Southwest University ADN: cost, pass rate and local pay
An associate degree in nursing (ADN) in El Paso, 98 weeks (15 terms). In 2025, 51 of its 64 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN.
The short version
- Its 2025 pass rate of 79.7% was 8.9 points below the Texas average. In 2024 it was 1.5 points below.
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 meet, or can meet, the entry requirements.
- Less of a fit: You need a bachelor's degree at graduation.
What it costs
Southwest University does not publish a total cost for this program (we checked on Nov 4, 2026). Southwest University publishes per-course tuition in an undated program sheet (posted 2023) but no program total, fees or books. Ask the program directly for its cost sheet; contact details are on its page.
For comparison only, not this program's price: the 8 Texas private career school RN programs that publish a cost range from $15,000 to $114,939, with a median of $86,358. How we compare
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 (see requirements, plus an entrance exam) | Data coming soon | Data coming soon |
| Southwest University ADN | Data coming soon | 98 weeks (15 terms) |
| Living costs while in school | Not included | |
| Total before living costs | Not yet known | 98 weeks (15 terms) + prerequisites |
We will add typical prerequisite costs at nearby colleges once collected. How we count cost
Will graduates pass the NCLEX-RN?
In 2025, 51 of Southwest University's 64 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN. Its rate fell from 91.2% in 2024 to 79.7%, a larger drop than the statewide average. 1
Bars start at 55% so small differences are visible. National rates are on the methodology page. Earlier years: 2345
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 | $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 (this program) | 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
- 98 weeks (15 terms)
- Schedule
- Blended residential and online coursework with clinical rotations
- Before you apply
- High school diploma or equivalent, a passing HESI entrance exam score, an admissions interview, a background check and a drug test.
- Entrance exam
- HESI
- Credential
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), eligible for NCLEX-RN
- Board approval status
- Data coming soon
- Accreditation
- Data coming soon
- Sector
- Private career school
The lowest-cost LVN program ($8,242) costs less than the lowest-cost RN program ($10,698).
What changed
- Apr 20262025 pass rate added: 79.7% (51 of 64).
- Apr 20252024 pass rate added: 91.2% (52 of 57).
- Apr 20242023 pass rate added: 90.0% (36 of 40).
- Apr 20232022 pass rate added: 79.2% (19 of 24).
- Apr 20222021 pass rate added: 64.3% (18 of 28).
Sources and dates
- 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