LVN first or straight to RN in Houston? What each path costs and pays
Going straight to an RN costs less at the Houston area programs that publish costs.
The short answer
- Lee College ADN, the lowest-cost RN route, starts at $6,333. Alvin Community College LVN alone costs $7,080, before any bridge program.
- The LVN route pays a Houston median of $63,670. RNs here earn $99,830, a gap of $36,160 a year.
- No program in the area lists an LVN-to-RN bridge yet, so the full LVN-to-RN total is still missing.
Which path fits depends on how soon you need income and whether you have your prerequisites done. We don't recommend one.
Side by side
| LVN first | RN, ADN | RN, BSN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Alvin Community College LVN | Lee College ADN | Sam Houston State University BSN |
| Cost | $7,080 | $6,333 | $34,700 |
| Time in school | 3 semesters (44 credit hours) | 2 years (4 levels) after prerequisites | 5 semesters (2.5 years) after about 1.5 years of pre-nursing |
| Pass rate, latest year | 100% (20 of 20) | 95.1% (39 of 41) | 95.5% (169 of 177) |
| Local median wage | $63,670 | $99,830 | $99,830 |
| Payback time | 1.1 yrs | 0.6 yrs | 3.5 yrs |
The two paths, step by step
LVN first
Step 1: LVN program
$7,080
3 semesters (44 credit hours)
Alvin Community College LVN. Then take the NCLEX-PN.
Step 2: work as an LVN
$63,670 a year
Houston median
Optional, while you finish prerequisites.
Straight to RN
Step 2: RN program
$6,333 to $101,080
28 choices in the area
Then take the NCLEX-RN.
Step 3: work as an RN
$99,830 a year
Houston median
Payback in 0.6 to 10.1 years, depending on the program.
When each path tends to make sense
Built from the numbers above, not a recommendation.
- Straight to RN if you can go without full-time pay for longer. The lowest-cost RN program here, at $6,333, costs less than the LVN program alone.
Programs on each path
LVNAlvin Community College LVN$7,080 · 100% pass (20 of 20)LVNGalveston College LVN$8,865 · 75.0% pass (9 of 12)LVNWharton County Jr. College LVN$11,460 · 95.2% pass (20 of 21)LVNThe College of Health Care Professions LVN$30,500 · 100% pass (16 of 16)LVNBrazosport Community College LVNCost coming soon · 91.7% pass (11 of 12)LVNCollege of the Mainland LVNCost coming soon · 95.8% pass (23 of 24)LVNEdwin’s Healthcare Institute LVNCost coming soon · 100% pass (21 of 21)LVNGraduate America LVNCost coming soon · 50.0% pass (1 of 2)LVNHouston Community College LVNCost coming soon · 86.2% pass (106 of 123)LVNLone Star College North Harris MEEP LVNCost coming soon · 100% pass (7 of 7)LVNLone Star LVN, KingwoodCost coming soon · 92.9% pass (13 of 14)LVNLone Star LVN, TomballCost coming soon · 94.7% pass (18 of 19)LVNSan Jacinto LVN, NorthCost coming soon · 100% pass (41 of 41)LVNSan Jacinto LVN, SouthCost coming soon · 100% pass (41 of 41)LVNTexas Health School LVNCost coming soon · 93.2% pass (68 of 73)RNLee College ADN$6,333 · 95.1% pass (39 of 41)RNAlvin Community College ADN$8,100 · 95.3% pass (81 of 85)RNLone Star ADN, CyFair$9,378 to $12,517 · 94.6% pass (53 of 56)RNLone Star ADN, Kingwood$9,378 to $12,517 · 89.1% pass (90 of 101)RNLone Star ADN, Montgomery$9,378 to $12,517 · 92.3% pass (48 of 52)RNLone Star ADN, North Harris$9,378 to $12,517 · 84.9% pass (90 of 106)RNLone Star ADN, Tomball$9,378 to $12,517 · 92.9% pass (39 of 42)RNWharton County Junior College ADN$11,178 · 94.7% pass (54 of 57)RNGalveston College ADN$11,879 · 91.2% pass (31 of 34)RNSam Houston State University BSN$34,700 · 95.5% pass (169 of 177)RNThe College of Health Care Professions ADN$42,500 · 64.3% pass (9 of 14)RNUniversity of St. Thomas Accelerated BSN$66,845 · 71.0% pass (164 of 231)RNChamberlain College of Nursing BSN, Pearland$97,420 · 81.0% pass (136 of 168)RNChamberlain College of Nursing BSN, Houston$101,080 · 84.7% pass (155 of 183)RNBrazosport College ADNCost coming soon · 83.7% pass (36 of 43)RNCollege of the Mainland ADNCost coming soon · 84.1% pass (69 of 82)RNHouston City College ADNCost coming soon · Pass rate coming soonRNSan Jacinto ADN, CentralCost coming soon · 93.0% pass (174 of 187)RNSan Jacinto ADN, SouthCost coming soon · 95.7% pass (67 of 70)RNTexas Health School ADNCost coming soon · 90.9% pass (10 of 11)RNDenver College of Nursing BSNCost coming soon · 66.7% pass (32 of 48)RNHouston Christian University BSNCost coming soon · 97.8% pass (45 of 46)RNPrairie View A&M University BSNCost coming soon · 91.9% pass (57 of 62)RNUniversity of Houston College of Nursing BSNCost coming soon · 100% pass (67 of 67)RNUniversity of St. Thomas School of Nursing BSNCost coming soon · 76.9% pass (40 of 52)RNUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston BSNCost coming soon · 95.4% pass (209 of 219)RNUniversity of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston BSNCost coming soon · 95.6% pass (263 of 275)RNWestern Governors University BSNCost coming soon · 75.2% pass (109 of 145)
How to read this
- Costs are each school's published estimate and include licensing fees where the school lists them.
- Payback time is cost divided by 10% of the local median wage. Why we use 10%
- Pass rates under 20 test takers are marked as small groups.
Sources and dates
- Alvin College, Nursing (ADN) program page, Undated estimate.
- Galveston College, Nursing Department overview FAQ (in-district prices as of Fall 2024), Fall 2024 prices.
- Lee College, Nursing Programs Packet (PDF), Undated estimate.
- Lone Star College, Integrated Nursing Program Approximate Costs 2025-26 and Other Associated Costs of ADN Programs 2025-26 (PDFs, linked from Nursing Program Costs), 2025-26 estimate.
- Lone Star College, Integrated Nursing Program Approximate Costs 2025-26 and Other Associated Costs of ADN Programs 2025-26 (PDFs, linked from Nursing Program Costs), 2025-26 estimate.
- Lone Star College, Integrated Nursing Program Approximate Costs 2025-26 and Other Associated Costs of ADN Programs 2025-26 (PDFs, linked from Nursing Program Costs), 2025-26 estimate.
- Lone Star College, Integrated Nursing Program Approximate Costs 2025-26 and Other Associated Costs of ADN Programs 2025-26 (PDFs, linked from Nursing Program Costs), 2025-26 estimate.
- Lone Star College, Integrated Nursing Program Approximate Costs 2025-26 and Other Associated Costs of ADN Programs 2025-26 (PDFs, linked from Nursing Program Costs), 2025-26 estimate.
- The College of Health Care Professions, Houston Northwest campus catalog addendum, Tuition and Fee Schedule (PDF), Rates effective Jan 1, 2026.
- Wharton County Junior College, ADN Program page, Undated estimate.
- Chamberlain University, Houston campus page, Tuition & Fees, Rates effective July 2026.
- Chamberlain University, Pearland campus page, Tuition & Fees, Rates effective July 2026.
- Sam Houston State University School of Nursing, information session slides (PDF), Undated estimate.
- University of St. Thomas Houston, ABSN Tuition page, Undated estimate.
- Alvin College, Traditional LVN Program Costs, Undated estimate.
- Galveston College, Nursing Department overview FAQ (in-district prices as of Fall 2024), Fall 2024 prices.
- The College of Health Care Professions, Houston Northwest campus catalog addendum, Tuition and Fee Schedule (PDF), Rates effective Jan 1, 2026.
- Wharton County Junior College, Licensed Vocational Nursing Program page, Undated 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 2025 NCLEX-PN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2026, item 3.2.12), April 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, 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