Texas calls the credential LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) rather than LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse). The training, scope of practice, and licensing exam are the same nationwide – only the name differs, a holdover from how Texas and California structured their nurse practice acts decades ago. If you searched for “LPN programs Texas,” you’re in the right place; every program listed here trains and licenses you as an LVN.
Texas runs one of the largest LVN pipelines in the country, with more than 80 Texas Board of Nursing-approved vocational nursing programs statewide, concentrated at community colleges and technical schools in the Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin metro areas.
Fast-scan: LPN/LVN programs in Texas
| Detail | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Program length | 11–12 months full-time (some part-time tracks run 18–21 months) |
| Program type | Certificate, not a degree |
| Approved programs statewide | 80+ (Texas Board of Nursing list) |
| Community college tuition | $4,000–$15,000 total |
| Vocational/technical school tuition | $7,000–$20,000 total |
| Licensing exam | NCLEX-PN |
| Initial license fee | $75 licensure-by-examination fee, NJE included (Texas Board of Nursing), plus a $200 fingerprint/criminal background check |
| Median annual LVN wage in Texas | $62,240 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), against a $64,400 national median |
LVN vs LPN: why Texas uses a different name
Every state except Texas and California uses the title Licensed Practical Nurse. Those two states use Licensed Vocational Nurse for the identical scope of practice. The training requirements, the licensing exam (NCLEX-PN), and the day-to-day job are the same as LPN anywhere else in the country. If you’re comparing Texas programs against out-of-state LPN programs, treat “LVN” and “LPN” as interchangeable terms for the same credential.
Where to find LVN programs in Texas
The Texas Board of Nursing (TX BON) maintains the official list of approved vocational nursing programs, and only graduates of an approved program are eligible to sit the NCLEX-PN or hold a Texas LVN license. Before enrolling anywhere, confirm the specific campus and program you’re considering appears on the BON’s current approved list – the list changes as programs open, close, or lose approval.
Major public options by metro area:
- Houston: Houston Community College and Lone Star College both run LVN certificate programs, including CNA-to-LVN bridge tracks for students who already hold nursing assistant certification. Alvin Community College, in the greater Houston area, is a lower-cost option with published tuition in the $7,000–$9,300 range.
- Dallas-Fort Worth: Dallas College operates a vocational nursing program built around two 16-week fall/spring semesters plus two 5-week summer semesters, combining campus coursework with clinical rotations at partner facilities.
- San Antonio: St. Philip’s College is one of the oldest and largest nursing programs in the state and includes an LVN track. Victoria College, in the wider San Antonio/Gulf Coast region, publishes a one-year program with total tuition in the $10,800–$15,400 range.
- Austin: Austin Community College holds ACEN accreditation for its vocational nursing program and is a Texas-approved LVN education program under the BON.
This is a starting point, not a full directory. For a complete list of accredited nursing schools across all Texas program levels, see our directory of accredited nursing schools in Texas.
How long Texas LVN programs take
Most Texas LVN programs run 11 to 12 months full-time, which lines up with the national pattern for genuine one-year LPN tracks. Community college programs sometimes extend this if prerequisite coursework is required before the nursing phase begins – ask each program directly whether the 12-month figure covers your full timeline from application or only the nursing curriculum itself. For a deeper breakdown of how “1 year” programs can hide extra prerequisite time nationwide, see our 1-year LPN programs guide.
Part-time and evening/weekend formats exist at several Texas community colleges and typically extend the timeline to 18–21 months. Dallas College’s structure, with two summer terms built into the schedule, is a common pattern among Texas programs that compress the calendar rather than stretching it.
Cost of LVN programs in Texas
Texas LVN tuition varies significantly by institution type and residency status:
| Program type | Typical total cost |
|---|---|
| Public community college (in-district resident) | $4,000–$9,000 |
| Public community college (out-of-district or out-of-state) | $9,000–$15,000 |
| Vocational/technical or for-profit school | $7,000–$20,000 |
Community college tuition in Texas is set per credit hour by the local taxing district, so a program can cost significantly more for students who live outside the district or outside Texas. Houston Community College, for example, publishes three separate per-credit rates for in-district, in-state, and out-of-state students. Always check a specific program’s published rate for your residency status rather than assuming a statewide average applies.
These figures cover tuition and fees only. Budget an additional $1,500–$3,500 for textbooks, uniforms, liability insurance, and immunizations, plus roughly $475 in licensing costs: the $75 Texas BON examination fee, the $200 fingerprint submission, and the $200 NCLEX-PN registration fee paid to Pearson VUE.
Texas Board of Nursing requirements for LVN licensure
To practice as an LVN in Texas, you must:
- Graduate from a TX BON-approved vocational nursing program. Only approved-program graduates are eligible for the NCLEX-PN or for endorsement into Texas from another state.
- Pass a criminal background check with fingerprints, processed through the BON’s approved Live Scan vendor. The fingerprint submission costs $200 and is a one-time requirement – if you already submitted fingerprints to the TX BON as a student or for a previous application, you don’t resubmit.
- Apply for licensure by examination through the BON and pay the $75 examination fee, which includes the Nursing Jurisprudence Examination (NJE) fee.
- Pass the Nursing Jurisprudence Examination, a Texas-specific open-book exam on state nursing law and BON rules, separate from the NCLEX-PN.
- Register with Pearson VUE and pay the NCLEX-PN exam fee of $200 directly to Pearson, separate from the BON application fee. NCSBN has announced an increase to $350 effective February 1, 2027, so students graduating near that date should register before it.
- Pass the NCLEX-PN. Once the BON confirms your eligibility, Pearson VUE issues an Authorization to Test (ATT), and you schedule your exam date.
Budget roughly $275 in Texas Board of Nursing costs ($75 examination fee plus the $200 fingerprint submission) on top of the $200 NCLEX-PN registration fee paid to Pearson VUE.
One timeline detail worth knowing before you enroll: if you don’t pass the NCLEX-PN within four years of your graduation date, Texas requires you to complete another BON-approved nursing education program before you’re eligible to test again. This is rarely a practical concern for students who test soon after graduating, but it matters if you’re planning a long gap between finishing coursework and sitting the exam.
Texas is a Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) member state. A Texas LVN license is a multistate license for residents, which means you can practice in any other NLC-member state without applying for a separate license – a meaningful advantage if you expect to relocate after licensure.
LVN admission requirements in Texas
Texas LVN programs follow the general LPN admission pattern used nationwide, with the addition of a standardized entrance exam requirement at most schools:
- High school diploma or GED
- Minimum GPA, typically 2.0–2.5 depending on the program
- HESI A2 or TEAS entrance exam – Texas programs most commonly require one of these two
- Criminal background check and drug screen
- Current immunization records (MMR, varicella, Hepatitis B, TB test)
- CPR certification (BLS for Healthcare Providers)
For a full breakdown of what LPN programs look for nationally, including how to prepare for entrance exams and what to do if you don’t meet requirements yet, see our LPN program requirements guide.
How Texas LVN candidates perform on the NCLEX-PN
Texas is one of the strongest NCLEX-PN states in the country. NCSBN’s 2025 examination statistics put the first-time, US-educated pass rate for Texas candidates at 91.9% (3,899 of 4,244), more than five points above the national figure of 86.6% and the highest among the large states covered in this series. Texas tested the second-largest cohort of first-time candidates in the country in 2025, behind only California’s 9,136 – so this is a high rate sustained across real volume rather than a small-sample result. For comparison, California’s own first-time pass rate was 80.9%, Ohio’s 82.5%, and Florida’s 78.6%. Program-level rates still vary, so ask any program you’re considering for its own most recent pass rate rather than relying on the state average.
LVN to RN: the common next step
The LVN-to-RN bridge is a well-worn path in Texas. Graduate the LVN program, work for a period (commonly one to two years, though some bridge programs accept new LVN graduates directly), then enter an LVN-to-RN bridge track that credits your prior nursing education and clinical hours. This typically shortens the ADN requirement to roughly 12–15 additional months instead of a full two-year program built from scratch.
If you’re weighing whether to start at LVN or go straight for an ADN, see our full Texas nursing school guide for a side-by-side comparison of every credential level available in the state, or our national LPN-to-RN bridge programs guide for how the bridge process works outside Texas.
What Texas LVNs earn
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey reported a median annual wage of $62,240 for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in Texas as of May 2025, or $29.92 per hour – modestly below the national LPN/LVN median of $64,400. The Texas spread runs from $48,910 at the 10th percentile to $76,140 at the 90th, with the middle half of the workforce earning between $57,110 and $68,410.
Texas metro wages cluster tightly around the state figure rather than spreading widely: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos reports the highest median among the major metros at $64,580, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington at $64,370, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands at $63,670, and San Antonio-New Braunfels at $62,280. All four sit at or near the national median, so the choice between Texas metros is driven more by cost of living and program access than by pay. Texas remains one of the largest LVN employers in the country, with steady demand across long-term care, home health, physician offices, and school health settings statewide.
Texas has no state income tax, which offsets some of the wage gap relative to higher-paying states in practical take-home terms, and the lower cost of living in most Texas metro areas outside Austin stretches an LVN salary further than the raw wage comparison suggests.
Frequently asked questions
Is LPN the same as LVN in Texas?
Yes. Texas and California use the title Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) for the same credential most states call Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The scope of practice, training requirements, and licensing exam (NCLEX-PN) are identical.
How long does it take to become an LVN in Texas?
Most Texas LVN programs run 11 to 12 months full-time. Part-time and evening/weekend formats extend the timeline to roughly 18–21 months. Confirm with any specific program whether that timeline includes prerequisite coursework or only the nursing curriculum itself.
How much does LVN school cost in Texas?
Public community college programs typically run $4,000–$15,000 depending on residency status and district. Vocational and technical school programs run $7,000–$20,000. Add $1,500–$3,500 for books, uniforms, immunizations, and exam fees at any program type.
Do Texas LVN programs require the TEAS or HESI exam?
Most do. Texas programs most commonly require the HESI A2 or the ATI TEAS, with passing thresholds generally lower than those set for RN program admission.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (SOC 29-2061), May 2025.” National median annual wage $64,400. Accessed via O*NET OnLine: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2061.00
- O*NET OnLine. “Local Salary Info: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses, Texas (May 2025 OEWS).” Texas median $62,240; state and metro percentile data. https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/29-2061.00?st=TX
- Texas Board of Nursing. “Schedule of Fees” — 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 223.1. Examination fee $75 (NJE included). https://www.bon.texas.gov/forms_fees.asp.html
- Texas Board of Nursing. “Licensure — Examination Information” — fingerprint/criminal background check requirement and cost, and the four-year NCLEX eligibility rule. https://www.bon.texas.gov/licensure_examination.asp.html
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing. “2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics,” Research Brief Vol. 96, June 2026. Table 14, first-time US-educated NCLEX-PN candidates by jurisdiction. https://www.ncsbn.org/public-files/2025_NCLEXExamStats_Final.pdf
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing. “NCLEX Fees and Payment” — current $200 registration fee and the announced increase to $350 effective February 1, 2027. https://www.nclex.com/fees-payment.page
- Texas Board of Nursing. “Nursing Education Programs” — official list of BON-approved vocational nursing education programs. https://www.bon.texas.gov/education_programs.asp.html
- Texas Board of Nursing. “Education Dashboard” — program-level NCLEX pass rates for Texas nursing education programs. https://www.bon.texas.gov/education_school_resultsDashboard.asp.html
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Outlook Handbook: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses” — national employment projections. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/licensed-practical-and-licensed-vocational-nurses.htm