Nursing in Texas

Texas hosts 181 nursing schools across 145 cities. Most nursing education centers cluster in major urban areas such as Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin. Rural regions, especially in West Texas and the South Plains, have far fewer options, which creates challenges for students outside metro areas seeking local programs.

The Texas nursing job market remains strong but increasingly competitive in urban centers. The state employs about 251,840 registered nurses and sees steady demand driven by its large population and extensive healthcare systems like Houston’s Texas Medical Center, one of the largest medical complexes globally, and major hospital systems including Baylor Scott & White, HCA Houston Healthcare, and Memorial Hermann. However, hiring competition intensifies in cities with numerous nursing graduates. Rural areas still suffer from nursing shortages but offer fewer positions and sometimes lower salaries.

NCLEX pass rates for Texas nursing programs hover around an 89.2% average, which aligns with national levels but varies widely among schools from approximately 84% to nearly 93%. Public community colleges and university-affiliated programs generally report higher pass rates than many for-profit schools, which sometimes struggle with lower results. Regulatory oversight by the Texas Board of Nursing has increased scrutiny on programs graded as underperforming to protect education quality and patient safety.

Tuition costs vary widely depending on the type of nursing program and institution. Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs often cost between $5,000 and $12,000, especially when offered by community colleges. Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs typically range from $7,000 to $20,000 at public colleges, while Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees at universities cost significantly more, frequently $25,000 to $50,000 or higher for the full program. Texas benefits from a strong community college system, which offers more affordable routes compared to private nursing schools, which may have high tuition but mixed reputations.

Texas supports the Nurse Licensure Compact. This allows nurses licensed in Texas to practice in other compact member states without obtaining additional licenses, facilitating mobility across much of the U.S. South and West. However, not all neighboring states participate in the compact, so some border-crossing work arrangements still require additional licensure.

Salary ranges show significant variation tied to geography and specialty. Registered nurses earn an average of $90,210 yearly, but urban nurses in Houston or Dallas may exceed $110,000, while rural areas offer lower pay closer to $65,000. Advanced practice nurses such as nurse practitioners can earn around $130,010, while specialties like Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists reach over $216,000. Compared to Texas’s cost of living, which is moderate but higher in large metro areas, salaries provide stable but regionally dependent income opportunities for nurses.