will incur. This will mainly be in the form of supplies, student services, immunization, etc. Programs that have a duration of 4 years can have a tuition fee of up to $123,000 depending on whether the institution is privately or publicly funded.

10 Best Nursing Schools in Texas

A few of the best nursing schools in Texas are-

Institution	Location	In-State Fee	Out-of-State Fee	NCLEX Pass Rate
University of Texas	Austin	$13,000 per year	$23,500 per year	96.03%
University of Texas Health Science Center	Houston	$8,000 per year	$27,000 per year	89%
Texas Tech University Health Science Center	Lubbock	$265 per credit	$673 per credit	90.93%
Texas A&M University Health Science Center	Bryan	$800 per credit	$1,400 per credit	99%
University of Texas	Arlington	$5,000 per year	$16,500 per year	91%%
Texas Woman’s University	Denton	$6,500 per year	$14,000 per year	95.70%
Lubbock Christian University	Lubbock	$500 per credit	$500 per credit	95.1%
Lamar University	Beaumont	$360 per credit	$770 per credit	90.38%
Midwestern State University	Wichita Falls	$300 per credit	-	87%
Prairie View A&M University	Houston	$5,300 per year	$14,500 per year	87.76%

University of Texas-Austin

This university offers traditional programs in nursing. It also offers accelerated and bridge programs in this field of study. The best nursing program offered by this institution is BSN and only students who have completed their associate degree in nursing will be able to apply for the same. The MSN program is taken only by people who wish to advance their career options in the field and extend into research. This program offers specializations in fields like psychiatric mental health, adult-gerontology, and leadership in diverse settings. This institution has an NCLEX pass rate of 96.03 percent.

The fee per year for in-state students is estimated to be around $13,000 and that of out-of-state students is around $23,500.

University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston

This public school offers nursing programs through the Jane and Robert Cizik School of Nursing. The programs offered here are accredited by the CCNE and students will be able to take programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. They will also be able to take post-graduate APRN certificate programs from this institution. It has an enrolment rate of nearly 900 at the graduate level. Students who have an associate degree and are licensed RNs will be able to take an RN to BSN program and RNs who have a bachelor’s degree in another field will be able to take an RN to MSN program. The MSN program has tracks like nursing leadership, adult/gerontology primary care, etc.

The fee per year for in-state students is around $8,000 and the fee for out-of-state students is around $27,000.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

This university has 3 kinds of undergraduate programs and other graduate programs in nursing that one can choose from. All these programs are accredited by the CCNE. The undergraduate programs here include a traditional BSN program, an RN to BSN program for licensed associate degree holders in nursing, and licensed nurses who have bachelor’s degrees from other fields of study. The MSN program offered here has strict requirements which allow only BSN-trained applicants to enroll. The specializations offered for MSN include nursing informatics, nursing administration, nursing midwifery, etc.

The fee for the program is charged per credit with in-state students having to pay $265 per credit and out-of-state students having to pay $673 per credit.

Texas A&M University Health Science Center

This institution offers undergraduate and graduate programs in nursing catering to students from all backgrounds. The programs offered here are accredited by CCNE. They have a traditional BSN program and an RN to BSN program for licensed associate degree holders in the field. Students who are licensed in other fields will be able to take an onsite second-degree BSN. The MSN program is only offered to BSN-trained registered nurses. The program has specializations like forensic nursing, family nurse practitioner, etc. This institution has an NCLEX pass rate of 99%.

The fee for programs here is comparatively higher with students having to pay is around $800 per credit for residents and around $1,400 for non-residents.

University of Texas-Arlington

The nursing programs in this university are offered by the College of Nursing and Health Innovation. There are programs offered at undergraduate and graduate levels with programs like BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, etc. The institution also has different online programs that have lower tuition fees and are accelerated. MSN programs have specializations like family nurse practitioner, adult gerontology, pediatric acute care, psychiatric health, neonatal, etc. Students will also be able to take a doctorate in nursing or nursing practice. The enrolment rate for graduate programs here is around 300.

The fee for residents is around $5,000 per year and that for non-residents is around $16,500 per year.

Texas Woman’s University

This university is known for the research done in the field of nursing but at the same time, they offer programs at an undergraduate level. Candidates will be able to take a traditional BSN program or an RN to BSN program at an undergraduate level. The university does not offer online programs or accelerated programs but it does provide a bridge program in nursing. Students will also be able to take an MSN or doctorate degree from this institution. The institution has an NCLEX pass rate of 95.70%.

The fee for the graduate program here is around $6,500 per year for residents and around $14,000 per year for non-residents.

Lubbock Christian University

This private institution has a department of nursing offering RN to BSN and MSN programs. The MSN programs offered are for specializations like nursing leadership and family nurse practitioner. All the programs here are offered in a hybrid mode with both traditional and online classes. This university has a graduate enrolment rate of around 90 and the fee for all students is calculated based on credits. The fee that is charged per credit is around $500.

Lamar University

This university offers programs at undergraduate and graduate levels with students being able to take BSN, RN to BSN, and RN to MSN programs. These programs are offered in a traditional and online mode from which students can choose what suits them best. It has an enrolment rate of 100 at the master’s level. The NCLEX pass rate of this institution is 97%. The tuition fee in this institution is charged per credit with in-state students having to pay around $360 per credit and out-of-state students having to pay $770 per credit.

Midwestern State University

This public school offers nursing programs through the Wilson School of Nursing. Students will be able to take undergraduate and graduate level programs in nursing from here. The undergraduate programs offered include BSN, RN to BSN, and Accelerated BSN whereas the graduate level program includes an MSN degree along with a post-graduate certificate in the subject. The specializations offered for MSN include family nurse practitioner and psychiatric mental health. It has an enrolment rate of around 90 for graduate programs

The fee for the program is dependent on the student and has to be calculated separately on the university website. For in-state students, the fee per credit hour is estimated to be around $300.

Prairie View A&M University

The College of Nursing at Prairie View A&M University offers programs at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. The undergraduate programs include BSN, RN to BSN, and LVN to BSN. The institution also has MSN programs with specializations like family nurse practitioner, nurse administration, nurse education, etc. The university has only one doctoral program in this field which is for nursing practice. The graduate program here has an enrolment rate of around 40 students.

The fee for the program for residents is around $5,300 per year and for non-residents is around $14,500 per year.