El Paso Community College ADN costs $10,698. Here is what it pays back.
An associate degree in nursing (ADN) in El Paso, 4 semesters (60 credit hours) after prerequisites. In 2025, 135 of its 157 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN.
The short version
- It has the lowest published cost of the 2 RN programs in the El Paso area that publish one, $64,597 less than the next lowest, Western Technical College BSN.
- Its 2025 pass rate of 86.0% was 2.6 points below the Texas average. In 2024 it was 3.3 points above.
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 4 prerequisite courses.
- Less of a fit: You need a bachelor's degree at graduation.
Where the money goes
The school's estimate, in 7 parts. The sheet covers nursing (RNSG) courses only and excludes prerequisite work. Tuition is figured at $116 per credit hour plus a $20 general use fee per credit hour; the sheet does not label this as in-district or out-of-district.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Clinical clearance (immunizations, titers, BLS, physical, background checks, drug screen, tracking) | $892 |
| Uniforms, equipment and parking permits | $871 |
| Semester 1 tuition, fees, supply kit and textbooks (8 credits) | $2,149 |
| Semester 2 tuition, fees, supply kit and textbooks (10 credits) | $2,378 |
| Semester 3 tuition, fees, supply kit and textbooks (9 credits) | $2,002 |
| Semester 4 tuition, fees, supply kit, textbooks and review course (9 credits) | $2,106 |
| Graduation and licensing (BON application, NCLEX, jurisprudence exam) | $300 |
| Total 1 | $10,698 |
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. 2026-27 estimate.
When it pays you back
If you set aside 10% of the El Paso RN median wage, about $718 a month, the $10,698 cost is covered in about 1.2 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 (4 courses, plus an entrance exam) | Data coming soon | Data coming soon |
| El Paso Community College ADN, including licensing fees | $10,698 | 4 semesters (60 credit hours) after prerequisites |
| Living costs while in school | Not included | |
| Total before living costs | $10,698 + prerequisites | 4 semesters (60 credit hours) after prerequisites + prerequisites |
We will add typical prerequisite costs at nearby colleges once collected. How we count cost
Will graduates pass the NCLEX-RN?
In 2025, 135 of El Paso Community College's 157 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN. Its rate fell from 96.0% in 2024 to 86.0%, a larger drop than the statewide average. 2
Bars start at 70% so small differences are visible. National rates are on the methodology page. Earlier years: 3456
What nurses earn around El Paso
Payback time uses the middle wage. Here is the wider picture.
How it compares in the El Paso area
The 5 programs in the area that lead to an RN license.
| Program | Cost | Pass rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso Community College ADN (this program) | $10,698 | 86.0%135 of 157 | 1.2 yrs |
| Western Technical College BSN | $75,295 | 83.3%30 of 36 | 8.7 yrs |
| Southwest University ADN | Not published | 79.7%51 of 64 | Can't calculate: cost |
| Texas Tech Health Science Center – Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing BSN | Not published | 81.1%120 of 148 | Can't calculate: cost |
| University of Texas at El Paso BSN | Not published | 88.8%293 of 330 | Can't calculate: cost |
Similar programs
Picked by rule from programs with published data, never by payment.
Program facts
- Length
- 4 semesters (60 credit hours) after prerequisites
- Schedule
- In person at the Rio Grande Campus
- Starts
- Fall and spring
- Before you apply
- BIOL 2401, BIOL 2402, RNSG 1301 and a qualifying math course before ranking, plus an ATI TEAS composite score of at least 62%. PSYC 2314 is required before some later nursing courses.
- Entrance exam
- ATI TEAS
- 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 ($8,242) costs less than the lowest-cost RN program ($10,698).
What changed
- Nov 2026Total cost recorded from the school's estimate (2026-27 estimate): $10,698.
- Apr 20262025 pass rate added: 86.0% (135 of 157).
- Apr 20252024 pass rate added: 96.0% (120 of 125).
- Apr 20242023 pass rate added: 94.7% (124 of 131).
- Apr 20232022 pass rate added: 80.6% (108 of 134).
- Apr 20222021 pass rate added: 84.5% (120 of 142).
Sources and dates
- El Paso Community College, ADN Approximate Costs AY2026-2027 (PDF), 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 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), El Paso, 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