Nursing Degrees & Schools / Best Schools Texas
Texas is one of the largest states in the nation and it boasts the second-highest population of registered nurses with over 219,330 in the state. Given that, there are many different nursing programs to choose from for a nurse who wants to advance their career or for a prospective nurse.
Accelerated degree programs and bridge programs are offered to nursing students that can significantly reduce the amount of time spent in school.
Choosing a nursing program may feel stressful and confusing. To help, we’ve created a list of the best nursing programs in the state of Texas.
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In this post, we will explore the following:
To capture the best schools in each state, we applied a rigorous formula, isolating five variables that were weighted equally:
- Graduation rate
- NCLEX pass rate
- CCNE accreditation
- Programs offered
- Tuition costs (based on in-state tuition and maximum credits)
Texas’s top nursing program:
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Texas A&M University – Texarkana
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Houston
- Texas State University
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
- Texas Woman’s University
- University of Texas at El Paso
- University of Texas at Tyler
- University of the Incarnate Word
1. University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston – Score 98
NCLEX pass rate: 98.98%
Tuition per year: $11,925
The University of Texas Health Center at Houston Cizik School of Nursing is a highly respected program for nursing. Their master’s and doctorate programs have been ranked as one of the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The school has approximately 4,372 students, which leads to small class sizes and more individualized instruction.
The school offers the following programs for nursing students:
- RN-BSN
- RN-FNP
- RN-MSN
- BSN-DNP
- DNP
- Ph.D. in Nursing
2. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio – Score 90
NCLEX pass rate: 98.28%
Tuition per year: $19,279
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio’s nursing program is widely recognized as a top program not only in the state of Texas but in the nation. Their DNP program is ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Students have an excellent opportunity to practice clinicals in the surrounding community as a way to gain real-world experience.
The school offers the following programs to nursing students:
3. Texas A&M University – Texarkana – Score 86
NCLEX pass rate: 100%
Tuition per year: $7,868
Texas A&M University – Texarkana is a great nursing program in Texas for students seeking a smaller, more intimate campus experience. The school has approximately 2,000 undergraduate students. It’s also a CCNE accredited program.
The program offers the following degree programs for nursing students:
- BSN
- ADN- BSN
- MSN
4. University of Texas at Austin – Score 84
NCLEX pass rate: 94.83%
Tuition per year: $12,040
The University of Texas at Austin is one of the more well-known schools in Texas, and it is also one of the more prestigious nursing programs. Unlike some of the other schools on this list, this school has a lot more students enrolled.
With that, there is naturally more money for research and equipment, so you get a bit of a trade-off there. The school has received more than $20 million in extramural funding (federal and non-federal grants for research and academic activities).
The school offers the following degree programs for nursing students:
- BSN
- ADN-BSN
- MSN
- DNP
- Alternate Entry MSN
- Alternate Entry PhD
- Ph.D. in Nursing
5. University of Houston – Score 82
NCLEX pass rate: 98.68%
Tuition per year: $15,052
The University of Houston is home to more than 45,000 students making it one of the largest schools included on the list. In 2017, the school had an 87% employment rate for RN-BSN & second-degree BSN graduates. Similar to the University of Texas at Austin, this means more grant money and opportunities for research. Overall, it’s a great option for nursing students.
The school offers the following degree programs for nursing students:
- RN-BSN
- BSN
- MSN
- DNP
6. Texas State University – Score 81
NCLEX pass rate: 100%
Tuition per year: $11,860
Texas State University is located in Round Rock, Texas, and is home to more than 38,000 students. The school boasts one of the best NCLEX pass rates of all the schools we analyzed, with a 100% pass rate for 2019.
The nursing program, St. David’s School of Nursing, accepts 100 students a year for its BSN program. Given the tuition rate and the stellar NCLEX pass rate, this school provides a great combination of value and quality for students.
The school offers the following degree programs for nursing students:
- BSN
- MSN
- RN to MSN
7. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center – Score 79
NCLEX pass rate: 91.07%
Tuition per year: $9,345
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is located in Lubbock, Texas, and has a small student population that fosters an engaging learning environment. In total, the school offers 22 different programs for nursing students. One of the more exciting features of the program is the online MSN.
Another important factor when considering this school is the low tuition rate. It’s one of the most affordable nursing programs in Texas.
The school offers the following degree programs for nursing students:
- BSN
- MSN
- DNP
8. Texas Woman’s University – Score 78 (tied with University of Texas at El Paso)
NCLEX pass rate: 96.25%
Tuition per year: $6,789
Texas Woman’s University is located in Denton, Texas, and enrolls over 15,000 students. It is one of the most affordable schools on our list and has an excellent NCLEX pass rate. One of the convenient aspects of the program is that it offers students a completely online R.N. to BSN program.
The school also provides students an opportunity to attend classes at three different campuses in Denton, Dallas, and Houston. Last, the school has a Center for Global Nursing, which allows students to travel worldwide, providing essential nursing services. Overall, this nursing program is an excellent option for a potential nurse or someone looking to further their education.
The school offers the following degree programs for nursing students:
- BSN
- RN-BSN
- MSN
- DNP
- Ph.D. in Nursing Science
- DNP to the Ph.D. bridge program
8. University of Texas at El Paso – Score 78 (tied with Texas Women’s University)
NCLEX pass rate: 97.64%
Tuition per year: $8,300
The University of Texas at El Paso is one of the premier Hispanic serving institutions with over 80 percent Hispanic population. With over 25,000 students enrolled, it is a sizable campus. Given its high NCLEX pass rate and low tuition, it’s a great bargain and value for students. The school offers a fully online R.N. to BSN program for students to complete within 2.5 semesters. Additionally, their MSN program is offered online as well.
The school offers the following degree programs for nursing students:
- RN-BSN
- BSN
- MSN
- DNP
9. University of Texas at Tyler – Score 76
NCLEX pass rate: 94.86%
Tuition per year: $7,200
The University of Texas at Tyler is one of the premier nursing programs in Texas. It ranks as the second most affordable school on our list and provides students with a chance to develop practical skills within nursing. Their BSN program is offered year-round and can be completed within 18 months once a student finishes their prerequisites. Their graduate nursing programs allow students to meet online, hybrid, and in-person courses.
The school offers the following degree programs for nursing students:
- BSN
- RN-BSN
- MSN
- DNP
- BSN-PhD
10. University of the Incarnate Word – Score 72
NCLEX pass rate: 97.87%
Tuition per year: $31,800
The University of the Incarnate Word is a private, Catholic university in San Antonio, Texas. It is the largest Catholic university in Texas. The school has over 5,000 undergraduate students in attendance for the Fall 2021 semester. This makes for smaller class sizes for nursing students, which some prefer.
The Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions has a heart for global outreach and the military community. Specifically, the school has gone to Mexico and South Africa for medical trips and received a $1.9 million, three-year grant to study pregnancy and birth outcomes in military women and pregnancy.
The school offers the following degree programs for nursing students:
- BSN
- ABSN
- MSN
- DNP
How to choose the right nursing program
Choosing the right nursing program may feel stressful. The good news is that we’ve provided several factors for you to consider to help make your decision easier. When choosing a school, some of the factors you should consider are location, tuition, NCLEX scores, and programs offered.
Location
This is a major factor for a lot of nursing students when choosing a program to attend. Most nursing programs don’t have online components, so you must select a program that you can easily commute to. The worst thing would be to choose a program that becomes a burden to you simply because it’s too far from your house. Below is a map of the selected schools.
Tuition
Let’s face it: paying for school can be a huge barrier for students. Also, many nurses end up absorbing a massive amount of student debt from their years of college. Additionally, some nurses transition into the field after spending years in another specialty or having another degree from which they’ve already accumulated student debt.
Finding a school that’s both affordable and reputable can seem challenging. Fortunately, you don’t have to jeopardize quality over price. Several of the schools we analyzed were both affordable and highly respected.
NCLEX scores
One of the most critical measures of a nursing program’s credibility is its NCLEX pass rates. The NCLEX test is an examination that measures a potential registered nurse’s aptitude. A good NCLEX pass rate for a school is anything in the 90th percentile and above.
Programs offered
The programs offered at the particular school you want to go to is critically important. You need to make sure that the school you are applying to has the program that you need. There are many different nursing programs offered at various schools. The principal baseline program offered at most universities is the BSN program. However, every person has different needs, and choosing the right program depends on the career track you are interested in.
Graduation Rate
A higher graduation rate indicates that the school graduates first-year students within 4-6 years at a greater rate than other schools. Knowing that your school has a proven track record of graduating students on time is crucial.
Ranking methodology
We retrieved our data from the following locations:
- University webpages
- The state board of registered nursing if applicable (for example, Texas Board of Registered Nursing)
- U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing
- U.S. News Best Colleges
To calculate the scores for the respective schools, we took the lowest-scoring school from each individual metric, assigned it a 1 and gave the highest score a 10. We then were able to create brackets within that range to place each college in.
After coming up with a score for each school out of ten for their respective metric, we added them up and multiplied them by two to come up with a score out of 100.
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