Online RN to BSN Programs in Texas

Best RN to BSN Online Programs in Texas

1. University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 31
• Length: 2 Semesters (Full-Time); 3-5 Semesters (Part-Time)
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: No

UTHealth’s 100% Online RN to BSN comes to you courtesy of the Cizik School of Nursing. It’s a school with an excellent national reputation, great scholarships, strong student reviews, and all kinds of useful ties to Houston healthcare systems. So it’s no wonder that the Online RN to BSN has a practical feel. You can take all of your courses through distance learning. You’ll be able to complete your clinical Community Health Project in your home area. And you have the option to transition into UTHealth’s BSN to DNP Nurse Anesthesia or BSN to DNP Nurse Practitioner pathways.

2. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Length: 2 Semesters (Full-Time); 3-6 Semesters (Part-Time)
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes

TTUHSC is a worthy rival to UTHealth—even the in-state tuition prices are similar! The School of Nursing is an NLN Center of Excellence with superb NCLEX pass rates and a 100% Online RN to BSN that’s built for convenience. There are no mandatory log-in times and you can choose a full-time or part-time schedule. The curriculum has intriguing courses and mentor-led fieldwork. Plus there are plenty of options for RN to BSN students who are interested in transitioning into graduate work.

3. Texas Woman’s University

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 32
• Length: 3 Semesters
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes

TWU’s 100% Online RN to BSN may be pricier than other programs in our Best rankings (especially for out-of-state students), but it still has plenty to recommend it! The College of Nursing earns strong national rankings for its online graduate programs. It has close ties to the Texas Medical Center. And it has a great local reputation—employers will know the name. You can start the Online RN to BSN in any semester and complete clinical work with a preceptor in your home community.

4. The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

• Program: Online RN-BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Length: 2 Semesters
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes

Want to get your BSN done & dusted? UTMB’s streamlined Online RN-BSN is a great choice. This 10-course, 2-semester program is offered by a School of Nursing with excellent NCLEX pass rates, strong employment rates (90%), solid rankings for its online graduate programs (especially for veterans), and a reputation for diversity. As a UTMB student, you’ll also be affiliated with a public academic health science center that has close connections to four on-site hospitals. All RN to BSN students begin with a 2-day, on-campus Orientation and Virtual Live Q&A sessions.

5. The University of Texas at Arlington

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 35
• Length: 9-10 Months or More
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes—Check State Authorization

UTA’s 100% Online RN to BSN is studded with quality markers. It comes from a College of Nursing and Health Innovation (CONHI) that’s an NLN Center of Excellence. It’s affordable for in-state and out-of-state students. And it’s super-convenient. You can plan your own timetable using UTA’s sample schedules & start dates and complete your RN to BSN clinicals in the workplace. If you live outside of Texas, check the State Authorization section to ensure you’re eligible to apply (UTA only has a few state exceptions).

Cheapest RN to BSN Online Programs in Texas

In Texas public universities, average prices for Online RN to BSN programs hover around the $9,000-$10,000 mark. But the top 3 schools in our affordable TX rankings fall under $8,500 for Texas residents, with all fees included! In certain cases (e.g. WTAMU), out-of-state prices can be higher. And if you need to make up any prerequisites, costs will go up.

Note: Before you apply for any Online RN to BSN at a public university in Texas, ask for a sample budget! In addition to the standard per credit tuition rate, many TX schools will charge differential fees for College of Nursing courses and mandatory fees for university services. You deserve to have the full financial picture.

1. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 27
• Affordable Pick for Out-of-State: Yes
• Cost Info: Tuition & Fees

UTRGV is admirably straightforward about tuition costs for its Online RN to BSN. The affordable per credit rate is the same for in-state and out-of-state students, there are no hidden fees, and financial aid is available. At this public university, you won’t be paying much more than the Cheapest Online RN to BSN Programs in the country. View the calendar to explore start dates—the program takes around 12 months to complete.

2. Southwestern Adventist University

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Affordable Pick for Out-of-State: Yes
• Cost Info: Tuition & Fees

SWAU is the most affordable private university in our Cheapest Texas rankings, with a total price—including the clinical course fee—that’s only a bit more than UTRGV. Because it’s private, tuition is the same for in-state and out-of-state students. You can start the Online RN to BSN in the fall, spring, or summer and finish it off in just 10 months. SWAU is a Christian school, so bear in mind that you will need to have a couple of cognate courses/prerequisites in Religion.

3. Weatherford College

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 29
• Affordable Pick for Out-of-State: Yes
• Cost Info: Tuition & Fees

WC lays out the prices for its ACEN-accredited Online RN to BSN in the comprehensive section on RN to BSN Approximate Cost Info. For our ranking calculations, we used the out-of-district rate for TX residents. But tuition for in-district residents (Parker County) and Wise County students will be lower! And even the out-of-state rate is pretty reasonable.

4. West Texas A&M University

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Affordable Pick for Out-of-State: Yes
• Cost Info: Tuition & Fees

WTAMU’s Online RN to BSN hits our list thanks to a “special scholarship/discount” for each RN to BSN course. Texas students who can finish the program in one year will be paying under $8,500. Northwest Texas Healthcare System employees pay even less! Check with the RN to BSN program coordinator to ensure all tuition breaks are still in play.

Fastest Online RN to BSN Programs in Texas

Interested in getting your Texas RN to BSN finished in less than one year? Have a look at these accelerated programs! You’ll be able to earn your Texas BSN in under 3 semesters, but you will need to commit to full-time study.

1. Midwestern State University Texas

• Program: Online RN Transition (BSN)
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Length: 2 Semesters
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: No

On a full-time schedule, MSU Texas’s 100% Online RN Transition (BSN) can be completed in 2 or 3 semesters. Part-time study takes 4 semesters. You’ll be required to complete 30 credits in total, including 3 credits in an advanced elective, community-based clinicals, and a capstone project. Check out the dual ADN/RN-BSN enrollment programs with local community colleges.

2. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Length: 2 Semesters (Full-Time); 3-6 Semesters (Part-Time)
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes

If you opt for full-time study, you can get TTUHSC’s 30-credit Online RN to BSN finished in 2 semesters/8 months. But you’ll need to complete 6 courses in the first semester (one course is not-for-credit) and 6 courses in the second semester, including an elective. Coursework is 100% online and asynchronous (no log-in times), but some credits will involve clinical hours or fieldwork.

3. University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 31
• Length: 2 Semesters (Full-Time); 3-5 Semesters (Part-Time)
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: No

On a full-time plan of study, UTHealth’s 31-credit Online RN to BSN only takes 2 semesters, with 5 courses per 16-week semester. You’ll be expected to tackle a Community Health practicum in the second semester, but you can complete this project in your home area. To get a better sense of your time commitments, view the Sample Curriculum Plans.

4. Texas State University

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Length: 2 Semesters
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes

You can build your own schedule with TSU’s 30-credit Online RN to BSN. Semesters at TSU are 16-weeks long, split into two 8-week sessions. So we’re estimating a full-time plan of study would take around 2 Semesters/8 months. Most of the coursework is online, but there are clinical components for the courses in Health Assessment (e.g. labs) and Community-Based Nursing (e.g. fieldwork in a community setting).

5. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

• Program: Online RN-BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Length: 2 Semesters
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes

UTMB’s 30-credit Online RN-BSN operates on a fixed 2 semester/8 month schedule—you’ll take 6 courses in the fall semester and 4 courses in the spring semester. Almost all of the coursework is online with the exception of a 2-day, on-campus orientation. During the second semester, you’ll also be implementing projects in your own healthcare setting.

6. Abilene Christian University

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 28
• Length: 8 Months
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes

ACU’s 100% Online RN to BSN is a program with a faith-based outlook. On a full-time schedule, RN to BSN students with all of their prerequisites in hand can finish in 8 months. The 28-credit program consists of 10 courses, including practicums in Leadership & Management and Community & Populations Health. Each course is 7 weeks in length.

7. University of Texas at Arlington

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 35
• Length: 9-10 Months or More
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes—Check State Authorization

At a push, UTA’s 35-credit Online RN to BSN will take 9 months—view the sample schedules to get a sense of how this calendar would play out. Nursing courses are 5 weeks long and the capstone is 7 weeks. RNs are allowed to take two nursing courses at the same time (excluding NURS 3345 and NURS 4685), but UTA doesn’t usually recommend it.

8. Houston Baptist University

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Length: ~9 Months
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes

On its website, HBU states that the 100% Online RN to BSN can be completed in as little as 9 months. HBU uses a Competency-based Education (CBE) model and courses are self-paced, so you may be able to finish this degree more quickly—check with the RN to BSN program coordinator. Each term is 8 weeks in length.

9. Southwestern Adventist University

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Length: 10 Months
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: Yes

In addition to being affordable, SWAU’s 30-credit Online RN to BSN is fast. You can start this program in the fall, spring, or summer semester—courses are run on 8-week modules—and finish it off in 10 months. As we mentioned, SWAU is a Christian school. That means you may also need to complete a couple of cognate courses/prerequisites in Religion.

10. Tarleton State University

• Program: Online RN to BSN
• RN to BSN Credits: 30
• Length: 10 Months
• Accepts Out-of-State RNs: No

Tarleton’s Online RN to BSN can be completed on a full-time basis (10 months) or part-time basis (18 months) starting in the spring, summer or fall. On the 10-month schedule, you’d take 2 courses every 8 weeks. Some of the courses will have clinicals/labs that involve experiential learning and a leadership practicum. The university also has a 6-month co-enrollment option with Tarrant Community College.

RN to BSN Scholarships in Texas

RN to BSN Requirements in Texas

RN Licensure: RN to BSN degrees are post-licensure programs, so you won’t have many encounters with the Texas Board of Nursing unless you are in the process of earning your RN. Some schools may allow you to enter the RN to BSN before you pass the NCLEX exam.

• However, you can do a quick check on the quality of a College of Nursing by looking at its NCLEX pass rates for traditional, 4-year BSN programs.
• Any Texas college or school with consistently high percentages (e.g. TAMU) is worth considering.

State Authorization: Do you live outside of Texas? Before you apply to any Online RN to BSN program in the state, read the admissions requirements and any fine print on state authorization (e.g. UTEP’s State Authorization section). In some cases, your state may not be authorized. And a few Texas schools simply won’t accept out-of-state Online RN to BSN students (e.g. UTHealth, TAMIU, etc.).

Texas Online RN to BSN Programs: FAQs

Do Any Texas Universities Offer 100% Online RN to BSN Programs?

You bet. In fact, many of the Best, Fastest, and Most Affordable Online RN to BSN programs in Texas fall into this category, with no campus requirements whatsoever! COVID-19 has also caused a shake-up—a number of Hybrid RN to BSN programs have switched to being 100% online. These kinds of changes could become permanent going forward.

Are There RN to BSN to MSN Programs in Texas?

Yes. Although most Online RN to MSN Programs in Texas are accelerated, with no option to exit with a BSN, there are exceptions. If you need both degrees on your résumé for employment reasons, then you have a few options:

• WTAMU has an accelerated RN to MSN that reduces the number of required RN to BSN courses from 30 to 21 for RN to MSN admission eligibility. Once you finish both degrees, a BSN and an MSN will be awarded.
• UTMB has a special RN-BSN-MSN Dual Application for RNs with at least one year of work experience. In this scenario, you would begin your MSN studies in a leadership track immediately after obtaining a BSN.

Are There Any “No Clinicals Required” RN to BSN Programs in Texas?

If there are, we recommend you avoid them! Because of accreditation rules, ACEN- and CCNE-accredited Texas Online RN to BSN programs almost always include clinical practicums/fieldwork for coursework in Community Nursing, Nursing Leadership, and (occasionally) Health Assessment. In 100% Online RN to BSN programs, you can usually tackle these practicums in your place of work & local community.

Is Statistics Required for Applying to RN to BSN Programs in Texas?

Not always. Check the list of “Prerequisites” under the Admissions Requirements to discover what credits you need to have in hand. Even if you don’t have certain prerequisites, you can often take them as “co-requisites” while you are tacking your Online RN to BSN.

One thing to note—a few Schools of Nursing in Texas are upper division nursing schools (e.g. UTMB). If that’s the case, you will need to attend a community college or another university to complete lower-level prerequisites.

I’m Out-of-State—Can I Apply for Texas Online RN to BSN Programs?

Absolutely. However, you should read the Admissions Requirements and State Authorizations sections carefully.

• Due to distance learning regulations, some Texas schools cannot accept Online RN to BSN students from certain states.
• And a few universities will only accept Online RN to BSN applicants with a Texas RN license.

If you’re in any doubt about your eligibility, check with the RN to BSN program coordinator.