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Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Texas

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2023 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Texas

53 Colleges
$57,601 Avg Salary
$21,889 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Nursing Associate Degree School for You

Out of the majors we analyze each year, nursing was the most popular one in Texas. In total, 21,862 people earned a degree or certificate in the field from a school in Texas.

There are so many nursing programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.

The Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Texas ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 53 schools in Texas to see which associate degree programs offered the best educational experiences for nursing students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school is, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Texas

The following schools top our list of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Colleges.

Top 10 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools

Our analysis found Baptist Health System School of Health Professions to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a associate degree in Texas. Baptist Health System School of Health Professions is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of San Antonio.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Baptist Health System School of Health Professions take out while working on their Associate Degree is $27,515. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $110, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Nursing at Baptist Health System School of Health Professions Report

Out of the 53 schools in Texas that were part of this year’s ranking, Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the large city of San Antonio, Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio take out while working on their Associate Degree is $35,636. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $111, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Nursing at Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio Report

#3

South Texas College

McAllen, TX

The excellent associate degree programs at South Texas College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in Texas. South Texas College is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of McAllen.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at South Texas College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $11,425.

Full Nursing at South Texas College Report

#4

Northeast Texas Community College

Mount Pleasant, TX

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Northeast Texas Community College is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. NTCC is a small public school located in the rural area of Mount Pleasant.

After completing their Associate Degree, nursing graduates from NTCC carry an average student debtload of $22,867.

Read More…

Out of the 53 schools in Texas that were part of this year’s ranking, Carrington College, Mesquite landed the # 5 spot on the list. Carrington College, Mesquite is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Mesquite.

On average, nursing graduates from Carrington College, Mesquite take out $30,485 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Read More…

#6

El Centro College

Dallas, TX

El Centro College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Texas ranking. El Centro College is a very large public school located in the city of Dallas.

On average, nursing graduates from El Centro College take out $20,883 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Full Nursing at El Centro College Report

#7

Weatherford College

Weatherford, TX

With a ranking of #7, Weatherford College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in the fringe town of Weatherford, Weatherford College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

While working on their Associate Degree, nursing majors at Weatherford College accumulate an average of around $20,388 in student debt.

Full Nursing at Weatherford College Report

#8

Lone Star College System

The Woodlands, TX

Lone Star College System landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Located in the city of The Woodlands, North Harris Montgomery is a public college with a very large student population.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at North Harris Montgomery take out while working on their Associate Degree is $19,210.

Full Nursing at Lone Star College System Report

#9

Panola College

Carthage, TX

Panola College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Texas ranking. Panola College is a small public school located in the distant town of Carthage.

Full Nursing at Panola College Report

#10

Amarillo College

Amarillo, TX

Amarillo College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. Located in the medium-sized city of Amarillo, Amarillo College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Amarillo College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $22,468.

Full Nursing at Amarillo College Report

Best Nursing Colleges in the Southwest Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Southwest Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Arizona 12,966
New Mexico 1,390
Oklahoma 3,009

Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 266,651
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing 16,104
Nursing Administration 9,838
Nursing Practice 7,992
Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 5,092
Nursing Science 4,600
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing 2,287
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing 2,021
Nurse Anesthetist 1,936
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing 1,883
Critical Care Nursing 773
Geriatric Nurse/Nursing 563
School Nursing 553
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery 509
Clinical Nurse Leader 444
Clinical Nurse Specialist 419
Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing 331
Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing 181
Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing 57
Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing 53
Palliative Care Nursing 14
Forensic Nursing 14

Related Major Annual Graduates
Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants 84,274

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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