Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies LVN costs $26,454. Here is what it pays back.
A vocational nursing (LVN) certificate in Weslaco, About 52 weeks full time (1,530 clock hours). In 2025, 29 of its 33 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-PN.
The short version
- Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies LVN costs $13,454 to $15,454 more than Texas Southmost College LVN, the lowest-cost LVN path in the area.
- Its 2025 pass rate of 87.9% was 4.0 points below the Texas average. In 2024 it was 18.3 points below.
These findings are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does. How we write them
Where the money goes
Three of every four dollars goes to tuition. Catalog effective August 2024 lists a total program cost of $26,454. Other fees include books ($1,715), supplies ($911), in-program testing ($800), state and national exam fees ($325) and uniforms ($268).
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $22,185 |
| Other fees (books, uniforms, supplies, testing, state and national exam fees, registration and more) | $4,269 |
| Total 1 | $26,454 |
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. 2024-25 estimate.
When it pays you back
If you set aside 10% of the Rio Grande Valley LVN median wage, about $469 a month, the $26,454 cost is covered in about 4.7 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 (see requirements, plus an entrance exam) | Data coming soon | Data coming soon |
| Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies LVN, including licensing fees | $26,454 | About 52 weeks (1,530 clock hours) |
| Living costs while in school | Not included | |
| Total before living costs | $26,454 + prerequisites | About 52 weeks (1,530 clock hours) + prerequisites |
We will add typical prerequisite costs at nearby colleges once collected. How we count cost
Will graduates pass the NCLEX-PN?
In 2025, 29 of Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies's 33 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-PN. Its rate rose from 75.0% in 2024 to 87.9%. 2
Bars start at 65% so small differences are visible. National rates are on the methodology page. Earlier years: 3456
What LVNs earn around Rio Grande Valley
Payback time uses the middle wage. Here is the wider picture.
How it compares in the Rio Grande Valley area
The 7 programs in the area that lead to an LVN license.
| Program | Cost | Pass rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Southmost College LVN | $11,000to $13,000 | 85.7%12 of 14 | 2.0 yrsto 2.3 yrs |
| Valley Baptist Medical Center LVN | $14,011 | 82.8%24 of 29 | 2.5 yrs |
| Texas State Technical College LVN | $15,115 | 80.0%52 of 65 | 2.7 yrs |
| South Texas College LVN | $15,275 | 92.0%160 of 174 | 2.7 yrs |
| Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies LVN (this program) | $26,454 | 87.9%29 of 33 | 4.7 yrs |
| Divine School for Healthcare Professionals LVN | Not published | 100%5 of 5 | Can't calculate: cost |
| Rio Grande Valley College LVN | Not published | 93.1%285 of 306 | Can't calculate: cost |
Similar programs
Picked by rule from programs with published data, never by payment.
Program facts
- Length
- About 52 weeks, full time (1,530 clock hours)
- Schedule
- Day classes, Monday to Friday
- Before you apply
- No prerequisite courses; applicants need a TEAS composite of 41 or higher and usually a CNA, MA, PCT, EMT or similar certificate with three months of work experience.
- Entrance exam
- ATI TEAS
- Credential
- Vocational Nursing (LVN) certificate, eligible for NCLEX-PN
- Board approval status
- Data coming soon
- Accreditation
- Data coming soon
- Sector
- Private career school
The lowest-cost LVN program ($11,000) costs less than the lowest-cost RN program ($14,817).
What changed
- Nov 2026Total cost recorded from the school's estimate (2024-25 estimate): $26,454.
- Apr 20262025 pass rate added: 87.9% (29 of 33).
- Apr 20252024 pass rate added: 75.0% (42 of 56).
- Apr 20242023 pass rate added: 93.6% (73 of 78).
- Apr 20232022 pass rate added: 80.4% (37 of 46).
- Apr 20222021 pass rate added: 83.3% (45 of 54).
Sources and dates
- Valley Grande Institute, School Catalog Rev. 08.2024 (PDF), 2024-25 estimate.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2025 NCLEX-PN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2026, item 3.2.12), April 2026.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2024 NCLEX-PN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2025, item 3.2.11), April 2025.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2023 NCLEX-PN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2024, item 3.2.14), April 2024.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2022 NCLEX-PN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2023, item 3.2.6), April 2023.
- Texas Board of Nursing, Report of 2021 NCLEX-PN Examination Pass Rates (Board Meeting, April 2022, item 3.2.7), April 2022.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, 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