How much does nursing school cost in Texas?
It depends mostly on who runs the program. At Texas community colleges, the typical RN program costs about $10,698 and the typical LVN program about $10,205. At private career schools, RN programs typically run about $97,420.
Updated November 5, 2026. Figures come from each school's published estimates and the Texas Board of Nursing. How we get our numbers
Costs by type of school
These medians use the lowest price each school publishes for the whole program, usually the in-district or resident rate. They come from the 93 Texas programs that publish a cost on their own cost sheets, catalogs or program pages.
| Type of school | License | Programs | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public community college | LVN | 33 | $10,205 | $3,330 to $15,275 |
| Public community college | RN | 35 | $10,698 | $4,440 to $18,297 |
| Hospital-based school | LVN | 2 | $17,076 | $14,011 to $20,140 |
| Public university | RN | 3 | $27,460 | $25,028 to $34,700 |
| Hospital-based school | RN | 2 | $27,931 | $18,782 to $37,080 |
| Private career school | LVN | 6 | $28,477 | $23,979 to $38,414 |
| Private university | RN | 2 | $86,118 | $66,845 to $105,391 |
| Private career school | RN | 10 | $97,420 | $15,000 to $114,939 |
See every program's published cost, or the cheapest programs in Texas.
What a school's estimate usually leaves out
- Prerequisite courses. Most RN programs require anatomy and physiology, microbiology and general education courses before you start. On the cost sheets that list them separately, prerequisites add from under $1,000 to more than $5,000.
- Books, uniforms and supplies. Some schools include them, some don't. Each program page on this site shows what that school's figure covers.
- Licensing. The Texas Board of Nursing exam application is $75, including the Nursing Jurisprudence Exam. Fingerprinting through IdentoGO is $41.95. The NCLEX registration fee is $200, rising to $350 for registrations on or after February 1, 2027.
- Living costs. Most programs are hard to combine with full-time work, so rent and transportation while in school are often the biggest cost of all.
Does paying more get you a better chance of passing?
Not in Texas. Among RN programs with a published cost and at least 20 first-time test takers in the latest year, average first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates were:
- Under $15,000: 90.9% (31 programs)
- $15,000 to $50,000: 85.0% (9 programs)
- $50,000 and up: 81.6% (9 programs)
More detail in our analysis of cost and pass rates, and the programs that do well on both in best-value nursing programs in Texas.
Ways people lower the cost
- Stay in district. Community college prices often double or more for out-of-district students, so living in the college's district matters.
- Take prerequisites at a community college first, even if you plan a university BSN.
- Start as an LVN. An LVN program takes about a year, and many colleges offer LVN-to-RN bridge programs, so you can work while finishing. Compare both paths on any area's "LVN first or RN" page.
- Ask about hospital tuition programs. Some schools and hospitals offer tuition help in exchange for a work commitment after you're licensed.
Ready to compare programs? Start with ADN programs, BSN programs or LVN programs in Texas.