LVN first or straight to RN in Waco? What each path costs and pays
Going straight to an RN costs less at the Waco area programs that publish costs.
The short answer
- McLennan Community College ADN, the lowest-cost RN route, starts at $10,149. Navarro LVN, Mexia alone costs $11,624, before any bridge program.
- The LVN route pays a Waco median of $62,070. RNs here earn $92,890, a gap of $30,820 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Program | Navarro LVN, Mexia | McLennan Community College ADN |
| Cost | $11,624 | $10,149 |
| Time in school | 3 semesters (fall, spring, summer; 50 credit hours) | About 2 years after prerequisites (4 levels, 36 nursing credit hours) |
| Pass rate, latest year | 100% (21 of 21) | 95.3% (82 of 86) |
| Local median wage | $62,070 | $92,890 |
| Payback time | 1.9 yrs | 1.1 yrs |
The two paths, step by step
LVN first
Step 1: LVN program
$11,624
3 semesters (fall, spring, summer; 50 credit hours)
Navarro LVN, Mexia. Then take the NCLEX-PN.
Step 2: work as an LVN
$62,070 a year
Waco median
Optional, while you finish prerequisites.
Straight to RN
Step 2: RN program
$10,149
2 choices in the area
Then take the NCLEX-RN.
Step 3: work as an RN
$92,890 a year
Waco median
Payback in 1.1 to 1.1 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 $10,149, costs less than the LVN program alone.
Programs on each path
LVNNavarro LVN, Mexia$11,624 · 100% pass (21 of 21)LVNHill College LVNCost coming soon · 91.3% pass (21 of 23)LVNMcLennan Community College MEEP LVNCost coming soon · 100% pass (16 of 16)LVNMcLennan Community College – Traditional LVNCost coming soon · 93.1% pass (27 of 29)RNMcLennan Community College ADN$10,149 · 95.3% pass (82 of 86)RNHill College ADNCost coming soon · 74.5% pass (35 of 47)
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
- McLennan Community College, Expenses in the ADN Program, Undated estimate.
- Navarro College, LVN Estimated Program Cost 2026-2027, 2026-27 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), Waco, 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