Cisco College ADN costs $13,485 to $13,845. Here is what it pays back.
An associate degree in nursing (ADN) in Abilene, 3 semesters (LVN to RN). In 2025, 33 of its 34 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN.
The short version
- It has the lowest published cost of the 2 RN programs in the Abilene area that publish one, $1,332 less than the next lowest, Texas State Technical College- West Texas ADN.
- Its 2025 pass rate of 97.1% was 8.4 points above the Texas average. In 2024 it was 5.7 points below.
These findings are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does. How we write them
Is it a fit for you?
Based on the program's schedule, length and requirements.
- Good fit: You have finished, or can finish, the 8 prerequisite courses.
- Less of a fit: You need a bachelor's degree at graduation.
Where the money goes
Three of every four dollars goes to tuition and program fees, 3 semesters (texas resident, out of district). Cisco's own total of $19,364 also counts $5,519 of prerequisite courses and the HESI entrance exam, which we show separately. This is an LVN-to-RN program: you need an LVN license to start.
| Item | In-district or resident | Otherwise |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and program fees, 3 semesters (Texas resident, out of district) | $10,821 | $10,821 |
| Student out-of-pocket: laptop, books, uniforms, equipment, health requirements, graduation, NCLEX-RN and Board application | $2,664 | $3,024 |
| Total 1 | $13,485 | $13,845 |
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. 2024-25 estimate.
When it pays you back
If you set aside 10% of the Abilene RN median wage, about $669 a month, the $13,485 cost is covered in about 1.7 years of work.
Before taxes and loan interest, and assuming work starts right after licensing. Red is money still owed to yourself; green is money ahead. Why we use 10%
The real cost of getting licensed
The program price is not the whole bill. Here is what stands between today and a license, with what we know and what we don't.
| Piece | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisites (8 courses, plus an entrance exam) | $5,519 | Data coming soon |
| Cisco College ADN, including licensing fees | $13,485 to $13,845 | 3 semesters (LVN to RN) |
| Living costs while in school | Not included | |
| Total before living costs | $19,004 to $19,364 | 3 semesters (LVN to RN) |
Prerequisite courses at Cisco College's own rates, from the same cost sheet. Taking them elsewhere can cost more or less. How we count cost
Will graduates pass the NCLEX-RN?
In 2025, 33 of Cisco College's 34 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN. Its rate rose from 87.0% in 2024 to 97.1%. 2
Bars start at 70% so small differences are visible. National rates are on the methodology page. Earlier years: 3456
What nurses earn around Abilene
Payback time uses the middle wage. Here is the wider picture.
How it compares in the Abilene area
The 7 programs in the area that lead to an RN license.
| Program | Cost | Pass rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco College ADN (this program) | $13,485to $13,845 | 97.1%33 of 34 | 1.7 yrs |
| Texas State Technical College- West Texas ADN | $14,817 | 63.4%26 of 41 | 1.8 yrs |
| Ranger College ADN | Not published | 91.7%22 of 24 | Can't calculate: cost |
| Abilene Christian University BSN | Not published | 97.2%35 of 36 | Can't calculate: cost |
| Hardin-Simmons University BSN | Not published | Data coming soon | Can't calculate: cost |
| Howard Payne University BSN | Not published | 100%11 of 11 | Can't calculate: cost |
| Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing BSN | Not published | 100%19 of 19 | Can't calculate: cost |
Similar programs
Picked by rule from programs with published data, never by payment.
Program facts
- Length
- 3 semesters (LVN to RN)
- Schedule
- In Abilene; for licensed vocational nurses only
- Before you apply
- Seven prerequisite courses (Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Pathophysiology, Microbiology, Lifespan Development, General Psychology, English Composition I) plus a fine arts or humanities course, and the HESI entrance exam.
- Entrance exam
- HESI
- Credential
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), eligible for NCLEX-RN
- Board approval status
- Data coming soon
- Accreditation
- Data coming soon
- Sector
- Public community college
The lowest-cost LVN program ($12,838) costs less than the lowest-cost RN program ($13,485).
What changed
- Nov 2026Total cost recorded from the school's estimate (2024-25 estimate): $13,485 to $13,845.
- Apr 20262025 pass rate added: 97.1% (33 of 34).
- Apr 20252024 pass rate added: 87.0% (40 of 46).
- Apr 20242023 pass rate added: 98.0% (48 of 49).
- Apr 20232022 pass rate added: 83.3% (50 of 60).
- Apr 20222021 pass rate added: 77.8% (42 of 54).
Sources and dates
- Cisco College, Estimated Educational Cost, LVN-RN (ADN) Nursing Program, 2024-2025 (PDF, updated June 8, 2024), 2024-25 estimate.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2025 NCLEX-RN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2026, item 3.2.13), April 2026.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2024 NCLEX-RN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2025, item 3.2.12), April 2025.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2023 NCLEX-RN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2024, item 3.2.15), April 2024.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2022 NCLEX-RN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2023, item 3.2.5), April 2023.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2021 NCLEX-RN Examination Pass Rates (covers Oct. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2021) (Board Meeting, April 2022, item 3.2.6), April 2022.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Abilene, TX, May 2025.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 1, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or the Texas Board of Nursing. Our independence policy