Top Nursing Schools in Texas
This page lists 127 schools in Texas that reported awards in licensed nursing education to the U.S. Department of Education for 2023-24 — including 64 practical/vocational nursing (LPN/LVN), 59 associate degree (ADN), 75 bachelor's (BSN), 32 master's and 13 Doctor of Nursing Practice award levels. By ownership, 85 public, 26 private nonprofit and 16 private for-profit. 85 appear in the CCNE or ACEN accreditor directories for at least one nursing program level. The largest concentrations are in Houston (11), San Antonio (9), El Paso (5) and Austin (4).
Data last reviewed: October 6, 2026
Sources: IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education) / CCNE directory / ACEN directory / official school websites
Listing does not certify educational quality or guarantee licensure eligibility. Verify details with the school before applying.
Listed alphabetically. Inclusion is editorial selection, not a ranking — see our methodology. How schools are selected
Schools (127)
| School | Location | Ownership | Nursing awards / programs | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | Public | BSN, MSN, MSN-CNS, MSN-FNP, Grad Cert, Grad Cert-FNP, PhD | CCNE |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, TX | Public | BSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-Leadership, Grad Cert-PMHNP, Post-Master's-FNP, PhD | CCNE |
| The University of Texas at Tyler | Tyler, TX | Public | BSN, RN-BSN, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-Leadership, MSN-PMHNP, Grad Cert, Grad Cert-FNP, Grad Cert-PMHNP, DNP-AGACNP, DNP-CRNA, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, PhD | CCNE, COA |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | Houston, TX | Public | BSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-Leadership, DNP-FNP, PhD, PhD-CRNA | CCNE |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | San Antonio, TX | Public | BSN, Post-Master's, PhD, PhD-FNP | CCNE |
| The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston | Galveston, TX | Public | BSN, MSN-CNL, MSN-FNP, MSN-Leadership, Post-Master's, Post-Master's-FNP, PhD | CCNE |
| The University of Texas Permian Basin | Odessa, TX | Public | BSN | CCNE |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, TX | Public | BSN, MSN-FNP, Post-Master's-FNP, DNP | CCNE |
| The Vocational Nursing Institute Inc | Houston, TX | Private nonprofit | LPN/LVN | — |
| Trinity Valley Community College | Athens, TX | Public | CNA, RN Diploma, ADN, BSN | ACEN |
| Tyler Junior College | Tyler, TX | Public | LPN/LVN, ADN | — |
| University of Houston | Houston, TX | Public | BSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-Leadership, PhD | CCNE |
| University of Houston-Clear Lake | Houston, TX | Public | BSN | ACEN |
| University of Houston-Downtown | Houston, TX | Public | BSN | CCNE |
| University of Houston-Victoria | Victoria, TX | Public | BSN | CCNE |
| University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Belton, TX | Private nonprofit | BSN | CCNE |
| University of St Thomas | Houston, TX | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, Post-Master's-PMHNP, DNP | — |
| University of the Incarnate Word | San Antonio, TX | Private nonprofit | BSN, DNP-FNP, DNP-PMHNP | CCNE |
| Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies | Weslaco, TX | Private nonprofit | CNA, LPN/LVN | — |
| Vernon College | Vernon, TX | Public | LPN/LVN, ADN | ACEN (candidate) |
Before you apply in Texas
- Prelicensure nursing programs must be approved by the state's board of nursing. Check the board's current list for the campus you will attend.
- Program accreditation (CCNE, ACEN or CNEA) is separate from state approval and from the institution's own accreditation. Each school page shows which records we found and where.
- Online programs based in another state may not accept residents of Texas. See online coursework and clinical requirements.