Nursing schools and job market in Texas

U.S.A. Texas

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I am just finishing up my pre-reqs for the RN program here in CA. I have 2 children and a husband and am planning on moving after my schooling is over with. I have looked into different states and thought about TX. How is the nursing schools out there and what is the job market like there? Here in CA it is terribly hard to get into the RN program and the job market doesnt look very promising. So I want to move somewhere where my children can have a great education as well as my career be on track also.

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Admissions to nursing school are extremely competitive here also. The job market for new grads is very tight in larger cities where most hospitals are only hiring BSN grads who have done their clinical rotations in those facilities. New grads, including ADNs, have a much better chance in smaller cities and rural areas. This will be a Catch-22, as locations where you have a better chance of finding a job will be those in which your husband's job prospects are more limited. Job prospects for your husband should be a major consideration also. What type of work does he do?

Keep in mind that TX does not have the same level of social services or assistance that can be found in other states, so it really wouldn't be a good idea to move without getting a job first. Salaries will be lower than you are used to, but we have no state income tax and our overall cost of living is much less. You will need one year of legitimate residency (employed, not moving just to go to school) to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public (not for profit) schools. CC tuition is based on district in which you reside. Out of state/district tuition can be pretty steep.

Specializes in Peds.

What part of Texas are you looking into? I think anywhere you go the schools are going to be competitive to get into... and most places want experience when getting hired. But... if you worked as a nurse assistant to get your foot in the door it would help. There are plenty of different nursing schools to choose from. UT Austin, Austin Community College, Texas Women's University in Dallas area, Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches (East Texas), Tyler Community College, etc. I think regardless of where you live it's difficult to find something right out of school... but Texas is a great place to live and work.

Specializes in Urology, ENT.

It depends on where you're moving. I'm from Houston (moved to Arkansas right after nursing school for my significant other), and I have two job interviews lined up. They're not my dream jobs, but I can wait for that. It's better than if I had stayed in Houston -- my GPA is a 3.06 (and that was AFTER I brought up my grades my last semester of nursing school) which doesn't compete with my classmates who had above a 3.30 before graduating. Some of my classmates who found jobs looked outside of the Texas Medical Center (really on the outskirts of Houston) with the hope of becoming an RNII and returning later.

The nursing schools in Houston are extremely competitive, but if you can get in, awesome. That's not to disparage other nursing schools in Texas, but you get a huge variety of experiences at different hospitals (you probably would also if you went to Dallas, Austin or San Antonio). I have the not so great distinction of saying I went to 2 nursing programs (the first in West Texas, the second back home in Houston), and it seems there's a greater need for nurses in West Texas. I don't find West Texas that appealing, and when I didn't go back, I regret only that I didn't graduate earlier. That doesn't mean you won't find that part of Texas nice -- it's just not my cup of tea.

And what HouTx said is true -- we don't have a lot of social assistance compared to others, and as for the tuition, I only went to public universities, and somewhere in the middle of nursing school, I started paying the full price of tuition (I was passed the cap of hours the state allows for in-state tuition). I think I paid maybe a few hundred, maybe at most $1000 more, but considering the amount some of my international classmates paid, I'm not complaining (it wasn't that much of a difference that I could tell). At the same time, I lived at home, and I don't have a family to take care of.

I started my pre req's in California in 2005 & I moved to San Antonio @ the end of 2006, only like 4 or 5 classes transferred. Plus they had me do my CNA over in Cali but here u didn't need it but it helped with knowledge. Not trying to discourage you just look into the schools before you head over here because it is also competitive here almost as much as over there. Where in Texas were you looking to move? Have you tried online schools. Many ppl I know from Cali do UTA. Good Luck!!

Thanks Meeh619, what is UTA? I am just about done with schooling now. Am registered to take my last class this fall.

Thanks Meeh619 what is UTA? I am just about done with schooling now. Am registered to take my last class this fall.[/quote']

UTA is University of Texas Arlington. They have an online program. Lots of ppl from Cali are registered there. So where in Texas were you interested in moving to?

Im not sure. I haven't been there. Id have to look around at cities and schools and job market.

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