Compare Texas BSN programs by cost, NCLEX pass rates, admission requirements, and career outcomes to choose the right nursing school.
Texas is projected to add 16.8% more registered nursing jobs by 2034, outstripping national growth and deepening an already critical workforce shortage. For aspiring nurses, that demand creates opportunity, but also a crowded field of training providers.
The ranking below sorts 29 schools and 37 program listings by a mix of affordability, completion rates, and earnings outcomes. Net prices range from under $5,000 at public community colleges to over $35,000 at private universities, meaning the financial gap between the most and least expensive options is dramatic.
Where you enroll shapes not only your debt load but also your clinical placement geography and long-term career trajectory. In a state as vast as Texas, proximity to major hospital systems often matters more than a school's name.
This ranking highlights Texas nursing schools that combine strong completion rates, affordability, and post-graduation earnings potential. The ten schools below include public flagships, regional universities, and focused ADN and BSN pathways across the state. Graduation rates shown are institution-wide, not specific to any single nursing program.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Brazosport College | Lake Jackson, TX | $2,000 – $5,000/yr (est.) | Gulf Coast students seeking affordable ADN | |
Brazosport College's ADN program is a Gulf Coast pathway into registered nursing, with daytime clinical rotations across Brazoria and Matagorda counties. The two-year associate pathway emphasizes adult, pediatric, and maternal nursing, and the college reports strong licensure pass and job placement rates. Institution-wide, former students report median earnings of $45,910 with median debt of $5,641, making this one of the more affordable nursing entry points in Texas.
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| #2 | The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | ~$12,000/yr (est.) | Texas residents pursuing a flagship BSN | |
UT Austin pairs a competitive BSN with direct access to Austin and Central Texas clinical sites, including Dell Medical School partnerships. The four-year program is selective and emphasizes critical thinking, community health, and interprofessional training. Former students report median earnings of $75,121 and median debt of $20,500, reflecting the school's strong return on investment. CCNE accredited
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| #3 | Texas A&M University-College Station | College Station, TX | ~$21,000/yr (est.) | Transfer students seeking rural Texas clinicals | |
Texas A&M's traditional BSN is a two-year upper-division program for transfer students, offered in Bryan-College Station and McAllen. The curriculum integrates rural and underserved Texas clinical rotations, with an optional honors track for research-minded students. Institution-wide, former students report median earnings of $72,097 and median debt of $17,804.
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| #4 | Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, TX | $35,000 – $40,000/yr (est.) | ||
TCU's Harris College offers a 29-month BSN in Fort Worth with a strong clinical network across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Students train in simulation labs and DFW health systems, supported by a low student-faculty ratio. Former students report median earnings of $68,424 and median debt of $21,500. CCNE accredited
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| #5 | University of Houston | Houston, TX | $10,000 – $23,000/yr (est.) | ||
University of Houston offers two BSN routes: a four-year traditional track for freshmen at the Katy location and a 12-month second-degree program at Sugar Land for career changers. The college is deeply connected to Houston-area hospitals and emphasizes culturally competent care for Greater Houston's diverse population. Former students report median earnings of $62,377 with median debt of $18,194.
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| #6 | Texas Health School | Houston, TX | $30,000 – $35,000/yr (est.) | ||
Texas Health School's LVN-to-ADN bridge is a program that moves working vocational nurses through eight-week sessions, combining general education coursework with hands-on clinical training in Houston. Graduates earn an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and are prepared for the NCLEX-RN. Institution-wide, former students report median earnings of $30,187 and median debt of $10,915. Military benefits
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| #7 | LeTourneau University | Longview, TX | $28,000/yr (est. net price) | ||
LeTourneau University offers a four-year BSN that combines Christian liberal arts coursework with clinical training after prerequisites. Students complete 122 credits, including Texas Board of Nursing competencies, and can pursue roles from staff nurse to public health nurse. Former students report median earnings of $57,103 and median debt of $26,000. CCNE accredited
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| #8 | Rio Grande Valley College | Pharr, TX | $15,000 – $20,000/yr (est.) | ||
Rio Grande Valley College's ADN program is a 45-week pathway designed for South Texas and border-region healthcare needs. The curriculum emphasizes clinical reasoning, patient care technologies, and evidence-based practice with job placement assistance. Program-level earnings are not yet available; median debt among former students is $12,359.
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| #9 | Baylor University | Waco, TX | ~$41,000/yr (est.) | ||
Baylor's Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas awards a BSN through traditional, FastBacc, and accelerated tracks, with precepted clinicals. Admission requires a HESI A2 score and prerequisite GPA, and the program holds approval from the Texas Board of Nursing. Former students report median earnings of $65,793 and median debt of $23,000.
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| #10 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, TX | under $5,000/yr (est.) | ||
UTRGV's BSN program serves the Rio Grande Valley with multiple entry pathways, including an RN-to-BSN track for working nurses. The school is a Hispanic-Serving Institution with strong bilingual and border-health clinical experiences. Former students report median earnings of $49,620 and median debt of $12,950, aided by UTRGV's Tuition Advantage for eligible students. CCNE accredited
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What makes one BSN program rank higher than another in Texas? Our rankings weigh multiple factors that reflect both affordability and return on investment, drawing on the most reliable public data available.
We combined six core metrics: net price (the actual cost after grants and scholarships), institution-wide graduation rate, program-level median earnings one year after graduation, median federal student loan debt, number of program completers, and a calculated return-on-investment ratio. Each metric was normalized and weighted, emphasizing earnings outcomes and affordability to identify programs that deliver strong financial value to nursing graduates.
The data comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (program-level earnings and debt) and IPEDS (tuition and institutional characteristics). Admissions statistics were pulled from institutional reports. One important limitation: graduation rates are institution-wide, not specific to the BSN program, a common constraint in educational rankings. This means a high overall graduation rate doesn't guarantee the same rate among nursing students, but it remains a useful proxy for institutional support and student success.
While not part of our internal scoring dataset, first-time NCLEX pass rates are a critical quality indicator. We've included a separate section later in this article where you can compare recent pass rates for top Texas programs. Strong NCLEX performance validates that a program's graduates are well-prepared for licensure, so use that table as a companion to our rankings.
Tuition is only part of the total cost of a BSN program. Students should budget for additional expenses like textbooks (often $1,200 to $5,300 depending on the school), clinical supplies and uniforms (typically $500 to $1,000 per year), nursing liability insurance (around $5,700 for the program at some institutions), and fees for technology, NCLEX prep, and background checks. The share of students receiving Pell Grants is a strong indicator of how affordable a program is for lower-income students, as these grants reduce the net price significantly.
| School | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State Tuition | Net Price After Aid | Pell Grant Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas College | $4,662 | $6,900 | $3,214 | 92% |
| Texas A & M International University | $7,894 | $19,454 | $3,637 | 88% |
| Tarrant County College District | $3,537 | $8,370 | $4,337 | 92% |
| Brazosport College | $3,286 | $4,711 | $4,732 | 96% |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $9,799 | $19,645 | $4,831 | 89% |
| McLennan Community College | $4,200 | $5,910 | $5,051 | 85% |
| Northeast Texas Community College | $4,468 | $5,620 | $6,706 | 91% |
| Lee College | $4,665 | $5,045 | $6,879 | 94% |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | $9,544 | $25,502 | $9,403 | 85% |
| Texas Woman's University | $8,640 | $18,480 | $11,963 | 68% |
Admission to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in Texas is a distinct, competitive process that goes far beyond general university acceptance. Nursing departments set their own academic benchmarks, exam requirements, and prerequisite coursework, and seats are limited by clinical placement capacity. Understanding these separate hurdles is key to submitting a strong application.
University-wide acceptance rates offer only a partial picture of how hard it is to get into a BSN track. For example, The University of Texas at Austin admits about 27% of overall applicants, while UT Arlington accepts roughly 93%. Yet at the nursing school level, competitive Texas BSN programs often admit only 15% to 30% of qualified applicants. The gap is stark: a high overall admission rate does not translate into an easy path into a nursing major. Even at campuses with open or broadly accessible undergraduate admissions, the nursing pre-licensure cohort is intensely selective. Keep in mind that published numbers like these reflect the entire institution, not the nursing program alone, but they illustrate why nursing candidates must aim well above minimum thresholds.
Minimum GPA requirements for well-regarded Texas BSN programs generally fall between 2.5 and 3.0, but successful applicants consistently present much stronger academic records. Competitive candidates typically hold cumulative GPAs in the 3.4 to 3.8 range. Texas Woman's University, for instance, reports that recent admitted cohorts averaged a 3.7 GPA. Some programs set explicit floors: UTMB requires a 2.75, while Texas A&M’s traditional BSN track expects at least a 3.3.
Entrance exams are another universal filter. Most schools require either the TEAS or the HESI-A2, though a growing number accept both. UTMB mandates the TEAS with a published minimum of 60, but competitive applicants surpass 70, and typical scores at top programs land between 80 and 89. HESI expectations are similar, often landing in the 80–90+ range. Texas A&M uses the HESI A2 and seeks a nursing-specific composite that demonstrates readiness. UT Austin took a distinct approach in 2026 by not requiring any entrance exam, which shifts evaluation weight even more heavily onto GPA, prerequisite grades, and personal statements.
All Texas BSN programs expect a substantial foundation of college-level prerequisites before students begin clinical nursing courses. The typical bundle includes anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, growth and development, nutrition, and psychology. UTMB explicitly requires 60 credit hours of pre-nursing coursework, and most four-year programs expect no less than 45–50 hours. Beyond grades and exams, applications often include personal essays, letters of recommendation, and background screenings. Some schools conduct interviews or require a resume detailing healthcare experience or volunteer hours. Because nursing school applications are typically evaluated on a point system, meeting the bare minimums rarely guarantees a seat. Students who exceed GPA averages, score near the top of the exam range, and complete prerequisites with strong science grades position themselves most competitively in a landscape where the acceptance rate for the nursing major often runs well below the university’s overall selectivity.
When evaluating nursing programs, some applicants fixate on a school’s NCLEX pass rate as an absolute figure, while savvy students compare it against state and national averages to gauge true performance. The right benchmark turns a raw percentage into a meaningful signal of how well a program prepares its graduates for licensure.
First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates reflect the share of BSN graduates who pass the exam on their initial attempt. This metric serves as a direct proxy for curriculum quality, clinical readiness, and faculty effectiveness. Consistently high rates suggest a program that builds strong foundational knowledge and test-day confidence; a pattern of low or declining rates may flag weaknesses in instruction or student support.
Below are first-time pass rates for select Texas BSN programs, drawn from the most recent reporting year.1 Use the state average and national benchmark to interpret each school’s standing.
The national first-time pass rate for all RN programs sits at 91.16%, while Texas BSN programs collectively outperform that mark at 92.69%.1 A “good” rate for an individual BSN program, then, generally falls above the national benchmark, ideally by several percentage points. Programs that maintain rates at or above 95% demonstrate exceptional consistency, while anything below 85% warrants careful scrutiny. Keep in mind that pass rates fluctuate year to year; a single-year dip may not signal a systemic issue, but multi-year trends are telling.
Several Texas schools deliver pass rates well above both state and national averages. Three programs achieved a perfect 100% first-time pass rate in 2024: LeTourneau University, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, and Texas State University.1 The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Hallmark University, Stephen F. Austin State University, and the University of Houston all posted rates of 97% or higher. UT Health San Antonio and UT El Paso, at 96%, also land solidly in top-tier territory. Graduates from these schools enter the job market with strong evidence that their training meets the licensure bar on the first try.
Texas nursing schools offer multiple pathways to a BSN, each tailored to different student backgrounds and career stages. Whether you are a first-time college student, a career changer with a degree in another field, or a working RN with an associate degree, there is a format that aligns with your timeline and goals.
| Traditional BSN | Accelerated BSN | Online/Hybrid RN-to-BSN |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Length | 4 years (full-time) | 12-18 months |
| Prerequisites | High school diploma; some programs require prerequisite courses and TEAS or HESI exam | Bachelor's degree in any field; all nursing prerequisites must be completed before starting |
| Clinical Requirements | Extensive hands-on clinical rotations in various healthcare settings throughout the program | Intensive clinical experiences, often completed in shorter, concentrated blocks |
| Best For | High school graduates or those new to nursing seeking a comprehensive, campus-based education | Career changers with a non-nursing bachelor's who want to enter nursing quickly |
| Example Texas Schools | UT Austin (campus), Texas A&M (campus), University of Houston (campus) | Baylor University (12 months, online with on-campus visits), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (12 months, hybrid), Concordia University Texas (16 months, hybrid) |
Registered nurses in Texas earn a mean annual wage of about $90,010, with top earners making over $122,060, and job growth is projected at 16.8% across the state. Metro areas like Houston, Dallas, and Austin offer some of the highest pay. The chart below compares 10-year median earnings to median debt for graduates of top-earning Texas BSN programs, highlighting where the financial payoff is strongest.
Texas offers a wide array of BSN pathways, from traditional four-year degrees to fast-track options. Here are answers to common questions about costs, admissions, and program formats in the Lone Star State.
The ranked programs above are not the only route into nursing in Texas. The directory below covers additional BSN programs across the DFW Metroplex, Greater Houston, San Antonio, and other Texas regions, grouped by location. These entries are not ranked; each one lists the city, format, reported average net price, and a feature that sets the program apart.
With Texas projecting a 16.8% increase in nursing jobs, selecting a BSN program means balancing upfront costs against long-term earnings. A school with a lower sticker price but weak NCLEX outcomes may delay licensure and reduce your early-career salary boost. Start by comparing the top-ranked schools’ net prices and pass rates against Texas averages, then match location and format (traditional, accelerated, or online) to your life circumstances. The rankings and NCLEX tables on this page offer a clear, data-backed starting point for your shortlist.
