Compare NCLEX pass rates, tuition, and program formats for Richardson-area nursing schools side by side.
High pay in Dallas-Fort Worth nursing draws applicants, but choosing the right program in Richardson hinges on concrete tradeoffs between cost, NCLEX performance, and program flexibility. Registered nurses in the metro area earn a median $98,740, well above the national figure, and a tight network of hospitals feeds demand for well-prepared graduates.
Area BSN and ADN programs range from traditional on-campus pathways to fully online RN-to-BSNs and accelerated tracks for career-changers. The decision often comes down to net price after aid, a school’s recent pass rates, and whether a compressed timeline or a paced degree fits your life. In a market where specializations and advanced credentials increasingly separate top earners, the program you choose directly shapes your trajectory.
Our 2026 rankings spotlight accredited nursing schools within a 45-mile radius of Richardson, bringing both local options and strong Dallas-Fort Worth programs into comparison. Each school is evaluated using federal institutional data on affordability, student outcomes, and program attributes to help you find the right fit.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, TX | $35,000 – $40,000/yr | Traditional campus experience seekers | |
Texas Christian University in Fort Worth blends a private liberal arts foundation with an intensive BSN curriculum centered on clinical judgment and simulation training. With a 93% retention rate and 61% four-year graduation rate (institution-wide), TCU attracts students seeking a close-knit academic community and strong mentoring. The program can be completed in 29 months, and graduates are well-prepared for a range of health care settings.
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| #2 | The University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, TX | $11,000/yr | Flexible learners needing online option | |
The University of Texas at Arlington delivers a large prelicensure BSN with both on-campus and accelerated online formats, supporting students who need scheduling flexibility. The program integrates rigorous academics with hands-on clinicals at acute care hospitals and the innovative Smart Hospital simulation lab. With dedicated peer mentoring and strong student success resources, UTA offers a supportive path to the NCLEX-RN. The institution's 73% retention rate reflects its commitment to student persistence.
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| #3 | Dallas College | Dallas, TX | Budget-conscious working RNs | ||
Dallas College offers a fully online RN-to-BSN completion program designed for practicing registered nurses who need an affordable, flexible pathway to a bachelor's degree. The curriculum emphasizes leadership, community health, and evidence-based practice, with a fast-track 12-month option or part-time 24-month plan. At an institution-wide net price of roughly $3,200, it is one of the most cost-effective BSN pathways in the region, with all books included.
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| #4 | Texas Woman's University | Denton, TX | $9,000/yr | ||
Texas Woman's University, with campuses in Denton, Dallas, and Houston, provides a comprehensive four-year BSN that emphasizes clinical reasoning and hands-on experience. The program makes extensive use of hospital partnerships, summer externships, and a strong network of clinical placements, preparing graduates for Texas licensure. TWU's selective admission requires a minimum 3.0 GPA and TEAS exam, and the institution reports a 49% overall graduation rate.
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| #5 | Tarrant County College District | Fort Worth, TX | |||
Tarrant County College District's Associate Degree Nursing Program on the Trinity River Campus East offers an affordable, two-year pathway to RN licensure. With an institutional net price below $5,000 and strong transfer agreements, graduates can seamlessly continue to a BSN at partner universities. The program reports an 83% licensure pass rate and 73% job placement, making it a practical entry point for those seeking immediate employment.
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| #6 | Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas | Dallas, TX | |||
Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas offers a career-focused three-year BSN on campus, with six start dates per year and no prerequisite coursework required. The curriculum blends classroom instruction, simulation labs, and clinical rotations across Texas health care settings. Evening general education classes and small class sizes provide added flexibility and personal attention. The college is CCNE- and ABHES-accredited.
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| #7 | University of North Texas Health Science Center | Fort Worth, TX | $8,000 – $23,000/yr | ||
The University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth delivers a campus-based BSN with 810 clinical hours and a strong interdisciplinary focus. The five-semester program features a low 1:25 student-to-faculty ratio, high-fidelity simulation, and optional electives in areas like veterans' health and oncology. It partners with over 30 clinical sites across the Dallas-Fort Worth region, and a dedicated Career Readiness Center supports graduates entering practice.
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| #8 | Galen Health Institutes-Dallas | Richardson, TX | |||
Galen Health Institutes' Dallas campus, located right in Richardson, provides an accelerated on-campus three-year BSN for students new to nursing. The program emphasizes hands-on learning in modern clinical labs, with four start dates annually and comprehensive support from academic advisors. Galen reports median graduate earnings of $61,480, and its placement in Richardson makes it a convenient option for local students seeking a direct path to RN licensure.
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Sticker prices for BSN programs can seem high, but net cost after financial aid is typically lower. This table compares annual in-state and out-of-state tuition, the net price paid by in-state students after grants and scholarships, and median federal loan debt at graduation for BSN programs serving the Richardson, TX region.
| School | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State Tuition | Net Price | Median Graduate Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas College | $4,662 | $6,900 | $3,214 | $9,500 |
| Texas A & M International University | $7,894 | $19,454 | $3,637 | $15,000 |
| Texas Woman's University | $8,640 | $18,480 | $11,963 | $19,218 |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | $9,544 | $25,502 | $9,403 | $18,000 |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $9,799 | $19,645 | $4,831 | $12,950 |
In the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, first-time NCLEX-RN test takers from Texas nursing programs achieved an 84.82% pass rate. The overall pass rate for all attempts was 78.39% during the same period. These figures reflect the state's collective performance, but individual program outcomes vary significantly.1
Programs near Richardson, including WCU-Texas and the Galen College campus serving the Dallas/Richardson area, report their own pass rates to the Texas Board of Nursing. National first-time NCLEX pass rates sat at 87.5% for 2025, placing the Texas average slightly below that benchmark.2 Prospective students should look at a school's most recent three-year pass rate trend, as a single quarterly dip is less telling than consistently soft performance.
Nursing boards use NCLEX results as a core program approval metric. State thresholds often hover around 80% first-time pass; failure to maintain that level can trigger probation or restricted enrollments. For students, a program with persistently low pass rates may indicate weak curriculum alignment with exam content, inadequate clinical preparation, or insufficient student support. Graduating from a program with a strong pass-rate history helps ensure you are ready to sit for the exam and enter practice without delay.
The push toward a more highly educated nursing workforce has made RN-to-BSN and accelerated BSN pathways a standard feature of nursing education in the Dallas metro.
Several Richardson-area schools offer fully online RN-to-BSN completion programs designed for nurses with an associate degree or diploma. The University of Texas at Arlington’s online program is among the shortest, at roughly 9 to 10 months, and requires 30 credit hours with a minimum GPA between 2.25 and 2.5. No entrance exam is needed.1 Dallas College’s RN-to-BSN is also online and priced for in-district students; it admits three times a year (Spring, Summer, Fall deadlines on November 1, April 1, and June 1), requires a 2.0 GPA, and has 30 credits.2 UNT Health Science Center’s online 30-credit program can be completed in 2 to 4 semesters with no listed exam requirement.3
For career changers who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, accelerated BSN (ABSN) pathways in Texas condense nursing coursework into a shorter timeline. Concordia University Texas runs a hybrid ABSN at its Dallas site that finishes in 16 months.4 West Coast University’s Dallas campus offers an on-campus ABSN that spans 39 months and requires 120 credits, longer than a typical ABSN because it includes general education components.5 Both programs are structured for students starting from scratch in nursing.
Admissions standards vary by program. The researched RN-to-BSN programs do not mandate the TEAS or HESI, though accelerated programs often expect a prior bachelor’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 and satisfactory scores on a nursing entrance exam. Applicants to any nursing program in the area should expect to submit transcripts, complete a background check,2 and meet immunization requirements.
Before applying, many prospective students finish science prerequisites such as anatomy, physiology, and microbiology at Collin College or other community colleges. This keeps costs low and often guarantees transferability to partner BSN programs. Check with individual schools for specific prerequisite lists and articulation agreements.
Program-level earnings for BSN graduates at 1 and 4 years out are not yet available from the U.S. Department of Education. As a benchmark, registered nurses across the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area earn a median annual wage of $98,740, with the top 10% earning over $122,800. Median graduate debt for BSN programs in the region typically falls between $17,500 and $21,500, offering a strong debt-to-income ratio.
The score for each school blends net price, graduation rate, median earnings at one, two, and four years after graduation, and typical federal student debt. These figures are from College Scorecard and IPEDS. A low net price and strong earnings pull the score upward, while high debt can weigh it down. We use three-year averages from the most recent data available.
Program-specific graduation rates for nursing are not yet published in federal datasets. Instead, we use the institution-wide graduation rate. A school that consistently helps students graduate, across majors, usually offers effective advising, support, and teaching quality that nursing students benefit from, too. It also signals a lower risk of dropping out before completing the BSN, which matters for your time and money.
NCLEX performance is critical for licensure, but pass rates are not factored into the algorithmic ranking. We display them alongside each school's profile so you can directly evaluate clinical preparedness. Some programs publish first-time pass rates; we show the latest available year.
We set a 75-mile search radius to include enough high-quality ADN, BSN, and direct-entry MSN programs. Richardson is part of the larger Dallas-Fort Worth nursing education market, so campuses in Dallas, Plano, Garland, and other nearby cities appear in the list. This ensures you see the full range of options without being limited to a single ZIP code.
Prospective nursing students in Richardson, Texas, commonly ask about available BSN programs, costs, timelines, and accelerated pathways. Below, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions, drawing on data from earlier sections to provide clear, concise information.
