Lamar State College – Port Arthur ADN costs $9,733 to $9,748. Here is what it pays back.
An associate degree in nursing (ADN) in Port Arthur, 3 semesters of nursing courses after prerequisites (LVN to ADN upward mobility). In 2025, 68 of its 71 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN.
The short version
- Its 2025 pass rate of 95.8% was 7.1 points above the Texas average. In 2024 it was 5.1 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 7 prerequisite courses.
- Less of a fit: You need a bachelor's degree at graduation.
Where the money goes
The school's estimate, in 13 parts. This is the LVN to ADN upward mobility program, the ADN route at this college. The packet lists an estimated total of $12,533 including $2,800 for 22 hours of prerequisites; the range reflects a $60 to $75 CPR course. Tuition is based on published Fall 2024 rates for Texas residents.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, corequisites (11 credit hours) | $1,600 |
| Tuition and fees, Upward Mobility nursing courses (27 credit hours) | $3,200 |
| HESI A2 exam (per attempt) | $65 |
| CPR course | $60 |
| Nursing fees (includes NCLEX-RN review) | $1,425 |
| CastleBranch tracking and drug screen | $68 |
| Physical exam | $100 |
| Immunizations (if needed) | $365 |
| Uniforms and equipment | $350 |
| Nursing textbooks | $1,300 |
| Laptop (recommended) | $750 |
| Graduation fees | $100 |
| Texas BON NCLEX-RN application and exam fees | $350 |
| Total 1 | $9,733 |
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. 2024-25 estimate.
When it pays you back
If you set aside 10% of the Beaumont-Port Arthur RN median wage, about $677 a month, the $9,733 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 (7 courses, plus an entrance exam) | $2,800 | Data coming soon |
| Lamar State College – Port Arthur ADN, including licensing fees | $9,733 to $9,748 | 3 semesters of nursing courses after prerequisites (LVN to ADN upward mobility) |
| Living costs while in school | Not included | |
| Total before living costs | $12,533 to $12,548 | 3 semesters of nursing courses after prerequisites (LVN to ADN upward mobility) |
Prerequisite courses at Lamar State College – Port Arthur'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, 68 of Lamar State College – Port Arthur's 71 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN. Its rate fell from 97.8% in 2024 to 95.8%, a smaller drop than the statewide average. 2
Bars start at 75% so small differences are visible. National rates are on the methodology page. Earlier years: 3456
What nurses earn around Beaumont-Port Arthur
Payback time uses the middle wage. Here is the wider picture.
How it compares in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area
The 4 programs in the area that lead to an RN license.
| Program | Cost | Pass rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar State College – Port Arthur ADN (this program) | $9,733to $9,748 | 95.8%68 of 71 | 1.2 yrs |
| Lamar Institute of Technology ADN | Not published | Data coming soon | Can't calculate: cost |
| Lamar State College – Orange ADN | Not published | 86.1%31 of 36 | Can't calculate: cost |
| Lamar University BSN | Not published | 91.7%110 of 120 | Can't calculate: cost |
Similar programs
Picked by rule from programs with published data, never by payment.
Program facts
- Length
- 3 semesters of nursing courses after prerequisites (LVN to ADN upward mobility)
- Schedule
- LVN to ADN track; class and clinical at Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas Beaumont for that location, labs on the Port Arthur campus
- Starts
- Spring (Spring 2027 cohort)
- Before you apply
- BIOL 2401, PSYC 2301, PSYC 2314, ENGL 1301, SPCH 1315, HECO 1322 and RNSG 1300, each with a C or better, plus the HESI A2.
- Entrance exam
- HESI A2
- Credential
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), eligible for NCLEX-RN
- Board approval status
- Data coming soon
- Accreditation
- Data coming soon
- Sector
- Public community college
What changed
- Nov 2026Total cost recorded from the school's estimate (2024-25 estimate): $9,733 to $9,748.
- Apr 20262025 pass rate added: 95.8% (68 of 71).
- Apr 20252024 pass rate added: 97.8% (44 of 45).
- Apr 20242023 pass rate added: 100% (16 of 16).
- Apr 20232022 pass rate added: 90.3% (56 of 62).
- Apr 20222021 pass rate added: 90.9% (50 of 55).
Sources and dates
- Lamar State College Port Arthur, ADN Spring 2027 Application Packet (PDF), 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), Beaumont-Port Arthur, 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