13 Best RN to BSN Programs in Texas in 2023

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• #Rn To Bsn

Are you a registered nurse (RN) ready to enhance your career with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree? There are many factors to consider before applying to an RN to BSN program, and Texas has many choices.

To help you decide which is best, we've provided details about the degree and expected salaries and ranked the 13 best available.

What Is an RN to BSN Program?

After completing the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and becoming a licensed RN by passing the NCLEX exam, many nurses advance their careers by returning to school for a one to two-year bridge to a BSN degree. A BSN degree is a baccalaureate degree focusing on expanding the foundations of nursing care. Areas of focus include evidence-based practice, research, and nursing theory.

Many healthcare facilities require a BSN for entry-level positions due to the advancement of nursing practice.

The BSN degree also provides the groundwork for nurses to further their future careers with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).

RN to BSN Prerequisites and Requirements

All schools have a separate list of prerequisites, although many similarities exist. First, you must have completed the ADN program through an accredited school and maintained a specific GPA. Once admitted, students complete a core curriculum before continuing to higher-level nursing courses. 

These BSN higher-level nursing courses will build upon previous experience, skills, and knowledge to develop a stronger nursing foundation. The skills focus on clinical reasoning and the nursing profession from the broader viewpoint of factors affecting patient care. These courses can build upon essential foundations, including the following: 

• Systems Leadership, Quality, and Patient Safety
• Evidence-Based Practice 
• Information Management and Technology
• Healthcare Policy and Finance 
• Population Health
• Interprofessional Collaboration and Communication

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Related: 10 Best RN to BSN Programs in 2023

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RN to BSN programs offer full-time and part-time coursework. These programs are often offered online, on campus, or as hybrid options. Clinical experience is also part of RN to BSN programs, with students completing clinical time with other BSN-prepared nurses. This hands-on experience will enhance the BSN students' experience within health promotion, evidence-based practice, informatics, and nursing leadership roles.

Best RN to BSN Programs in Texas

When choosing an RN to BSN program in Texas, students must consider tuition, length of the program, and other variables. 

The following schools have been selected based on allnurses' methodology of surveying our readers to understand what they value most while selecting schools with the addition of NCLEX pass rates, graduation rates, student-faculty ratio, price, mode, duration, and admission rates of hundreds of the most prominent nursing schools in the United States.

1. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) College of Nursing and Health Sciences

The RN-BSN degree program at Texas A&M University requires nursing students to complete 120-122 semester hours to graduate. Up to 30 credit hours transfer from the already completed ADN program. Nursing students must have an active, unencumbered nursing license in Texas.

• Tuition: $285 per credit hour for in-state students; $772 per credit hour for out-of-state students
• Mode: Online
• Length: 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time
• Admission Rate: 84%
• Student-Faculty Ratio: 18:1

2. The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) College of Nursing and Health Innovation

The University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing RN-BSN program offers an on-campus traditional or online accelerated program. The standard on-campus program provides full or part-time studies taking 12 or 24 months to complete. The accelerated online program offers completion in 9-10 months. Students must have an unencumbered RN nursing license.

• Tuition: $291 per credit hour for in-state students; $1,096 per credit hour for out-of-state students
• Mode: On campus for traditional RN-BSN program; online for accelerated RN-BSN program
• Length: 12-24 months (traditional full-time or part-time program), 9-10 months (accelerated)
• Admission Rate: 100%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 19:1 

3. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Nursing

Texas Tech University School of Nursing's RN-BSN program has many articulation agreements with local Community Colleges to bridge the ADN and BSN programs. This bridge creates a seamless enrollment into the RN-BSN program, ensuring students meet the admission requirements. The program also accepts out-of-state students and an active RN nursing license without restriction from any state.

• Tuition: $4,760 per semester for in-state students; $10,510 per semester for out-of-state students
• Mode: Online
• Length: 2 semesters full-time or 3 semesters part-time
• Admission Rate: 92%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 12:1

4. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) School of Nursing

Students can complete this RN-BSN program in an accelerated option in as little as two semesters. If a student already has one year of RN experience, there is an option to roll into an MSN program directly after completing the BSN program. Students need an RN nursing license, without restriction, in the state where they will complete clinicals.

• Tuition: $361 per credit hour for in-state students; $1,096 per credit hour for out-of-state students
• Mode: Online 
• Length: 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time
• Admission Rate: 68%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 14:1 

5. The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) School of Nursing

The University of Texas at Austin ADN-BSN program combines ADN-prepared nursing students with the traditional four-year BSN program students. This BSN program offers an honors program to work directly with faculty mentors to advance nursing science.  

• Tuition: $5,500 per semester for in-state students; $15,000 per semester for out-of-state students
• Mode: Hybrid (online and on-campus)
• Length: 2-3 semesters full-time or 3-4 semesters part-time
• Admission Rate: 31%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 18:1

6. West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) Department of Nursing

At West Texas A&M University, full-time students can complete the RN-BSN program in as little as three semesters. The school requires an unencumbered RN nursing license from any state. Students at West Texas A&M University that work at Northwest Texas Healthcare System have the opportunity for tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000. 

• Tuition: $237 per credit hour for in-state students; $571 per credit hour for out-of-state students 
• Mode: Online
• Length: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
• Admission Rate: 71%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 20:1

7. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Nursing

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley offers full or part-time options for completing the RN-BSN degree. Students need 30 credit hours to fulfill the program and an active RN license from any state for admission. 

• Tuition: $350 per credit hour for in-state students
• Mode: Online
• Length: 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time
• Admission Rate: 80%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 20:1

8. Lamar University JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing

The Lamar University RN-BSN program in Beaumont, Texas, requires an active, unencumbered RN license from any state. There are 120 credit hours needed to complete the program. The final course requirement is a capstone course.  

• Tuition: $9,944 per year for in-state students; $23,800 per year for out-of-state students 
• Mode: Online
• Length: 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time
• Admission Rate: 90%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 21:1

9. Texas Woman's University (TWU) College of Nursing

Nursing students can attend Texas Woman's University College of Nursing's online RN-BSN program in Denton, Dallas, and Houston. If they transfer from another school, students must take at least 25% of the courses at TWU. The school requires an active, unencumbered RN license from any state. 

• Tuition: $7,798 per year for in-state students; $16,340 per year for out-of-state students
• Mode: Online
• Length: 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time
• Admission Rate: 86%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 18:1

10. The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) School of Nursing

The University of Texas at El Paso boasts that 60% of El Paso nurses are graduates of UTEP. This RN-BSN program also has a BSN mentorship program which provides leadership and support for the nursing student. The program offers admission to those with an ADN degree with or without an active RN license. 

• Tuition: $7,790 per year for in-state students; $17,850 per year for out-of-state students
• Mode: Online
• Length: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
• Admission Rate: 100%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 25:1

11. Midwestern State University (MSU Texas) Wilson School of Nursing 

Midwestern State University in Texas offers three start dates per year. The RN-BSN program requirements include a total of 27 credit hours. After the BSN degree, MSU Texas provides several MSN degree programs.  

• Tuition: $4,608 per semester for in-state students; $9,888 per semester for out-of-state students
• Mode: Online
• Length: 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time
• Admission Rate: 71%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 15:1

12. Angelo State University Department of Nursing

Angelo State University's BSN program offers start dates in the fall and Spring. Transferring ADN nursing students must complete at least 30 credit hours with Angelo State University to complete the BSN program. The school will evaluate previous transcripts to determine transfer credits.  

• Tuition: $8,586 per year for in-state students; $20,130 per year for out-of-state students 
• Mode: Online
• Length: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
• Admission Rate: 95%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 21:1

13. Texas State University St. David's School of Nursing

Located at the Round Rock campus, the Texas State University BSN program admits students once a year to start during the fall semester. Nursing students will complete prerequisite coursework before admission to the BSN program. The school has five state-of-the-art interactive simulation labs to help students learn to manage highly complex patient scenarios. 

• Tuition: $5,908 per year for in-state students; $15,136 per year for out-of-state students
• Mode: Hybrid (online and on-campus)
• Length: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time
• Admission Rate: 65%
• Student-Faculty ratio: 18:1

Salary Expectations of the BSN Degree in 2023

According to the NCSBN National Workforce Survey, 41.8% of nurses complete a BSN program as their first licensure, and 37.7% of nurses in 2020 had their first licensure with an ADN degree. Geographic location, employer, and experience level each influence the salary of BSN-prepared nurses.  

In the 2022 Nurse Salary Research Report, the median salary of a BSN-prepared nurse was $78,000, while the ADN-prepared nurse's median wage was $67,000. Travel nursing often offers larger salaries than healthcare systems but lacks other benefits found in non-travel positions.

In 2021, an ADN-prepared RN in Texas had an average annual salary of $76,800, while the BSN-prepared nurse in Texas had an average annual salary was $89,080. 

Often employers require a BSN degree for nursing leadership positions, such as nursing director, clinical nurse manager, assistant nurse manager, and clinical educator. These leadership positions often have higher salaries than bedside nursing. 

FAQ and Additional Readings

Q: Will my credits from my ADN degree transfer to the RN-BSN program? 

A: Most ADN class credits transfer to BSN programs. It is always a good idea to sit down with the admissions staff and discuss what will/will not transfer. Often, transferred credits can reduce the number of classes needed for graduation. 

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Related: 10 Best Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Programs in 2023

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Q: What if I don't have a Texas nursing license?

A: Most RN to BSN programs here require an unencumbered RN license from any state.  

Q: Do I have to actively work as a nurse to get my BSN degree?

A: No, as long as your RN license is in good standing with your state board of nursing, you don't have to work as an RN. Many nursing students do, however, choose to work part-time while obtaining their RN to BSN degree online.