Nursing Schools in Texas
Select a program of interest to find schools:
- CNA Training in Texas
- Pre licensure ADN and BSN Programs Approved by the Texas Board of Nursing
- Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Programs in Texas
- RN to BSN Programs in Texas
- RN to MSN Programs in Texas
- Find MSN Programs in Texas
- Nurse Practitioner and other APRN Programs in TX
- DNP Programs in Texas
- Featured Online and Campus Nursing Programs in TX
“Texas nursing schools turned away 4,200 qualified applicants last year because they lacked the faculty, equipment and space with which to educate them,” said Patricia L. Starck, D.S.N., RN, FAAN and dean of The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston. This is the trend nation wide and it is resulting in a severe nursing shortage in almost every state.
What’s being done? Texas is one of the most proactive states in the Nation with regards to developing strategies to address their current nursing shortage. One of the most significant is the Nursing Shortage Reduction Program that provides money to nursing schools in Texas earmarked for hiring additional nursing faculty which ultimately allows those schools to admit and graduate more nurses to the workforce. In fact, $49.7 million was appropriated to nursing schools in Texas for 2010 to 2011! This means there should be a much larger number of open slots at schools for new nursing students. The shortage of faculty at nursing schools has been cited as the major culprit in the state’s nursing shortage.
The support the nursing programs in Texas receive translates to Texas having one of the highest average NCLEX-RN pass rates in the country and being second only to California in the total number of graduates they send into the nursing workforce. This is a great time to be exploring nursing schools in Texas, not only for RN students, but for LPN students as well. Learn more about how to become a Registered Nurse in Texas.
Online Nursing Schools in Texas
Online nursing programs in Texas have become popular options for licensed Registered Nurses in Texas who are seeking flexibility in their schooling schedule, that allows them to continue working and or balance their work life and family schedules while pursuing an advanced nursing education. The online nursing schools listed here on the Texas dedicated pages of this site are either CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) or NLNAC accredited, are similar in cost per credit to other Texas nursing schools, flexible, offer very easy to interpret syllabus and course material and offer students help to set up clinical training. Campus based nursing programs in Texas are also listed.
What about Advanced Nursing Education Opportunities in Texas?
Texas hospitals and health care agencies are more frequently seeking nurses holding a baccalaureate degree, feeling that these nurses are better trained to handle the increasingly complex cases seen in these environments. Studies have documented that higher education translates to fewer mistakes in the health care setting. For this reason, the RN to BSN degree has become a fixture for most nurses who have entered the nursing profession via a diploma or ADN/ASN route.
Texas Nursing Job Outlook and Salary Information
It is estimated that, by 2020, Texas will need to double the number of graduates from its nursing education programs to meet the anticipated demand for care. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nursing as the fastest growing occupation over the next five years and one that will continue to provide long-term stable jobs for future generations. Texas is far below the national average of the nurse-to-population ratio, currently 782 nurses per 100,000 people. In Texas, the ratio is 609 nurses per 100,000 people. By some estimates, Texas will need 138,000 additional nurses in the next seven to 10 years. What all this means to you is that the job outlook for nursing is extremely positive in Texas. There hasn’t been a better time to start or advance your nursing career in Texas.
According to the Texas Workforce data presented through Texas Wages, the average annual salary for a nurse in Texas is $64,667, the average annual entry level salary is $48,346 and the average annual salary for an experienced nurse is $72,827. According to the Texas Nurses Association the entry-level starting salary for a newly licensed RN in Texas averages about $27,000- 29,000, dependent on the Texas location. New nursing school graduates in the Houston, TX reportedly earned, on average, $44,000 in their first job. Nursing salaries have continued to increase over the last several years. According to salary.com the median annual salary for a registered nurse in Abilene, TX is $51,765, in Amarillo, TX $53,121, in Austin, TX $56,128, in Corpus Christi, TX $54,831, in Dallas, TX $59,548, in El Paso, TX $51,235, in Fort Worth, TX $56,836 , in Galveston,TX $57,425, in Lubbock, TX $51,471, in San Antonia, TX $54,006. All of these wages will vary by location, experience, education, specialty and other factors. These figures give the potential nursing student a good idea of what the nursing profession will hold for them.