Top 10 Best Nursing Schools in Texas
Expert review by:To become a nurse in Texas, the best course of action is to earn a nursing degree from a local school. Earning a degree from an accredited Texas school will satisfy any prerequisites you’ll need to become a registered nurse (RN) in the Lone Star State. But not all nursing schools are the same, and you’ll want to pick the right school for you. That's why we've rounded up the best nursing schools in Texas to help you decide.
How We Chose the Best Nursing Schools in Texas
Methodology
This is a panel-reviewed selection based on a number of factors, including,
- Reputation
- NCLEX pass rate
- Tuition
- Acceptance rate, when available
- Only ACEN or CCNE accredited schools are eligible
Nurse Panel
Our selection panel includes 5 Registered Nurses with over 55 years of combined nursing experience and 7 nursing degrees.
- Tracy Everhart, MSN, RN, CNS
- Tyler Faust, MSN, RN
- Chaunie Brusie, BSN, RN
- Kathleen Gaines, MSN, RN, BA, CBC
- Leah Helmbrecht, BSN, RN
Because nursing careers take different forms, the top 10 New Jersey nursing schools are ranked in no particular order.
Top 10 Nursing Schools in Texas
1. University of Texas at Austin
Annual In-State Tuition: $10,858-$13,576 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 96.03%
Traditional: Yes
Online: No
Accelerated: Yes
Bridge: Yes
Based in Central Texas, the University of Texas at Austin places emphasis on helping the local community. This philosophy is ground into its nursing programs and many nurses go on to work in these types of communities. Students should definitely apply to this school, but due to high competition, make sure you apply to others in Texas as well.
There are three main BSN Pathways at this university:
- Traditional BSN
- ADN-BSN
- Internal Transfer BSN: for non-nursing majors who want to switch into the program
2. Schreiner University
Annual Tuition: $35,614 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 100%
Traditional: Yes
Online: No
Accelerated: No
Bridge: No
Schreiner University is a private school founded on Presbyterian values. While the school was founded in 1923, Schreiner has only recently started seeing huge growth. The nursing school and the BSN degree are both relatively young and don’t have many graduates. However, nursing students that have earned their degree from Schreiner boast a high NCELX pass rate and good job placement. The annual tuition is high, but many students earn some type of financial aid to help keep costs low.
3. Texas Christian University
Annual Tuition: $53,890 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 95.16%
Traditional: Yes
Online: No
Accelerated: Yes
Bridge: No
As a private university with a strong background, students can expect high tuition rates. But those rates are well worth it for students who want to attend one of the best nursing or CRNA schools in Texas.
Most students are going to focus on earning their BSN first. BSN students will start their clinical assignment at the beginning of their sophomore year, so you’ll have plenty of experience by the time you graduate. The university also offers an accelerated BSN for aspiring nurses who have a bachelor’s degree in another field.
4. Texas A&M University
Annual In-state Tuition: $13,012 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 99.26%
Traditional: Yes
Online: No
Accelerated: Yes
Bridge: No
It’s hard not to immediately notice Texas A&M’s near-perfect NCLEX pass rate! What’s more impressive is that Texas A&M is the largest university in the nation, and its nursing school is proportionately sized. One cool part about the BSN is that students can earn it year-round, taking courses in the winter and summer. This reduces the time required to complete the degree, so graduates can start their nursing career in less than four years.
Texas A&M offers three BSN pathways:
5. University of Texas at Arlington*
Annual In-state Tuition: $12,208 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 94.38%
Traditional: Yes
Online: Yes
Accelerated: Yes
Bridge: Yes
Based in the northern part of the state the University of Texas at Arlington* has over 59,000 students enrolled. This includes their distance learners, some of which are completing their BSN entirely online. This online program has an even lower tuition for in-state students than what’s listed, although nursing students will be required to complete their clinicals in person. For traditional students, the four-year BSN or RN-BSN are offered in Arlington. No matter which option you pick, this is an affordable nursing degree for Texas residents.
6. Texas Woman’s University
Annual In-state Tuition: $13,842 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 95.70%
Traditional: Yes
Online: Yes, but only for the RN-to-BSN program
Accelerated: No
Bridge: Yes
As the name implies, Texas Woman’s University is a school that is primarily composed of women. TWU is also one of the top schools in the state for nursing research in areas like women’s health and quality patient outcomes. This school is worth paying attention to for anyone looking to get a graduate degree. But the universities’ focus on graduate studies doesn’t mean they don’t also offer a BSN program – and yes, men are welcome to apply to Texas Woman’s University’s nursing program, too.
There are three tracks at Texas Women’s University:
7. University of Texas at Tyler
Annual In-state Tuition: $14,788 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 91.75%
Traditional: Yes
Online: No
Accelerated: No
Bridge: Yes
The University of Texas at Tyler is another excellent school that’s part of the University of Texas public system. One benefit of the University of Texas at Tyler is that the undergraduate nursing program can also be completed at one of their distance sites in Longview or Palestine. This means that some locals might not have to relocate in order to earn one of the top BSNs in Texas.
There are three BSN tracks at the university:
8. University of St. Thomas
Annual Tuition: $32,484 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 87.50%
Traditional: Yes
Online: Yes
Accelerated: Yes
Bridge: Yes
Named for the patron saint of universities and students, the University of St. Thomas has established itself as a top private school in Texas. Located in Houston, nursing students can take advantage of the urban setting and many nearby hospitals while earning clinical experience The ciy is also a great place to find a job after graduation.
There are several tracks to choose from at this university:
- BSN
- Accerlated BSN
- RN to MSN: for ADN educated nurses who wish to bypass a BSN a achieve an MSN
9. Abilene Christian University
Annual Tuition: $40,400 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 89.39%
Traditional: Yes
Online: Yes
Accelerated: Yes
Bridge: Yes
Abilene Christian University, or ACU, opened their current campus 90 years ago. Since then, ACU has grown into one of the top private schools in Texas, and home to a top nursing school in the region. The BSN curriculum structure is meant to create servant-leaders in the community, a great basis for nurses that might want to attend graduate school at some point. The university offers an on-campus BSN and an online BSN. An online pre-nursing track, as well as a DNP program, are also available through ACU.
10. University of Mary Hardin - Baylor
Annual Tuition: $39,520 | NCLEX Pass Rate: 95.92%
Traditional: Yes
Online: Yes
Accelerated: No
Bridge: Yes
The University of Mary Hardin – Baylor has the distinct honor of being the oldest continuous college in Texas. Interestingly, the school was originally a female college and has since grown to include nearly 4,000 students. Most nursing students at UMHB are enrolled in the BSN program, although there are MSN and Doctor of Education in Nursing programs available as well. Future nursing students who live in Texas can find a more affordable education at a state school, but the high NCLEX pass rate is hard to ignore.
BSN nursing pathways at this university include:
- Traditional BSN
- Accelerated online BSN: for nurses who already have an ADN degree
4 Key Factors That Affect Nursing School Tuition
Keep in mind that colleges and universities reserve the right to change tuition rates at any time. The yearly tuition rates listed here will vary for each student depending on various factors, including,
- Transfer credits
- Completed competency exams
- Amount of credits taken per year
- Financial aid awards
Check with the specific school for current tuition rates.
Nurse Salary and Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),
-
Texas employs 217,630 nurses, making it the second-highest employer for nurses in the nation.
-
Nurses in Texas earned an annual mean wage of $79,120 in 2021, just below the national average.
While it isn’t the highest paying state for nurses, Texas is one of the largest employers for nurses. However, Texas is a relatively affordable state, and the average home price is well below the national average. Money can go much further in Texas than it can in other high-employment states like California or New York.
Texas is also home to large, urban areas and some of the nation’s most famous hospitals. Nurses can gain valuable experience, and many choose to continue their education and specialize in their career to find higher-paying positions.
Show Me Texas Nursing Programs
Next Steps:
You’ve found schools you’re interested in, and are ready to start applying. But before you send that application, you should spend more time researching each school to make sure it’s a good pick. College is a huge, timely, and expensive life decision, and picking the right school can set you up for the rest of your life.
Here are the next steps:
- Contact each school’s admissions offices. Admissions offices are an excellent resource, and they can answer any questions you might have about the nursing program, the school, and everything in between.
- Find out what the nursing school requirements are. Applying to a school and applying to a nursing program are two very different things. Nursing programs usually have stricter requirements; for example, a college may require a 2.5 GPA while a nursing program at that school would require a 3.0 GPA.
Check what the requirements are so you don’t end up at a school where you aren’t eligible to earn a BSN.
- Submit your application(s). Even if you know what school you want to go to, you should always apply to more than one school. You never know what scholarships might be offered to you!
Most college applications will require the following:
-
- High school transcript (GPA)
- ACT and/or SAT scores
- College entrance essay(s)
- Letter(s) of recommendation
Some universities might require other information, such as volunteer experience and extracurricular activities you’ve participated in.
If at any point you feel confused or lost, contact an admissions representative. Their job is to help you through the application process.
Show Me Texas Nursing Programs
Important considerations when comparing schools:
Super low tuition is tempting, but picking the cheapest school isn’t necessarily the best thing to do. That being said, you should always keep factors like tuition into account.
Additional factors you should look at when comparing schools include:
- Annual tuition and total program cost (these can be different)
- Acceptance rate (both for the school and the nursing program)
- Length of the program
- Benefits of each specific nursing program
- Distance from home (will you have to commute or live on campus?)
- Distance from hospitals (will you have to commute for clinicals?)
- Scholarships or grants offered by the school
- Accreditation (regional and national)
Why you should care about the nursing program’s accreditation
You might not know much about accreditation, but it’s critical when looking at nursing schools. If a school doesn’t have the right accreditation, you won’t be eligible to take the NCLEX and become a registered nurse. Also, finding a job could prove to be much more difficult.
The two nursing accreditation organizations to look for are
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
If a school is accredited by one of these institutions, then their nursing program adheres to strict national standards.
Show Me Texas Nursing Programs
Getting a License in Texas
Texas is part of the Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact (eNLC), so becoming an RN in Texas means you’re also eligible to work as a nurse in 37 other states.
To become an RN, you’ll need to:
The NCLEX and application both cost money (between $100-$200 each), but other than that there isn’t much more to the application process. Earning your degree is the hard part, so it’s fitting that the rest isn’t so bad!
FAQs
Conclusion
With over 200,000 nurses, Texas is a top employer for nurses, including recent grads. Thanks to the many renowned hospitals in the area, BSN graduates should have no trouble finding a position in Texas. There are plenty of excellent public and private schools to choose from, and Texas residents can take advantage of low annual tuition at public schools. Once you becoming an RN, you’ll be eligible to work as a nurse in 25 states!
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