For our 2024 rankings of prelicensure BSN programs, the research team at Nursing Schools Almanac compiled an extensive database of student performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Aspiring registered nurses in the United States must pass this examination before they may commence practice. Thus, student performance on the NCLEX-RN exam provides an excellent benchmark for comparing the relative quality of bachelor’s degree programs.
We used our database to calculate each program’s NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers. This is the standard program assessment metric reported by the Texas Board of Nursing and the test’s administrator, Pearson Vue. Whenever possible, we calculated this first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate over an extensive period of time, typically the past decade of student performance. We then used this metric to rank all of Texas’ prelicensure BSN programs accordingly.
#1: Texas A&M University Health Science Center
8447 Riverside Parkway
Bryan, TX 77807
https://health.tamu.edu
98.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 100 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#2: Texas State University
1555 University Boulevard
Round Rock, TX 78665
https://www.txstate.edu
98.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 86 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2020
#3: LeTourneau University
2100 South Mobberly Avenue
Longview, TX 75602
https://www.letu.edu
98.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 13 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2016 through 2020
#4: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
6901 Bertner Avenue, Suite 887
Houston, TX 77030
https://www.uth.edu
96.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 310 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#5: University of Houston
14000 University Boulevard
Sugar Land, TX 77479
https://www.uh.edu
95.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Accelerated Second Degree BSN
Average of 52 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#6: West Texas A&M University
2501 Fourth Avenue
Canyon, TX 79016
https://www.wtamu.edu
95.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 64 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#7: Baylor University
333 North Washington Avenue
Dallas, TX 75246
https://www.baylor.edu
94.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 201 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#8: Concordia University Texas
11400 Concordia University Drive
Austin, TX 78726
https://www.concordia.edu
94.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 58 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2020
#9: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
1114 Mechanic Street
Galveston, TX 77555
https://www.utmb.edu
94.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 293 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#10: University of the Incarnate Word
4301 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209
https://www.uiw.edu
94.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 71 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#11: University of Texas at Austin
1710 Red River Street
Austin, TX 78712
https://www.utexas.edu
94.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 125 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#12: Texas Woman’s University
301 Administration Drive
Denton, TX 76201
https://www.twu.edu
93.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 393 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#13: Texas Lutheran University
1000 West Court Street
Seguin, TX 78155
https://www.tlu.edu
93.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 20 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2016 through 2020
#14: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
3601 Fourth Street
Lubbock, TX 79430
https://www.ttuhsc.edu
93.5% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 353 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#15: Texas A&M University - Commerce
2200 Campbell Street
Commerce, TX 75428
https://www.tamuc.edu
93.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 30 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2015 through 2020
#16: Stephen F. Austin State University
5707 North Street, Suite 102
Nacogdoches, TX 75965
https://www.sfasu.edu
93.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 120 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#17: Sam Houston State University
3380 College Park Drive, Suite 400
The Woodlands, TX 77384
https://www.shsu.edu
93.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 74 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2013 through 2020
#18: East Texas Baptist University
One Tiger Drive
Marshall, TX 75670
https://www.etbu.edu
92.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 17 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#19: University of Texas at Tyler
3900 University Boulevard
Tyler, TX 75799
https://www.uttyler.edu
92.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 277 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#20: Texas A&M International University
5201 University Boulevard
Laredo, TX 78041
https://www.tamiu.edu
92.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 61 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#21: Chamberlain University - Pearland
12000 Shadow Creek Parkway
Pearland, TX 77584
https://www.chamberlain.edu
92.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 72 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2017 through 2020
#22: Lamar University
4400 South Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway
Beaumont, TX 77705
https://www.lamar.edu
91.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 109 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#23: Texas Christian University
2800 West Bowie Street
Fort Worth, TX 76109
https://www.tcu.edu
91.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 180 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#24: University of Texas at Arlington
411 South Nedderman Drive
Arlington, TX 76019
https://www.uta.edu
91.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 477 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#25: University of Texas at El Paso
500 West University Avenue
El Paso, TX 79968
https://www.utep.edu
91.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 229 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#26: Angelo State University
2601 West Avenue N
San Angelo, TX 76909
https://www.angelo.edu
90.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 55 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2013 through 2020
#27: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
San Antonio, TX 78229
https://www.uthscsa.edu
89.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 299 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#28: South University, Austin
1220 West Louis Henna Boulevard
Round Rock, TX 78681
https://www.southuniversity.edu
89.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 23 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2017 through 2020
#29: Abilene Christian University
1755 Campus Court
Abilene, TX 79601
https://www.acu.edu
88.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 50 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2015 through 2020
#30: Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio
7411 John Smith Drive, Suite 1400
San Antonio, TX 78229
https://www.galencollege.edu
87.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 41 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2020 through 2020
#31: Houston Baptist University
7502 Fondren Road
Houston, TX 77074
https://www.hbu.edu
87.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 67 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#32: West Coast University - Dallas
8435 North Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75247
https://www.westcoastuniversity.edu
87.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 138 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2014 through 2020
#33: Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Drive, Suite 5805
Corpus Christi, TX 78412
https://www.tamucc.edu
87.1% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 210 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#34: University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
900 College Street
Belton, TX 76513
https://www.umhb.edu
86.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 146 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#35: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
1201 West University Drive
Edinburg, TX 78539
https://www.utrgv.edu
86.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 121 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#36: Prairie View A&M University
6436 Fannin Street, Suite 1202
Houston, TX 77030
https://www.pvamu.edu
86.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 129 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#37: Chamberlain University - Irving
4800 Regent Boulevard
Irving, TX 75063
https://www.chamberlain.edu
85.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 61 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2018 through 2020
#38: Southwestern Adventist University
100 West Hillcrest Street
Keene, TX 76059
https://www.swau.edu
85.7% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 40 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#39: Western Governors University Texas
12515 Research Boulevard, Building Eight, Suite 250
Austin, TX 78759
https://www.wgu.edu/texas
85.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 32 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2012 through 2020
#40: Tarleton State University
1333 West Washington Street
Stephenville, TX 76401
https://www.tarleton.edu
84.6% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 127 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#41: University of St. Thomas
3800 Montrose Boulevard
Houston, TX 77006
https://www.stthom.edu
83.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 33 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2014 through 2020
#42: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
210 Rick Francis Street
El Paso, TX 79905
https://www.elpaso.ttuhsc.edu
83.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 83 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2013 through 2020
#43: Midwestern State University
3410 Taft Boulevard
Wichita Falls, TX 76308
https://www.msutexas.edu
82.4% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 133 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#44: Chamberlain University - Houston
11025 Equity Drive
Houston, TX 77041
https://www.chamberlain.edu
81.0% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 87 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2013 through 2020
#45: Schreiner University
2100 Memorial Boulevard
Kerrville, TX 78028
https://www.schreiner.edu
78.9% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 18 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2013 through 2020
#46: Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing
2149 Hickory Street
Abilene, TX 79601
https://www.phssn.edu
77.8% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 55 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020
#47: University of Texas Permian Basin
4901 East University Boulevard
Odessa, TX 79762
https://www.utpb.edu
76.2% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 39 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2015 through 2020
#48: Wayland Baptist University
1672 Independence Drive
New Braunfels, TX 78132
https://www.wbu.edu
74.3% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Average of 51 students graduated per year
Data analyzed from 2011 through 2020