Becoming an RN in Texas

Texas residents become eligible for initial licensure by completing a Texas Board of Nursing approved educational program and passing the national NCLEX examination. There are four paths to becoming a registered nurse within the state. Most students graduate with an associate’s or baccalaureate degree. The state does have one RN diploma program, as well. There is also one direct entry master’s program.

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Registered Nursing Educational Paths

A number of Texas schools offer second degree accelerated BSN programs to professionals who already have a degree in another field. These programs may take as little as twelve months if all prerequisites have been completed. In some cases, completion of a certified nursing assistant course may also be required for admission. This step allows the student to get crucial experience within a health care setting. (If a person is already working as a CNA, and they have a degree in some other field, they are well ahead of the game!)

Vocational nurses are also on a fast track to a career in professional nursing. Most programs for vocational nurses are at the LVN to ADN level. There are a few programs in the state that allow a vocational nurse to go straight for his or her BSN, however. There is also an online LVN to BSN option to consider.

Registered Nursing Career Outlook in Texas

Texas is anticipating a significant shortfall in nurses. A 2009 report by the Texas Nursing Workforce Center estimated that the number of graduates would need to double by 2013.

According to the Workforce Center, nurses do return to the workforce during periods of recession; this may be because a spouse got laid off. This trend causes a temporary reduction in the number of new graduates who are needed. Still, Texas hospitals reported a 6.75% vacancy rate in 2010. Data for long term care facilities is from an earlier year (2008), but indicates that the vacancy rate is much higher in these facilities than in hospitals.

The Application Process for RN Programs in Texas

Though there is a high need for nurses, there is a shortage of faculty to teach them. In 2009, only 59% of qualified applicants were admitted to Texas nursing schools. This means a little less than 3/5 of candidates who met the stated requirements for GPA and prerequisites were actually admitted to programs. This is slightly above the rate that were admitted several years earlier. Still, it leaves a lot of people anxious about what they can do to improve their chances.

Universities may make decisions on a wide range of both academic and non-academic factors. A desirable candidate has solid grades, especially in science courses and other prerequisites. This is not the entire picture, however. Having a 4.0 won’t necessarily place you above a candidate with a 3.0. Texas Tech University lists the following non-academic considerations: experience abroad, work and voluntary history, and reasons for selecting the profession.

Some criteria may seem a little nebulous. How will a university judge a candidate on their interest in the nursing profession? There will likely be an essay. An interview may be required, as well. Schools also want to reward those who have made it far despite challenges in their lives. They may consider whether a candidate is a first generation college student or from a non-English speaking background.

ADN Programs Approved by the Board of Nursing

ALVIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE 3110 Mustang Road Alvin, Texas 77511-4898 Phone: (281) 756-3634	AMARILLO COLLEGE 6222 W. 9th St. Bldg. A – Room 106 Amarillo, Texas 79106 Phone: (806) 354-6010	ANGELINA COLLEGE 3500 S. 1st Street Health Careers Bldg. #1 Lufkin, Texas 75904 Phone: (936) 633-5445	ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY Jackson Street Receiving Complex San Angelo, Texas 76909 Phone: (325) 942-2224
AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE 3401 Webberville Road Austin, Texas 78702 Phone: (512) 223-5774 Fax: (512) 223-5903	BLINN COLLEGE 2423 Blinn Blvd. Bryan, Texas 77803 Phone: (979) 209-7204 Fax: (979) 209-7524	BROOKHAVEN COLLEGE 3939 Valley View Lane Farmers Branch, Texas 75244 Phone: (972) 860-4750 Fax: (972) 860-4151	CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE 6200 W. Central Texas Expressway Killeen, Texas 76549-1765 Phone: (254) 526-1300 Fax: (254) 526-1765
CISCO JUNIOR COLLEGE 717 East Industrial Boulevard Abilene, Texas 79602 Phone: (325) 794-4400 Fax: (254) 442-5100	COLLEGE OF THE MAINLAND 1200 Amburn Road Texas City, Texas 77591 Phone: (409) 938-1211 Fax: (409) 933-4369	COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE 2200 West University Drive McKinney, Texas 75071 Phone: (972) 548-6679 Fax: (972) 548-6722	DEL MAR COLLEGE 101 Baldwin Corpus Christi, Texas 78404-3897 Phone: (361) 698-1320 Fax: (361) 698-1173
EL CENTRO COLLEGE 801 Main Street Dallas, Texas 75202-3604 Phone: (214) 860-2309 Fax: (214) 860-2435	EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE 100 W. Rio Grande Street El Paso, Texas 79998 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 20500 El Paso, Texas 79908 Phone: (915) 831-4530 Fax: (915) 831-4536	GALVESTON COLLEGE 4015 Avenue Q Galveston, Texas 77550 Phone: (409) 944-1387 Fax: (409) 944-1500	GRAYSON COUNTY COLLEGE 6101 Grayson Drive Denison, Texas 75020-8299 Phone: (903) 786-9596 Fax: (903) 786-9658
HOUSTON BAPTIST UNIVERSITY 7502 Fondren Road Houston, Texas 77074-3298 Phone: (281) 649-3300 Fax: (281) 649-3340	HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM 1900 Pressler Drive, Suite 344 Houston, Texas 77030 Phone: (713) 718-7230 Fax: (713) 718-7470	HOWARD COLLEGE 1001 Birdwell Lane Big Spring, Texas 79720 Phone: (432) 264-5070 Fax: (432) 264-5142	KILGORE COLLEGE 1100 Broadway Street Kilgore, Texas 75662 Phone: (903) 983-8168
LAMAR UNIVERSITY AT BEAUMONT 1050 E. Lavaca Beaumont, Texas 77710 Phone: (409) 880-8868	LAREDO COMMUNITY COLLEGE 1 West End Washington Street Laredo, Texas 78040-4395 Phone: (956) 721-5252	LEE COLLEGE 511 South Whiting Baytown, Texas 77520 Phone: 281 425-6449	LONE STAR COLLEGE – CY-FAIR 9191 Barker Cypress Road Cypress, Texas 77433-1383 Phone: (281) 290-3931
LONE STAR COLLEGE – KINGWOOD 20000 Kingwood Drive Kingwood, Texas 77339 Phone: (800) 883-7939 ext 1683	LONE STAR COLLEGE – MONTGOMERY 3200 College Park Drive Conroe, Texas 77384 Phone: (936) 273-7000	LONE STAR COLLEGE – NORTH HARRIS – MEEP 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive Houston, Texas 77073 Phone: (281) 618-5741	LONE STAR COLLEGE – TOMBALL 30555 Tomball Parkway Tomball, Texas 77375 Phone: (281) 351-3300
MCLENNAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE 1400 College Drive Waco, Texas 76708 Phone: (254) 299-8367	MIDLAND COLLEGE 3600 North Garfield Midland, Texas 79705-6397 Phone: (432) 685-4600	NAVARRO COLLEGE 3200 West 7th Avenue Corsicana, Texas 75110 Phone: (903) 875-7581	NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE 1525 West California Street Gainesville, Texas 76240 Phone: (940) 668-4264
NORTHEAST TEXAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FM 1735 – Chapel Hill Rd. Mt. Pleasant, Texas 75455 Phone: (903) 434-8100	ODESSA COLLEGE 201 West University Odessa, Texas 79764 Phone: (432) 335-6672	PANOLA COLLEGE 820 W. Panola Carthage, Texas 75633 Phone: (903) 694-4000	SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE 1300 San Pedro Avenue San Antonio, Texas 78212-4299 Phone: (210) 733-2375
SAN JACINTO COLLEGE CENTRAL 8060 Spencer Highway Pasadena, Texas 77505-2007 Phone: (281) 476-1842	SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE 1401 College Avenue Levelland, Texas 79336 Phone: (806) 894-9611	SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE 1101 E. Vermont McAllen, Texas 78502 Phone: (956) 872-3124	SOUTHWESTERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY 300 West Magnolia Keene, Texas 76059-2334 Phone: (817) 202-6235
TARRANT COUNTY COLLEGE 5301 Campus Drive Fort Worth, Texas 76119-5926 Phone: (817) 515-4549	TEMPLE COLLEGE 2600 South First Street Temple, Texas 76504 Phone: (254) 298-8873	TEXARKANA COLLEGE 2500 North Robison Road Texarkana, Texas 75599 Phone: (903) 832-5565	TRINITY VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE 800 Highway 243 West Kaufman, Texas 75142 Phone: (972) 932-4309
TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE 1327 Baxter Street Tyler, TX 75701 Phone: (903) 510-2869	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT BROWNSVILLE & TEXAS SOUTHMOST COLLEGE 80 Fort Brown Brownsville, Texas 78520 Phone: (956) 554-5072	VERNON COLLEGE 4400 College Drive Vernon, Texas 76384 Phone: (940) 552-6291	VICTORIA COLLEGE 2200 East Red River Victoria, Texas 77901 Phone: (361) 573-3291
WEATHERFORD COLLEGE 225 College Park Drive Weatherford, TX 76086 Phone: (817) 598-6309	WHARTON COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE 911 Boling Highway Wharton, Texas 77488-0080 Phone: (979) 532-6391

BSN Programs Approved by the Texas Board of Nursing

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY 3700 Worth Street Dallas, Texas 75246 Phone: (214) 820-3361	EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY Frank S. Groner Endowed Memorial School of Professional Studies 1209 North Grove Marshall, Texas 75670-1498 Phone: (903) 923-2210	HOUSTON BAPTIST UNIVERSITY 7502 Fondren Road Houston, Texas 77074 Phone: (281) 649-3300	LAMAR UNIVERSITY AT BEAUMONT (Department of Nursing) 1050 E. Lavaca Beaumont, Texas Phone: 409-880-8817
MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY Wilson School of Nursing 3410 Taft Blvd. Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 Phone: (940) 397-4599	PATTY HANKS SHELTON SCHOOL OF NURSING(FORMERLY ABILENE INTERCOLLEGIATE) 2149 Hickory Street Abilene, Texas 79601-2339 Phone: (325) 671-2399	PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY 6436 Fannin Street (Suite 1202 ) Houston, Texas 77030 Phone: (713) 797-7009	SOUTHWESTERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY 300 W. Magnolia Keene, Texas 76059-2334 Phone: (817) 202-6236
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY Math & Nursing Bldg. 1946 No. Street Rm 106 Nacogdoches, Texas 75962 Phone: (936) 468-3604	TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY 201 St. Felix Stephenville, Texas 76402-0002 Phone: (254) 968-9717	TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY Canseco School of Nursing 5201 University Boulevard Laredo, Texas 78041 Phone: (956) 326-2450	TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY – CORPUS CHRISTI College of Nursing & Health Sciences 6300 Ocean Drive Corpus Christi, Texas 78412 Phone: (361) 825-2649
TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY HARRIS COLLEGE OF NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES 2900 W. Bowie Fort Worth, Texas 76129 Phone: (817) 257-7652	TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER 3601 4th Street, MS 6264 Lubbock, Texas 79430-6264 Phone: (806) 743-3082	TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY 304 Administration Drive Denton, Texas 76201 Phone: (940) 898-2401	UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE SCHOOL OF NURSING 900 College Street Belton, Texas 76513-2599 Phone: (254) 295-4665
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON 411 S. Nedderman Drive Arlington, Texas 76019-0407 Phone: (817) 272-2776	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN 1700 Red River Austin, Texas 78701-1499 Phone: (512) 471-4100	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES 1101 N. Campbell Street El Paso, Texas 79902 Phone: (915) 747-8217	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES 3900 University Boulevard Tyler, Texas 75799 Phone: (903) 566-7320
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON 6901 Bertner Avenue Houston, Texas 77225 Phone: (713) 500-2002	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7944, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900 Phone: (210) 567-5810	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH AT GALVESTON 301 University Boulevard Galveston, Texas 77555-1132 Phone: (409) 772-1510	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS – PAN AMERICAN 1201 W. University Drive Edinburg, Texas 78541 Phone: (956) 381-3495
UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD 4301 Broadway San Antonio, Texas 78209 Phone: (210) 829-3982	WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY 11550 IH-35 North San Antonio, Texas 78233 Phone: (210) 826-7595	WEST TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY WTAMU Box 60969 Canyon, Texas 79016 Phone: (806) 651-2630

Becoming an RN in Texas

Registered Nursing Educational Paths

Registered Nursing Career Outlook in Texas

The Application Process for RN Programs in Texas

ADN Programs Approved by the Board of Nursing

BSN Programs Approved by the Texas Board of Nursing

Most Viewed Degrees

Recent Nursing Articles

Becoming an RN in Texas

Registered Nursing Educational Paths

Registered Nursing Career Outlook in Texas

The Application Process for RN Programs in Texas

ADN Programs Approved by the Board of Nursing

BSN Programs Approved by the Texas Board of Nursing

Most Viewed Degrees

Recent Nursing Articles

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