Vernon College ADN costs $18,297 to $20,289. Here is what it pays back.
An associate degree in nursing (ADN) in Vernon, 2 years after prerequisites (5 to 6 semesters). In 2025, 74 of its 81 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN.
The short version
- Its 2025 pass rate of 91.4% was 2.7 points above the Texas average. In 2024 it was 5.5 points above.
- It is the Wichita Falls area's only associate degree (ADN) program.
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.
Where the money goes
The school's estimate. The sheet states $18,297 to $20,289. The low end appears to reflect Wilbarger County (in-district) tuition and the high end non-Wilbarger tuition plus optional courses. The six semester estimates printed on the sheet add to about $14,745 to $18,801, and the sheet does not explain the difference from its stated total. Prerequisite courses are not listed.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| RN generic program estimated cost analysis, low end as stated | $18,297 |
| Total 1 | $18,297 |
* How we calculated this: This is the range the school states. Its semester-by-semester figures add up to less (about $14,745 to $18,801).
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. 2025-26 estimate.
When it pays you back
If you set aside 10% of the Wichita Falls RN median wage, about $694 a month, the $18,297 cost is covered in about 2.2 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 (see requirements, plus an entrance exam) | Data coming soon | Data coming soon |
| Vernon College ADN, including licensing fees | $18,297 to $20,289 | 2 years after prerequisites (5 to 6 semesters) |
| Living costs while in school | Not included | |
| Total before living costs | $18,297 to $20,289 + prerequisites | 2 years after prerequisites (5 to 6 semesters) + prerequisites |
We will add typical prerequisite costs at nearby colleges once collected. How we count cost
Will graduates pass the NCLEX-RN?
In 2025, 74 of Vernon College's 81 first-time test takers passed the NCLEX-RN. Its rate fell from 98.2% in 2024 to 91.4%, a larger 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 Wichita Falls
Payback time uses the middle wage. Here is the wider picture.
How it compares in the Wichita Falls area
The 2 programs in the area that lead to an RN license.
| Program | Cost | Pass rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon College ADN (this program) | $18,297to $20,289 | 91.4%74 of 81 | 2.2 yrsto 2.4 yrs |
| Midwestern State University BSN | Not published | 100%52 of 52 | Can't calculate: cost |
Similar programs
Picked by rule from programs with published data, never by payment.
Program facts
- Length
- 2 years after prerequisites (5 to 6 semesters)
- Schedule
- Day; Vernon Campus and Century City Center (Wichita Falls)
- Before you apply
- Recommended prerequisite courses, HESI A2, criminal background check, drug screening and health records, ranked by an admission point system.
- 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
The lowest-cost LVN program ($9,288) costs less than the lowest-cost RN program ($18,297).
What changed
- Nov 2026Total cost recorded from the school's estimate (2025-26 estimate): $18,297 to $20,289.
- Apr 20262025 pass rate added: 91.4% (74 of 81).
- Apr 20252024 pass rate added: 98.2% (54 of 55).
- Apr 20242023 pass rate added: 96.1% (73 of 76).
- Apr 20232022 pass rate added: 81.4% (57 of 70).
- Apr 20222021 pass rate added: 81.2% (69 of 85).
Sources and dates
- Vernon College, VC ADN RN Generic Program Cost Analysis Fall 2025 (PDF), 2025-26 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), Wichita Falls, 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