Average net prices at the schools ranked here run from roughly $1,300 to about $29,100 a year. That gap is wide for programs that all end in the same BSN.
For a Texas RN working twelve-hour shifts, the harder problem is access. Earning the degree without cutting hours or driving to a campus rules out hybrid formats, so every program on this list is delivered fully online. Even so, practicum or clinical-hour requirements, start dates, and pacing still vary from school to school.
Those net prices are institution-wide averages for undergraduates, not RN to BSN quotes. Read them as a sign of how differently these schools price, and confirm the actual per-credit cost before you apply.
Best Fully Online RN to BSN Programs in Texas: Our 10-School Ranking
Every program in this ranking is built for nurses who cannot add a commute: coursework is delivered online, and none of the nine open programs requires hybrid or in-person class attendance. Entries are ordered by a mixed quality composite of program scale, graduate earnings, completion, and scheduling flexibility. Each card gives the campus city, an approximate average net price after aid for the institution, and a one-line read on who the program fits best.
How we ranked these
- Earnings ten years after entry
- Institution-wide graduation rates
- Program scale and completion counts
- Online flexibility and start frequency
- Approximate net price after aid
- Original research on individual programs
- NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
- College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- In-house program catalog data
Texas A&M University-Central Texas
#1Killeen, TX · under $5,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Budget-focused ADN nurses at a public university
Texas A&M University-Central Texas in Killeen is a public university built around transfer-friendly degree completion, and its CCNE-accredited RN to BSN runs fully online from the first course to the last. The 30-credit curriculum leans on health assessment, pathophysiology, community health, leadership, and evidence-based practice, with full-time and part-time pacing that lets nurses finish in as little as a calendar year. Small class sizes and hands-on faculty instruction make it a practical fit for ADN nurses who want a public-university degree without rearranging their work schedule.
- CCNE-accredited baccalaureate program
- 30 total credit hours
- Finish in as little as one calendar year
- Full-time and part-time options
- Fully online coursework
- Small class sizes with hands-on faculty instruction
- Prerequisite courses required
- Prepares for case management, nursing management, and hospice roles
Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio
#2San Antonio, TX · ~$29,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Working nurses wanting frequent start dates
Galen College of Nursing in San Antonio is a single-purpose nursing school, and its online RN to BSN is built for licensed nurses who need to keep earning while they study. Six start dates a year, a free application with no essays, and a 12 to 16 month full-time pace keep the process moving, while transfer credit review and free tutoring support nurses who have been out of a classroom for a while. The school's overall graduation rate is 81%.
- CCNE-accredited program
- Finish in 12 to 16 months full-time
- Six start dates per year
- Free application with no essays required
- Active, unencumbered RN license required
- Transfer credit review available
- Free tutoring from nursing educators
- Scholarships and federal student aid available
Texas State University
#3San Marcos, TX · ~$17,000/yr (est.)
Best for: ADN grads maximizing transfer credit
Texas State University in San Marcos recognizes 30 semester credit hours of prior nursing coursework, so ADN-prepared nurses enter its CCNE-accredited RN to BSN with a substantial head start. Eight-week terms, three starts a year, and conditional acceptance for ADN students in their final semester make it one of the more transfer-friendly paths in the state, and a clinical placement coordinator handles the practicum piece. The school's overall graduation rate is 55%.
- 30 semester credit hours recognized for prior nursing coursework
- Finish in as few as 10 months
- 8-week course terms
- Three start dates per year
- 2.5 GPA minimum to apply
- Conditional acceptance for ADN students in their final semester
- Clinical placement coordinator supports practicum placement
- CCNE-accredited program
The University of Texas at El Paso
#4El Paso, TX · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.)
The University of Texas at El Paso is a large public research university on the border, and its CCNE-accredited RN to BSN is delivered entirely online for nurses who already hold an associate degree. RN-only courses in clinical reasoning and leadership can be finished in as little as 2.5 semesters, and individualized academic advising keeps working nurses on track from the first term. The school's overall graduation rate is 50%.
- Finish in as little as 2.5 semesters
- All nursing courses delivered online
- RN-specific coursework builds on the associate degree
- Individual academic advisement throughout
- CCNE-accredited program
Sam Houston State University
#5Huntsville, TX · ~$16,000/yr (est.)
Sam Houston State University in Huntsville offers a fully online RN to BSN built on 10 courses, with 7.5-week sessions and fall, spring, and summer starts that let nurses finish in roughly a year. Joint admission agreements with partner community colleges smooth the move from ADN to BSN, and advisers are available in person or virtually, which matters for nurses in the region's smaller hospitals. The school's overall graduation rate is 55%.
- 10 courses, finish in as little as one year
- 7.5-week sessions for faster progress
- Starts in fall, spring, and summer
- Full-time and part-time study options
- 2.5 GPA minimum
- Joint admission with partner community colleges
- CCNE-accredited program
Texas A & M International University
#6Laredo, TX · $3,600/yr (est. net price)
Texas A&M International University in Laredo delivers its ACEN-accredited RN to BSN entirely online, with 32 credit hours spread across 10 courses and six start dates a year. Transfer credit is accepted generously, the application carries no fee, and a 12-month completion path suits nurses who want to move quickly without pausing their careers. The school's overall graduation rate is 46%.
- 32 credit hours across 10 courses
- Finish in as few as 12 months
- Six start dates per year
- No application fee
- 2.5 GPA minimum
- Up to 35 transfer credits awarded
- ACEN-accredited program
Texas Woman's University
#7Denton, TX · ~$12,000/yr (est.)
Texas Woman's University in Denton has one of the larger nursing footprints in the state, and its CCNE-accredited RN to BSN is 100% online with 7-week accelerated terms and rolling admissions. A capstone with a preceptor and clinical components folded into course projects mean nurses apply what they learn without leaving their jobs, and a 2.0 GPA minimum keeps the door open to a wide range of applicants. The school's overall graduation rate is 49%.
- 7-week accelerated course terms
- Rolling admissions with spring, summer, and fall starts
- 2.0 GPA minimum
- Capstone with a preceptor required
- Clinical components integrated into course projects
- Designed so nurses can keep working full time
- Priority deadlines: November 1, March 15, July 1
- CCNE-accredited program
West Texas A & M University
#8Canyon, TX · $15,000 – $20,000/yr (est.)
West Texas A&M University in Canyon has been educating nurses since 1978, and its CCNE-accredited RN to BSN is offered 100% online with multiple start terms through the year. The curriculum is aligned with AACN standards and emphasizes leadership, community health, and evidence-based practice, with scholarships and financial aid available for nurses paying their own way. The school's overall graduation rate is 55%.
- 100% online coursework
- Multiple start terms throughout the year
- Curriculum aligned with AACN standards
- CCNE-accredited program
- Scholarships and financial aid available
- Educating nurses since 1978
- Focus on rural and urban community health needs
Stephen F. Austin State University
#9Nacogdoches, TX · $14,000/yr (est. net price)
Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches keeps its ACEN-accredited RN to BSN to 30 credits and about a year, with a locked tuition rate and four start dates annually. Practicum hours are completed through virtual simulations and local projects, so there is no campus visit required beyond graduation, and a concurrent SONIC enrollment option lets ADN students get started early. The school's overall graduation rate is 53%.
- 30 credit hours, finish in about a year
- 100% online with no campus visits required
- Four start dates per year with rolling admissions
- Locked tuition rate
- Practicum hours through virtual simulations and local projects
- ACEN accredited and approved by the Texas Board of Nursing
- SONIC concurrent enrollment option for ADN students
- Courses accessible from mobile devices
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
#10Houston, TX
UTHealth Houston's Cizik School of Nursing offers an RN to BSN that pairs online lectures with an in-person community clinical project rather than running entirely remote, so it sits outside the fully online definition used above. New admissions to the RN to BSN are on hold beginning with fall 2026, and nurses should confirm current status before planning an application. The program has also offered an early decision route for ADN students at Houston Community College and Lone Star College and is approved by the Texas Board of Nursing.
- 31 total credit hours
- Finish in as little as eight months on the fast track
- Three start dates per year: fall, spring, summer
- Online lectures plus an in-person community clinical project
- CCNE accredited and approved by the Texas Board of Nursing
- Free tuition for qualifying students
- Early decision pathway for Houston Community College and Lone Star ADN students
Behind the List: How Programs Earned a Spot and Which Ones Have Paused Admissions
A program had to be fully online to be considered at all. Hybrid formats and anything requiring campus attendance were screened out before scoring began, so no school on this list expects you on site for class.
The programs that remained were compared on three things: affordability based on net price, the institution-wide graduation rate, and program-level earnings and debt wherever a school publishes them. Where a figure is not published, the program was judged on the rest.
Admission-Status Alert
Start calendars shift, and a strong ranking does not guarantee an open seat. Admission status varies by program for 2025-2026.
- UNT Health Fort Worth: The program page says it is no longer accepting applications. It still lists a June 15, 2026 deadline for Fall 2026 and a November 1, 2026 deadline for Spring 2027, but nothing confirms either cohort will open. Treat it as closed until the school says otherwise.
- Texas Woman's University: The online RN-BSN admits on a rolling basis, with deadlines of November 1, 2026 (Spring 2027), March 15, 2027 (Summer 2027), and July 1, 2027 (Fall 2027).1 The separate BSN Weekend/Evening program is not accepting applications, but that restriction is not stated to cover the online RN-BSN.
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center: It admits three times a year, and the Spring window runs August 15 to November 15.2 No specific 2027 class start date is published.
Limited or Term-Specific Starts
- UT Arlington: The next start is January 11, 2027 (apply by December 11, 2026), followed by March 29, 2027.3
- Texas State: Spring 2027 begins January 19, with an application deadline of January 4, 2027.
- South Texas College: It enrolls each Spring and Fall. The Spring 2027 application window runs October 26 to November 30, 2026, for a January 19, 2027 start.4
- Lamar University: It starts January 19, 2027 (apply by December 29, 2026), with a Spring 2 start on March 22, 2027.5
These are published milestones, not proof of uninterrupted admission. Before you build a plan around any of them, confirm the next start date and deadline directly with admissions.
Texas RN to BSN Cost Comparison: Tuition per Credit, Fees, and Net Price
Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), and Laredo College post the lowest average net prices after aid among the fully online options. Those net prices are approximate institution-wide figures for all undergraduates, not RN to BSN quotes, so read them alongside each program's published per-credit rate. For a realistic total, multiply roughly 30 upper-division credits by the per-credit rate, then add technology fees, background checks, any missing prerequisite or general-education courses, books, and graduation fees, which most published program prices leave out. Credit for your RN license is often awarded through transfer rather than billed as coursework, and out-of-state students pay much more (TAMIU lists $794 per credit for nonresidents), so ask each school whether its online rate depends on residency.
| School | Program credits | Per-credit tuition | Published program cost | Annual in-state tuition and fees (institution-wide) | Avg. net price after aid (approx., institution-wide) | What the price leaves out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M University-Central Texas | 30 | N/A | N/A | $7,363 | $1,300 | Prerequisite courses required; confirm fees with the school |
| Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) | 32 | $281 | $8,995 | $7,894 | $3,637 | School says fees are included and there is no application fee; the degree still requires 120 total hours, including 53 general-education hours |
| Laredo College | 33 | N/A | N/A | $3,300 | $5,798 | Prerequisite courses required; confirm fees with the school |
| UT Arlington | 35 | $257 | $8,995 | N/A | N/A | Covers nursing courses only; general-education, core, and leveling credits and books are extra |
| UT Tyler | 30 | $329.83 | $9,895 (flat in-state) | N/A | N/A | Excludes orientation, transfer-student engagement, textbooks, and materials |
| Texas State University | 30 | $407 | $12,210 | N/A | N/A | BookSmart fees added automatically (opt-out allowed by term start); rates can change by legislative or Regents action |
| UNT Health Fort Worth (not accepting applications) | 30 | $446.48 to $484.77 | $13,394.34 to $14,543.18 | N/A | N/A | Includes in-person clinicals; the school does not explain the price range |
Texas by City
Explore other Texas related topics
How Long Does an Online RN to BSN Take in Texas? The Fastest Options and the 6-Month Myth
Most working nurses look for speed first, but the fastest timeline is rarely the easiest to finish while holding down shifts. Published Texas timelines show the actual range.
Realistic Timelines
Most full-time paths land between about 10 and 15 months. Tarleton State says 10 to 15 months, with a new start every 8 weeks. UT Tyler advertises as little as 12 months using two 7-week sessions per semester, and Texas A&M University-Central Texas also says as little as one calendar year.1 Texas A&M University lists an average of 1 to 2 years for most graduates.2 Laredo College describes three semesters,3 and UT Permian Basin's 30-credit program is advertised as under a year.
TTUHSC is two semesters full time or three part time, but requirements must be finished within 16 months.4 Texas State is the slow end by design: it gives students up to 3 years and awards 30 credits for an ADN from a regionally accredited college.
The Fastest Texas Options
UT Arlington's 35-credit program, built on 8-week courses, advertises as few as 9 months for January or February starts, depending on transferred courses.5 Other start dates run as few as 10 months. East Texas A&M offers competency-based coursework in 7-week terms, six per year, though a standard completion time is not published.
The 6-Month Myth
No Texas university program here advertises 6 months, and UTA's 9 months is the fastest published claim. When a 6-month RN to BSN shows up, it usually depends on heavy transfer credit, a competency-based model, or an out-of-state provider. The tradeoff is usually a compressed, test-out style workload that leaves less room for coursework alongside full-time shifts, and you still need to verify the program's accreditation (CCNE, as with UTA and UTPB) and whether it is approved for Texas students.
What Speeds Up Your Timeline
- Finished prerequisites: Arriving with general education and science courses done keeps you out of extra terms.
- Transferable ADN credits: Programs that award block credit, such as Texas State's 30, reduce what remains.
- Year-round enrollment: Frequent starts and short terms let you begin and keep moving without waiting for a fall cohort.
From ADN to BSN Online: The Typical Path in Texas
Most Texas RN to BSN programs follow the same basic sequence, whether you finished an ADN last spring or a decade ago. The five stages below show how a working nurse moves from licensure to a bachelor's degree. Credit totals, transfer limits, and practicum formats vary by school, so confirm each program's specific numbers before you apply.
Getting in: GPA Minimums, Prerequisites, and Transfer Credit Rules
Admission to a Texas online RN to BSN is fairly accessible, but the details vary by school. Check these items before you apply.
- Active, unencumbered RN license (or a clear NCLEX path)Most programs expect a current RN license in good standing. Some leave room for new graduates. UT Arlington waives its license checklist for ADN graduates from the past year. San Jacinto College may conditionally admit ADN graduates pending NCLEX. Sam Houston State's online track requires NCLEX eligibility or a passing result.
- Minimum GPA, usually 2.5A 2.5 minimum is standard at schools such as Texas A&M, TAMIU, and UNT Health Science Center. UT Arlington sets 2.25, and Lamar may conditionally admit applicants with a 2.4 to 2.49. The GPA basis also differs. TAMIU uses cumulative GPA, while Texas A&M requires 2.5 both overall and in ADN nursing courses.
- Core Curriculum and prerequisitesExpect C-or-better grades in prerequisites. Timing rules differ. TTUHSC El Paso requires 84 of 90 prerequisite credits at application and all of them before your first nursing course. Collin College lets you apply within 6 to 8 credits of the core, provided you finish before upper-division nursing.
- Transfer and ADN creditTexas has no statewide block credit for the RN license. UT Arlington awards up to 29 hours from ADN or diploma coursework but excludes D grades and developmental classes. Lamar grants 31 hours for associate nursing courses.
- Out-of-state and compact licensesTAMIU and San Jacinto require a Texas RN license. Collin accepts Texas or eNLC licenses, and Sam Houston State accepts Texas or multistate licenses. UNT Health Science Center reviews out-of-state applicants case by case. Since September 21, 2026, Lamar's online track admits only Texas residents.
Texas RN Licensure and Program Approval for Online Students
Texas RN Pay at a Glance
Earning a BSN can widen your options, but it helps to know where Texas RN pay stands today.
More Fully Online Texas RN to BSN Programs to Consider
The programs below are presented as a non-ranked directory rather than a ranking. All are online RN to BSN options in Texas, but some include practicum or preceptor requirements. Confirm current start dates, transfer policies, and clinical rules directly with each school.
West Texas
- Bachelors of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN Bridge)
- Online RN to BSN
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)
- R.N. to B.S.N.
North Texas
- RN to BSN
- RN Transition Program
- Nursing (RN-to-BSN)
- RN to BSN
DFW Metroplex
- R.N. to B.S. in Nursing
- RN-to-BSN
Greater Houston
- Bachelor of Science, RN-BSN
- RN-BSN Option
Southeast Texas
- RN to BSN
Coastal Bend
- RN to BSN program
Austin Area
- Online RN to BSN