RN to BSN Programs

Texas

Best RN to BSN Programs in Texas, Ranked (2026)

One Texas University Awards More Nursing Bachelor's Degrees than the Other 21 Combined

Texas has 22 ranked RN-to-BSN programs. One of them is most of the market.

The University of Texas at Arlington confers 2,465 nursing bachelor's degrees a year. The other 21 ranked programs in the state confer 2,318 between them. That is 52% of the output on this page coming out of one institution, and it means the Texas question is not really which of 22. It is whether the one program that awards 52% of them is the right program for you.

The ranking does not treat scale as a virtue, because scale is not one of the inputs. The University of Texas at Arlington places 4th here, held back by price: at $9,206 in-state it is the most expensive public program on the page. The University of Texas at Tyler takes the top spot at $7,020 with the same 54% institutional graduation rate.

Underneath the universities sits a long tail of small, cheap public colleges. 20 of the 22 ranked programs are public, the median in-state price is $5,556 a year, and Trinity Valley Community College charges $1,170. They are also genuinely small: 11 of the 22 confer fewer than 50 nursing bachelor's degrees a year.

The 2 private programs sit at the far end of the price range, from $27,880 to $36,750. The top of that range is 31 times what Trinity Valley Community College charges for the same credential, which is worth asking about directly: what does the private program do for a nurse working three twelve-hour shifts that the college down the road does not?

Pay is the flat part of the picture. The median Texas RN earns $95,970 against $97,550 nationally — 22nd of 51 states, $1,580 below. Texas is neither a premium market nor a cheap one, and nothing on this page changes that number: it is the median for every registered nurse in the state, and it attaches to the license you already hold.

One more feature of the Texas list worth knowing before you read it. No ranked program here reports an institution-wide graduation rate above 54%, the range runs 11% to 54%, and the median is 37%. Those are institutional figures: IPEDS measures graduation for first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates, and as a licensed nurse returning part-time you are none of the three. Weight them as a signal about the institution, not as a forecast of whether you finish.

The 22 RN to BSN Completion Programs in Texas, Ranked

Scored on in-state tuition (55%) and institutional graduation rate (45%). How we rank.

  1. 1st in Texas

    The University of Texas at Tyler

    Tyler, TX · Public Fully online $7,020 annual in-state tuition 54% institutional graduation rate 647 degrees a year 71.2 score
    UT Tyler charges a flat $9,895 in-state for the entire 30-hour completion track and runs it in seven-week courses, so a nurse taking terms back to back can finish in 12 months.

    The University of Texas at Tyler's online RN to BSN is a 30-credit-hour upper-division track for nurses who already hold a license. It runs 100% online in seven-week courses, with recorded lectures covering foundational concepts, and students choose part-time or full-time enrollment. Requirements can be finished in 12 months, though the school says students may apply whenever they are ready and complete the degree at their own pace. Coursework covers human diseases and prevention, health assessment, evidence-based decision-making, contemporary nursing issues, community health and models of care, and leadership and management. Nurses who want to graduate with honors must complete an additional 15 credit hours to reach the university's 45-hour residency requirement. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Texas Board of Nursing.

    Applicants must hold a current, active RN license in the state where they reside and practice, and must meet the Texas Core Curriculum along with nursing prerequisites: microbiology with lab (4 hours), anatomy and physiology I and II with labs (8 hours), lifespan growth and development (3 hours) and introductory psychology (3 hours). Chemistry is waived for anyone whose associate degree or diploma program did not require it. Applications are open year-round with three admission points (fall, spring and summer) and applicants select the RN-BSN program during the university application so the file routes to the RN-BSN nursing advisor. Total in-state tuition is a flat $9,895 for the full 30 hours, excluding the orientation fee, transfer student engagement fee, textbooks and materials. Hands-on experiences are completed in the student's own community; out-of-state applicants are told that state reciprocity agreements may affect clinical hours. The track is fully online and so does not meet residency requirements for students on F or J visas.

    • 30 upper-division credit hours
    • 100% online
    • Seven-week courses
    • 12 months to finish
    • $9,895 flat in-state tuition
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about The University of Texas at Tyler's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  2. 2nd in Texas

    Tarleton State University

    Stephenville, TX · Public Online $4,798 annual in-state tuition 48% institutional graduation rate 159 degrees a year 70.7 score
    An associate degree nursing graduate who has not yet taken the NCLEX-RN can be admitted conditionally, but may enroll in only one course until the exam is passed and an unencumbered RN license is in hand.

    Tarleton State University's College of Nursing offers the RN to BSN entry to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing for licensed registered nurses who have already completed an associate degree or diploma in nursing. Courses in the track are delivered online with experiential learning components and a leadership practicum. Admission requires 56 general education credits from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and a general education course graded D or below is not accepted even when the cumulative general education GPA clears 2.5. Some of those courses may be taken concurrently with the RN to BSN coursework. The associate degree or diploma must come from a nursing program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, with a minimum 2.5 GPA across the nursing core courses; graduates of programs without that accreditation may request special consideration if the program was approved by the state board of nursing. A basic statistics course with a grade of C or better and a resume are also required.

    Applicants must hold a current unencumbered license as a registered nurse in the United States and be eligible for unencumbered licensure in Texas, with proof of a current unencumbered Texas license demonstrated by the start of coursework. A graduate still waiting to take the NCLEX-RN is admitted conditionally and limited to one course until the exam is passed and the license obtained. Applications are accepted for spring and fall admission cycles. Applying to the nursing program is separate from, and in addition to, applying to the university: students apply to Tarleton State University online, submitting official transcripts and a nonrefundable fee, and apply to the College of Nursing through NursingCAS. Both acceptances are required.

    • Courses delivered online
    • Leadership practicum required
    • 56 general education credits, 2.5 GPA
    • Unencumbered Texas RN license required
    • Spring and fall admission cycles
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Tarleton State University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  3. 3rd in Texas

    Texas Woman's University

    Denton, TX · Public Fully online $5,712 annual in-state tuition 49% institutional graduation rate 456 degrees a year 70.2 score
    Texas Woman's uses seven-week online courses, with clinical components completed through class projects and a preceptor-supported capstone.

    Texas Woman's teaches its RN-to-BSN coursework online in seven-week courses. Clinical components are completed through class projects and a capstone supported by a preceptor. The applied work is built into the completion sequence, rather than being replaced by the online lectures.

    Admission is rolling, but applicants complete two processes: the university application and NursingCAS. They need an unencumbered U.S. RN license and at least a 2.0 GPA in the required prerequisites. That GPA applies to the specified prerequisite set, not an assumed overall-college average. For planning purposes, the preceptor-supported capstone and the separate application steps deserve attention alongside the short course format.

    • 100% online coursework
    • Seven-week courses
    • Preceptor-supported capstone
    • Rolling admissions
    • Separate university and NursingCAS applications
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Texas Woman's University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  4. 4th in Texas

    The University of Texas at Arlington

    Arlington, TX · Public Online $9,206 annual in-state tuition 54% institutional graduation rate 2,465 degrees a year 68.8 score
    UTA satisfies the program's clinical requirement through application-based assignments completed in the student's own workplace, and runs the coursework in five-, seven-, and eight-week terms with multiple start dates.

    The University of Texas at Arlington's College of Nursing and Health Innovation runs its RN to BSN online for nurses who are already licensed. The program is listed at 35 credit hours and $257 per credit hour, with nursing-course tuition totaling $8,995 - a figure UTA notes reflects only the nursing curriculum, since additional general education coursework may still be required. The nursing coursework itself is 32 credits across nine classes; students also need 51 credit hours of general education and 9 credit hours of upper-division electives, one of which must be a nursing course. Up to 29 hours may transfer from an ADN or nursing diploma program under the state's Field of Study Curriculum guidelines. Students who start in January or February can finish in as few as nine months, and those starting in other months in as few as ten, depending on how much coursework transfers in.

    Applying takes an online application and fee, official transcripts from every institution attended, a minimum 2.25 GPA, and proof of an active, unencumbered RN license verifiable through Nursys or a state board of nursing; developmental coursework and grades of D do not transfer, and TOEFL or the Texas Success Initiative may apply. Recent ADN graduates who do not yet hold a license can have the license checklist waived at admission, but the license is verified during NURS 3345 and students cannot progress without it. Clinical requirements are handled through application-based assignments completed in the student's own workplace - the leadership course, NURS 4455, calls for an application-based practice experience that can be done at work. Courses run in five-, seven-, and eight-week terms with multiple start dates. The baccalaureate program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Two eligibility limits apply: residents of certain states may not be able to enroll, and the program is currently open only to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of an H-1B or other valid U.S. work visa.

    • 35 credit hours
    • Online, multiple start dates
    • Active, unencumbered RN license required
    • Minimum 2.25 GPA
    • Clinicals completed in your workplace
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about The University of Texas at Arlington's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  5. 5th in Texas

    The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

    Edinburg, TX · Public Online $7,842 annual in-state tuition 51% institutional graduation rate 212 degrees a year 68.8 score
    Once a licensed RN completes the 30-hour RN to BSN core, UTRGV awards a further 31 credit hours of accelerated nursing coursework toward the 120-hour degree.

    UTRGV's RN to BSN is the completion track within its Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and the catalog describes the degree plainly as "a pathway for registered nurses." Admission turns on credentials a practicing nurse already holds: an Associate's Degree in Nursing earned prior to admission, evidence of a current active nursing license in the applicant's state of residence, UTRGV's general admission requirements, and the School of Nursing's technical standards policy. The catalog lists the track as the RN to BSN Accelerated Online Program.

    The degree totals 120 credit hours. Thirty of those are the RN to BSN core, eleven courses covering professional mobility, pathophysiology, pharmacology, client assessment, research, issues in nursing, community health and leadership, with clinical components attached to the community health and leadership courses. A further 31 hours, listed as Accelerated RN to BSN Courses, may be awarded once a student satisfactorily completes that core and meets the program's other admission, progression and graduation requirements, which is how prior nursing coursework converts into credit. Support courses account for 16 hours and the university core curriculum for 42, with free electives making up the balance to 120. Students must earn at least a C in every course on the degree plan, may repeat an individual NURS course only once and no more than two courses in total, and must carry proof of at least $1 million in professional liability insurance along with current immunization documentation and clearance from the Texas Board of Nursing's criminal background check.

    • 120 credit hours total
    • 30-hour RN to BSN core
    • 31 hours awarded for prior nursing coursework
    • Active RN license required
    • Associate's degree in nursing required
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  6. 6th in Texas

    East Texas A&M University

    Commerce, TX · Public Fully online $4,790 annual in-state tuition 43% institutional graduation rate 67 degrees a year 68.3 score
    East Texas A&M's competency-based RN-to-BSN lets students work at their own pace within seven-week terms, with a full-time plan spanning five terms.

    East Texas A&M's competency-based RN-to-BSN contains 10 courses totaling 30 credits, organized into seven-week terms. The full-time plan spans five terms, or 10 months, with entry available throughout the year. Students can move through familiar material using their existing nursing knowledge and experience.

    The pace is flexible within a term, but terms still have boundaries. A student who completes a course before the published fourth-Friday cutoff may add another in that term; the added course must be finished by term end and does not carry over. Theory application can take place in the student's community, home or workplace. Texas core and nursing support requirements may be completed before application or after acceptance, so the 30-credit nursing plan should be distinguished from any supporting courses still needed.

    • 100% online
    • Competency-based, self-paced study
    • 10 courses totaling 30 credits
    • Seven-week terms
    • Five-term full-time plan
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about East Texas A&M University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  7. 7th in Texas

    Prairie View A & M University

    Prairie View, TX · Public Online $7,387 annual in-state tuition 43% institutional graduation rate 98 degrees a year 65.4 score
    Prairie View A&M's 12-month RN-to-BSN combines online courses with an admission requirement for recent nursing practice or a clinical refresher.

    Prairie View A&M's RN-to-BSN is a 12-month online completion route for associate-degree and diploma-prepared RNs. Applicants need a 2.75 GPA in required lower-division coursework, with grades of C or better, and a Texas RN license or an application in progress.

    The admission requirements also address recent nursing practice. Applicants need six months of full-time experience, one year of part-time experience, or a refresher with a clinical component within the preceding two years. This makes recency of practice a separate consideration from academic eligibility. A returning RN should review the experience or refresher requirement alongside the prerequisite GPA, rather than treating a past nursing degree as the whole admission qualification.

    • 12-month completion plan
    • Online courses
    • Associate-degree or diploma entry
    • 2.75 prerequisite GPA
    • Recent practice or clinical refresher required
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN and CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Prairie View A & M University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  8. 8th in Texas

    The University of Texas Permian Basin

    Odessa, TX · Public Fully online $6,577 annual in-state tuition 40% institutional graduation rate 76 degrees a year 64.9 score
    UT Permian Basin pairs 30 credits of completion coursework with two in-person clinical courses arranged with a local nurse preceptor.

    UT Permian Basin's RN-to-BSN has 30 credits of completion coursework plus any remaining Texas core requirements. Most coursework is asynchronous, and the university advertises a completion option of less than a year. The academic timetable depends on satisfying the core as well as the nursing sequence.

    Two clinical courses are conducted in person with a local nurse preceptor; they do not require campus visits. The preceptor must be BSN-prepared and hold a leadership role. That is a specific placement qualification, not simply permission to work with any available nurse. For an employed RN, the practical attraction is local clinical work, while the time and qualified-preceptor requirements remain part of completing the degree.

    • 30-credit completion curriculum
    • Asynchronous coursework outside two clinical courses
    • Local, in-person clinical experiences
    • No campus visits for clinical courses
    • Less-than-one-year completion option
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about The University of Texas Permian Basin's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  9. 9th in Texas

    Laredo College

    Laredo, TX · Public Online $2,400 annual in-state tuition 30% institutional graduation rate 10 degrees a year 64.6 score
    Laredo's RN-to-BSN includes a community capstone and coursework applying nursing research, informatics and leadership to local care needs.

    Laredo's online RN-to-BSN applies nursing research, informatics and leadership to community care, including a community capstone project. The 2025-26 handbook requires an unencumbered RN license, at least a 2.5 overall GPA and grades of C or better in prerequisite and core courses.

    The admission process gives first consideration to Laredo ADN graduates, followed by other nurses who live or work in the college's service area. Those priorities are distinct from the minimum admission requirements: meeting the GPA and license criteria does not remove the order of consideration. The community capstone and local admission priorities give the completion pathway a specific service-area focus.

    • Online BSN completion pathway
    • Community capstone project
    • Nursing informatics coursework
    • 2.5 overall admission GPA
    • Priority for Laredo ADN graduates
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Laredo College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  10. 10th in Texas

    Trinity Valley Community College

    Athens, TX · Public $1,170 annual in-state tuition 27% institutional graduation rate 36 degrees a year 64.5 score
    Trinity Valley's 30-credit upper-division plan divides completion coursework across two semesters, including separate community-health and leadership clinical courses.

    Trinity Valley's catalog places 30 upper-division credits after 90 lower-division credits in a 120-credit BSN. The upper-division completion plan spans two semesters in eight-week blocks. Its courses include health assessment for RNs, research, policy and a nursing elective.

    Community/public health and leadership/management each have a separate clinical course. The clinical requirements belong to the RN completion sequence, not just the earlier associate nursing education.

    • 30 upper-division nursing credits
    • Two-semester upper-division plan
    • Eight-week course blocks
    • Community-health clinical course
    • Leadership and management clinical
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Trinity Valley Community College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  11. 11th in Texas

    College of the Mainland

    Texas City, TX · Public Hybrid $3,450 annual in-state tuition 31% institutional graduation rate 16 degrees a year 63.9 score
    College of the Mainland's online and hybrid RN-to-BSN requires at least one-third of the bachelor's degree credits to be earned at COM.

    College of the Mainland's RN-to-BSN uses online and hybrid delivery for nurses with an unencumbered RN license and an associate nursing degree or diploma. At least one-third of the bachelor's degree credits must be earned at COM. That residency rule remains important even for an applicant bringing substantial prior college work.

    The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based patient and population care, the use of data for quality improvement, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams. Graduation requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in the program requirements. This is a graduation standard, not a substitute for checking admission requirements. The mixed delivery format and residency requirement are central considerations when comparing transfer options.

    • Online and hybrid delivery
    • Associate-degree or diploma entry
    • At least one-third of degree credits at COM
    • 2.0 cumulative GPA required for graduation
    • Data-based quality improvement
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about College of the Mainland's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  12. 12th in Texas

    Lamar University

    Beaumont, TX · Public Fully online $6,228 annual in-state tuition 37% institutional graduation rate 167 degrees a year 63.8 score
    Lamar uses project-based practicum assignments that do not require students to find a preceptor, within a 30-credit online completion curriculum.

    Lamar's RN-to-BSN contains 30 completion credits taught in eight-week online sessions, with completion possible in as few as 13 months. Its practicum requirements are project-based and do not require students to find a preceptor. This changes the placement task, not the expectation to complete applied nursing work.

    A 2.5 GPA meets the standard admission threshold. Applicants with a GPA from 2.0 to 2.49 may receive conditional admission, but must earn B grades in their first six nursing credits. The conditional route therefore has a defined early performance requirement. Students using that route should distinguish admission permission from the grades needed to continue.

    • 100% online coursework
    • 30 completion credits
    • Eight-week courses
    • As few as 13 months
    • Project-based practicum; no preceptor search
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Lamar University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  13. 13th in Texas

    San Jacinto Community College

    Pasadena, TX · Public Online $4,320 annual in-state tuition 30% institutional graduation rate 18 degrees a year 62.5 score
    San Jacinto pairs eight-week online classes with in-person community experiences, including assessments in designated communities.

    San Jacinto's RN-to-BSN upper-division curriculum totals 31 credits and can be completed in one year. Eight-week classes are online, with fall and spring starts. Community hours and assessments are completed in person in designated communities, linking the coursework to actual population-health settings.

    Applicants need an associate nursing degree, an active unencumbered Texas RN license, at least a 2.5 GPA and employment as a professional nurse. Current employment is therefore part of the admission criteria, not merely the audience for the online format. The one-year plan covers upper-division nursing coursework and should be read alongside the student's complete degree requirements.

    • Eight-week online classes
    • 31 upper-division nursing credits
    • One-year upper-division plan
    • Fall and spring starts
    • In-person community experiences
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about San Jacinto Community College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  14. 14th in Texas

    Weatherford College

    Weatherford, TX · Public Fully online $6,600 annual in-state tuition 35% institutional graduation rate 43 degrees a year 62.4 score
    Weatherford's 12-month RN-to-BSN delivers classes online and meets clinical course requirements through class and preceptor projects.

    Weatherford's RN-to-BSN is a 12-month program for registered nurses with an associate nursing degree or diploma. Coursework is fully online. The bachelor's degree totals 120 credits, including the nursing and supporting education brought into the completion pathway.

    Courses with clinical components meet those requirements through class and preceptor projects. The program therefore combines remote academic study with applied work rather than treating the BSN as online lectures alone. For nurses planning around employment, the preceptor-project schedule is a separate consideration from the overall 12-month timeline.

    • 100% online coursework
    • 12-month program
    • Class and preceptor projects
    • Associate-degree or diploma entry
    • 120-credit bachelor's degree
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Weatherford College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  15. 15th in Texas

    Navarro College

    Corsicana, TX · Public $1,620 annual in-state tuition 23% institutional graduation rate 14 degrees a year 62 score
    Navarro's RN-to-BSN schedules upper-division coursework across fall, spring and summer, with admission GPA requirements assessed separately for nursing and general academics.

    Navarro's 2026-27 RN-to-BSN catalog arranges upper-division coursework across fall, spring and summer. The complete bachelor's degree totals 120 credits and recognizes up to 36 nursing credits from prior ADN or diploma education and Texas licensure. That recognition contributes to the full degree, rather than representing new upper-division classes.

    Admission assesses the academic record in two groups: prerequisite general academic courses need a minimum 2.0 GPA, while nursing coursework needs a 2.5 GPA. General academic prerequisites must be finished before the first class day. Applicants should therefore calculate the two GPA categories separately and resolve unfinished prerequisites before using the three-semester nursing plan as their start-to-finish schedule.

    • Fall, spring and summer sequence
    • 120 total degree credits
    • Up to 36 prior nursing credits
    • 2.0 GPA in general academic prerequisites
    • 2.5 GPA in nursing coursework
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Navarro College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  16. 16th in Texas

    South Texas College

    McAllen, TX · Public Fully online $5,220 annual in-state tuition 27% institutional graduation rate 27 degrees a year 60.1 score
    South Texas College accepts up to 90 transfer credits into its online RN-to-BSN, with new cohorts beginning in spring and fall.

    South Texas College's RN-to-BSN accepts up to 90 transfer credits and begins new cohorts in spring and fall. The program is offered online for nurses with a current, unencumbered Texas RN license or an enhanced compact RN license.

    A BSN academic coach advises students on admission, degree requirements and the available study tracks. That planning role is useful when evaluating a large transfer award: the maximum does not establish which courses a particular student's transcript satisfies.

    • 100% online delivery
    • Up to 90 transfer credits
    • Spring and fall cohorts
    • Texas or enhanced compact RN license
    • BSN academic-coach advising
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about South Texas College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  17. 17th in Texas

    San Antonio College

    San Antonio, TX · Public Online option $5,400 annual in-state tuition 26% institutional graduation rate 39 degrees a year 59.4 score
    San Antonio College offers online, hybrid and part-time RN-to-BSN options, plus an eight-month accelerated track for applicants who have finished every prerequisite.

    San Antonio College offers online, hybrid and part-time RN-to-BSN options. The standard completion route takes one year or less, while an accelerated option takes eight months. Entry conditions differ: accelerated applicants must finish all BSN prerequisites before the application deadline, but part-time students may take remaining prerequisites alongside nursing courses.

    Applications are accepted for fall, spring and summer, although summer has a more limited selection of tracks. The shortest advertised timetable therefore belongs to a specific prerequisite-complete route, not every applicant. A nurse still finishing supporting coursework may find the part-time structure more relevant than the accelerated headline, regardless of whether online or hybrid delivery is preferred.

    • Online and hybrid options
    • Eight-month accelerated option
    • Part-time pathway available
    • Fall, spring and summer admission
    • Accelerated entry requires all prerequisites
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about San Antonio College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  18. 18th in Texas

    Collin County Community College District

    McKinney, TX · Public $3,750 annual in-state tuition 20% institutional graduation rate 57 degrees a year 58.3 score
    Collin's RN-to-BSN requires applicants to be within six credits of finishing the Texas core, nutrition and chemistry requirements before applying.

    Collin's post-licensure BSN builds on an associate nursing degree and totals 120 credits, including the 42-credit Texas core. Applicants must be within six credits of completing the Texas core, nutrition and chemistry requirements before applying. The allowance applies at application, rather than removing those degree requirements.

    Admission requires a 2.5 overall GPA and a Texas or enhanced compact RN license. Graduate nurses can receive conditional admission, but must pass the NCLEX before coursework begins. Admission to Collin College alone does not secure a place in the selective nursing program. The prerequisite-credit allowance, licensure deadline and separate program decision are therefore three different parts of the entry process.

    • 120-credit bachelor's degree
    • 42-credit Texas core required
    • 2.5 overall GPA for admission
    • Texas or enhanced compact RN license
    • Separate, selective program admission
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Collin County Community College District's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  19. 19th in Texas

    Lone Star College System

    The Woodlands, TX · Public $5,976 annual in-state tuition 21% institutional graduation rate 70 degrees a year 56.3 score
    Lone Star offers one- and two-year RN-to-BSN plans, both including community-health and leadership clinical courses and a final capstone.

    Lone Star offers one- and two-year RN-to-BSN plans, with a 32-credit nursing sequence within the 120-credit degree. Most fall and spring courses use eight-week blocks, but summer includes six- and 12-week blocks. The calendar therefore changes during the year instead of using a single course length throughout.

    Both plans include community/public-health and leadership/management clinical courses, followed by a final RN-to-BSN capstone. Applicants generally need an associate nursing degree, a Texas or enhanced compact RN license and at least a 2.25 GPA in the degree evaluated for admission. The longer plan spreads study while retaining the same kinds of clinical and culminating work.

    • One- and two-year plans
    • 32-credit nursing sequence
    • Eight-week fall and spring blocks
    • Community and leadership clinical courses
    • Final RN-to-BSN capstone
    Learn more about Lone Star College System's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  20. 20th in Texas

    Del Mar College

    Corpus Christi, TX · Public Hybrid $2,250 annual in-state tuition 11% institutional graduation rate 12 degrees a year 55.5 score
    Del Mar's three-semester RN-to-BSN uses a hybrid format with most coursework online, built around a 30-credit, concept-based nursing curriculum.

    Del Mar's RN-to-BSN contains 30 completion credits organized across three semesters. Delivery is hybrid with most coursework online, so this is not an entirely remote course format. The concept-based curriculum builds on the applicant's existing nursing education.

    Entry requires a current RN license, an associate nursing degree from an accredited program and the required general education coursework. Those supporting requirements sit outside the short description of the nursing sequence.

    • 30-credit completion program
    • Three-semester sequence
    • Hybrid delivery, primarily online
    • Concept-based curriculum
    • RN license and nursing associate degree required
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Del Mar College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  21. 21st in Texas

    Lubbock Christian University

    Lubbock, TX · Private nonprofit $27,880 annual in-state tuition 51% institutional graduation rate 46 degrees a year 47 score
    Lubbock Christian lets RNs complete university core requirements alongside the RN-to-BSN nursing sequence, which is planned for two to three semesters.

    Lubbock Christian plans its RN-to-BSN nursing sequence across two to three semesters and allows university core courses to be taken alongside RN coursework. The pathway accepts licensed RNs who graduated from associate-degree or diploma nursing programs. Completing the nursing sequence and completing every core requirement are related but separate parts of the degree plan.

    The curriculum combines nursing knowledge with religion, science and the humanities. Leadership and culturally appropriate care extend across community and clinical settings. For students still finishing core work, concurrent enrollment offers a way to combine those subjects with the nursing sequence rather than treating the two-to-three-semester plan as proof that no supporting courses remain.

    • Two- to three-semester nursing sequence
    • Core courses may be taken concurrently
    • Associate-degree or diploma entry
    • RN license required
    • Nursing, religion and humanities foundation
    Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN. DAPIP, . Learn more about Lubbock Christian University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)
  22. 22nd in Texas

    Houston Christian University

    Houston, TX · Private nonprofit Fully online $36,750 annual in-state tuition 49% institutional graduation rate 48 degrees a year 36.4 score
    Houston Christian awards the BSN after undergraduate coursework and two bridge courses, with the option to stop at the bachelor's degree or continue to an MSN.

    Houston Christian's pathway permits a BSN-only exit before optional continuation to the MSN. The undergraduate nursing portion includes seven courses totaling 24 credits in eight-week online terms. Two bridge courses add six credits and run for 16 weeks before the bachelor's award.

    This structure matters for comparing timelines: the bridge courses do not follow the same eight-week schedule as the BSN nursing classes. Required general education must also be satisfied. Entry is for RNs with an accredited ADN, an unencumbered license and at least one year of professional nursing experience. The combined pathway's full graduate requirements should not be presented as the requirements for the bachelor's exit alone.

    • BSN exit before optional MSN study
    • Seven BSN nursing courses, 24 credits
    • Eight-week online nursing terms
    • Two 16-week bridge courses
    • One year of nursing experience required
    Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Houston Christian University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)

$1,170 to $36,750, and Why Price Alone Does Not Set the Order

The Texas spread runs from $1,170 at Trinity Valley Community College to $36,750 at Houston Christian University — a factor of 31 for the same credential. The median of $5,556 sits far closer to the floor than the ceiling, because 20 of the 22 ranked programs are public and only 2 are private.

Price is 55% of the score, so it decides most of this list, but it does not decide all of it, and Texas is where that shows. Trinity Valley Community College is the cheapest program on the page and ranks 10th; The University of Texas at Tyler charges $7,020 and ranks first, on a 54% institutional graduation rate against 27%. If your constraint is cash rather than institutional signal, read the page by price and ignore the order.

Residency changes the shape of the list if you are enrolling from another state. The University of Texas at Arlington charges non-residents $26,838 against $9,206 in-state, while 5 of the public programs here stay under $5,000 even at the out-of-state rate. Before that tempts you, confirm two things with the school: whether the online track charges the out-of-state rate at all, and whether the program is authorised to enroll students who live in your state.

All of these are annual published tuition figures from IPEDS, not the price of the completion track. An RN-to-BSN is typically 30-odd upper-level credits, so what you pay turns on how much of your ADN transfers, whether the general education you already finished counts, and how many terms you stretch it over. Make every school give you a total-to-degree number in writing, because per-credit pricing is how this field avoids quoting one.

What Texas's 271,380 Registered Nurses Earn

BLS puts the median Texas RN at $95,970 a year, $46.14 an hour, across 271,380 employed registered nurses. The distribution runs from $67,120 at the 10th percentile to $127,950 at the 90th. Against a national median of $97,550 that is $1,580 short, and it places Texas 22nd of 51 states — close enough to the middle that the state is neither an argument for staying nor one for leaving.

The caveat that governs every wage figure on this site: BLS reports all registered nurses as a single occupation and does not break pay out by degree. There is no federal number for what a Texas BSN earns against what a Texas ADN earns, and anyone who quotes you one has made it up. What the BSN is associated with is access to roles paying above the RN median — charge and management tracks, case management, public health, and admission to an MSN — not a raise in the job you hold now. Weigh that against $5,556 a year, and weigh it much harder against $36,750.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.

6 More Confirmed Texas Programs, Outside the Ranking

These 6 Texas institutions run an RN-to-BSN track, but an input the score needs is absent from the federal file, or the program confers too few degrees a year to compare like-for-like. Several are university health science centers, which is worth noticing before you read an empty field as a verdict — it is a gap in the data, not a mark against the school, and a program here may suit you better than one in the list above.

  • Baptist Health System School of Health Professions, San Antonio — IPEDS carries no graduation rate for this institution
  • Galveston College, Galveston — Confers fewer than 10 degrees a year, too few to compare
  • Southwest University at El Paso, El Paso — Confers fewer than 10 degrees a year, too few to compare
  • Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Killeen — IPEDS carries no graduation rate for this institution
  • Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock — IPEDS carries no graduation rate for this institution
  • The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston — IPEDS carries no graduation rate for this institution

Questions About the Texas Programs

Is The University of Texas at Arlington the default RN to BSN in Texas?
Why does the cheapest program in Texas rank 10th instead of first?
Does Texas require a BSN to keep working as an RN?
8 of the 22 Texas programs state they are fully online. How do I tell which ones are asynchronous?

Compare RN to BSN Programs in Nearby States