Best colleges for Registered Nursing in Texas
Ranked by graduate earnings
West Coast University - Texas, Texas A&M University - Central Texas and Schreiner University are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Texas by graduate earnings. West Coast University - Texas leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $95,859, College Scorecard. The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Texas Woman's University award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Texas: 3,684, 1,138 and 844 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 121 Texas colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 23,653 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Coast University - Texas Richardson Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $95,859 | 500 | 31% | $51,992 | $38,145 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University - Central Texas Killeen Public · Bachelor's degree | $88,036 | 20 | — | — | $22,750 |
| 3 | Schreiner University Kerrville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $86,950 | 27 | 43% | $21,604 | $29,706 |
| 4 | University of Houston Houston Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,740 | 68 | 65% | — | $26,283 |
| 5 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,513 | 3,684 | 54% | — | $26,182 |
| 6 | Arizona College of Nursing - Dallas Dallas Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $85,169 | 79 | — | $33,372 | $51,854 |
| 7 | University of St Thomas Houston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $83,793 | 296 | 69% | $19,546 | $24,607 |
| 8 | Lubbock Christian University Lubbock Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $83,470 | 71 | 51% | $25,162 | $31,000 |
| 9 | Prairie View A & M University Prairie View Public · Bachelor's degree | $83,218 | 74 | 43% | — | $27,392 |
| 10 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville Public · Bachelor's degree | $82,463 | 169 | 55% | — | $26,504 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas State Technical College Waco Public · Associate degree | $79,324 | 75 | 46% | — | $24,654 |
| 2 | Weatherford College Weatherford Public · Associate degree | $78,873 | 295 | 35% | — | $17,015 |
| 3 | Paris Junior College Paris Public · Associate degree | $78,821 | 60 | 38% | — | $13,975 |
| 4 | Lamar State College - Port Arthur Port Arthur Public · Associate degree | $78,580 | 58 | 45% | — | $33,385 |
| 5 | Laredo College Laredo Public · Associate degree | $78,162 | 79 | 30% | — | $6,500 |
| 6 | Rio Grande Valley College Pharr Private for-profit · Associate degree | $77,845 | 108 | 72% | $22,742 | $27,226 |
| 7 | Southwest University at El Paso El Paso Private for-profit · Associate degree | $74,637 | 52 | 59% | $19,240 | $46,551 |
| 8 | Howard College Big Spring Public · Associate degree | $74,542 | 64 | 35% | — | $17,261 |
| 9 | College of the Mainland Texas City Public · Associate degree | $74,310 | 100 | 31% | — | $18,000 |
| 10 | Grayson College Denison Public · Associate degree | $73,793 | 173 | 40% | — | $15,087 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing degrees in Texas
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Public | 3,684 | $85,513 |
| 2 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Lubbock Public | 1,138 | $77,083 |
| 3 | Texas Woman's University Denton Public | 844 | $76,344 |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler Public | 810 | $73,963 |
| 5 | Baylor University Waco Private not-for-profit | 636 | $75,213 |
| 6 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Public | 544 | $72,429 |
| 7 | West Coast University - Texas Richardson Private for-profit | 500 | $95,859 |
| 8 | The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Galveston Public | 444 | $80,433 |
| 9 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio San Antonio Public | 410 | $70,826 |
| 10 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston Public | 372 | $82,043 |
ShowHide the other 111 Texas colleges offering Registered Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in Texas
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Texas.
Which Texas colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
The University of Texas at Arlington (3,684 graduates a year), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (1,138 graduates a year) and Texas Woman's University (844 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Texas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 121 Texas colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in Texas?+
By graduate earnings, West Coast University - Texas leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Texas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $95,859, College Scorecard. Texas A&M University - Central Texas and Schreiner University follow. By degrees awarded, The University of Texas at Arlington is the largest, with 3,684 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in Texas has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, West Coast University - Texas tops the list at $95,859. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in Texas?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Texas is $95,380 (median $95,970), across about 271,380 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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