The Top Nurse Practitioner Programs In Texas

If you are an RN in Texas thinking about becoming a nurse practitioner, the state is one of the best places in the country to do it. Texas ranks second among all states for NP employment, so jobs are plentiful and pay is strong. Here is what the leading NP programs require, how to pay for one, and what the role looks like after you graduate.

The University of Texas at Austin

The NP program offers three specializations: family, primary care pediatric, and psychiatric mental health. Each requires 48 credit hours split across core, concentration, advanced practice registered nurse, and specialty courses. Beyond the specialization courses, every MSN student takes coursework in healthcare quality and safety, applying healthcare research, health systems policy and evaluation, and leadership. The program is on campus only and runs part time or full time.

• Program(s): Family nurse practitioner, primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
• Campus: Austin, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $1,418 per credit in state; $2,035 per credit out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN, or a non-nursing bachelor's degree plus an ADN or nursing diploma; active RN license
• Minimum Time Commitment: 18-24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 90% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $84,650 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

The family nurse practitioner program runs 48-51 credit hours, part time or full time. Full-time students typically finish in two years, part-time students in three. The curriculum is 30 credit hours of required courses and 15 hours of practice courses, covering theoretical foundations, research, statistics, pathophysiology, health assessment, pharmacology, informatics, health promotion, and rural health nursing. The university also offers family and psychiatric mental health NP post-master's certificates.

• Program(s): Family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Edinburg, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $724 per credit in state; $1,132 per credit out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active Texas RN license; a score of 900 on the APRN HESI if previous coursework is older than three years
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 93.4% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $106,420 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

Texas A&M University, College Station

The online family nurse practitioner program runs 48 credit hours and 646 clinical learning hours across six semesters full time or eight part time. Students complete 45 clinical hours in advanced health assessment during two separate onsite visits, plus one to two campus visits per semester for a diagnostics and procedures course and four primary care courses. You must live in Texas to enroll.

• Program(s): Family nurse practitioner
• Campus: College Station, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $8,026 per semester in state; $17,558 per semester out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active RN license; one to two years of RN experience preferred
• Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 98.2% (2021)

Texas A&M International University

This online and inperson family nurse practitioner program runs 48 credits of core courses, nursing theory, and practicums, including 675 clinical hours. Students typically take two courses per semester across fall, spring, and summer over three years. Specialization courses cover primary care of adults, geriatrics, and families; pediatrics and families; and adults and women's health. Practicums focus on advanced health assessment, diagnostic reasoning and clinical procedures, and integrated family care. A psychiatric mental health NP post-master's certificate is also available.

• Program(s): Family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Laredo, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $3,686 per semester in state; $9,572 per semester out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active Texas RN license; minimum 2.7 GPA; an undergraduate statistics course; at least one year of inpatient RN experience
• Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 86.1% (2021)

University of Houston

The 47-credit family nurse practitioner program offers an online and an onsite option, part time or full time. The online track still requires labs, practicums, and clinical courses on or near campus. Coursework emphasizes healthcare informatics, population health, biostatistics, advanced nursing research, and integrated evidence-based practice. Students who want nurse education certification can earn it by adding nine credit hours.

• Program(s): Family nurse practitioner
• Campus: Houston, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $619 per credit in state; $1,127 per credit out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active Texas RN license; minimum 3.0 GPA; at least one year of RN work with a BSN
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 96.9% (2021)

Texas State University

The family nurse practitioner program runs 48 credits and 705 clinical hours, completed in five semesters full time or eight part time. Clinicals combine onsite experiences with time under individual preceptors. Coursework is online, but students attend learning intensives about twice per semester at St. David's School of Nursing in Round Rock. Beyond core MSN courses, the curriculum covers primary care across pediatrics and adolescents, young and middle-aged adults, adult-gerontology, and psychiatric mental health.

• Program(s): Family nurse practitioner
• Campus: San Marcos, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $257 per credit hour in state; $458 per credit hour out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active Texas RN license; minimum 3.0 GPA; an upper-level statistics course
• Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 100% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $104,190 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

NP concentrations include pediatrics, adult-gerontology, family, and psychiatric mental health, ranging from 48 to 51 credit hours. Coursework is online with roughly four to six campus visits depending on specialty. Every student completes a core curriculum in population health essentials, the scientific foundations of advanced nursing practice, informatics, quality and safety, and healthcare leadership.

• Program(s): Acute care pediatric nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
• Campus: Lubbock, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $265 per credit in state; $673 per credit out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active RN license; minimum 3.0 GPA; undergraduate statistics and research courses
• Minimum Time Commitment: 36 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 90.2% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $98,940 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

University of Texas El Paso

NP concentrations include neonatal, adult-gerontology, family, pediatrics, and psychiatric mental health. Each requires 49 credit hours and 775 clinical hours, except neonatal, which requires 48. Most students finish within 30 months; acute care pediatrics takes 24. Beyond the specialty courses, the curriculum covers nursing theory, advanced pathophysiology, pharmacotherapeutics, research appraisal and application, health policy and advocacy, and advanced health assessment.

• Program(s): Neonatal nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, acute care pediatric nurse practitioner, primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
• Campus: El Paso, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $524 per credit in state; $1,049 per credit out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active RN license; minimum 3.0 GPA; relevant clinical experience in the chosen specialty
• Minimum Time Commitment: 30 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 95.9% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $100,520 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

University of Texas at Arlington

NP concentrations include adult-gerontology, family, pediatric, neonatal, and psychiatric mental health, each running 41-46 credit hours and 720 clinical hours. The adult-gerontology acute care, family, adult-gerontology primary care, acute care pediatric, and psychiatric mental health tracks run on campus or online. Primary care pediatric and neonatal are on campus only. The school also offers two onsite dual options: combined primary and acute care adult-gerontology, and combined primary and acute care pediatrics.

• Program(s): Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, acute care pediatric nurse practitioner, primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, neonatal nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
• Campus: Arlington, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $1,318 per credit in state; $2,260 per credit out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active RN license; minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework; at least two years of clinical experience in the chosen specialty
• Minimum Time Commitment: 30-36 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 92.4% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $106,420 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Program options cover adult-gerontology acute care, adult-gerontology primary care, family, and neonatal NP. Each runs 46-49 credit hours across seven semesters, part time only. Students visit campus for orientation plus two to three days per semester. Every track requires core coursework in research and theory foundations, pathophysiology, public policy, pharmacological principles and clinical therapeutics, informatics and quality improvement, professional role and business principles, and public health.

• Program(s): Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, neonatal nurse practitioner
• Campus: Galveston, Texas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation(s): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition: $253 per credit in state; $458 per credit out of state
• Admission Requirements: BSN; active RN license; minimum 3.0 GPA; at least one year of clinical experience in the chosen specialty
• Minimum Time Commitment: 28 months
• On-Campus Requirements: Yes
• School NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 98.4% (2021)
• Median Earnings Two Years After Graduation: $103,750 for master's graduates, per College Scorecard

What to Look for in a Texas NP Program

Narrow your options on the metrics that matter: whether the program holds accreditation, typical completion time, and board certification pass rates for graduates. Then weigh minimum GPA and test score requirements, the specializations offered, and how clinical rotations are structured.

Applying to a Texas NP Program

The process mirrors NP programs in other states. Gather everything before you apply so you do not miss deadlines. Most programs want transcripts, reference letters, a resume or CV, a personal statement, proof of clinical hours, and admission fees, and some require GRE or GMAT scores. The minimum GPA is typically 3.0. You need a BSN, or a plan to complete an RN-to-MSN bridge, plus an active RN license. Many schools also require a background check and professional experience.

Why Accreditation Matters

Attend an unaccredited program and you risk losing financial aid, the ability to transfer credits, and eligibility to sit for state board exams. Three bodies accredit NP programs: the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), and the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA). Their approval signals that a program meets strict standards.

Accredited programs generally accept credits only from other accredited programs, and graduate admissions favor accredited degrees, which can also raise earning potential. Accreditation can take years to secure, and a school stays unaccredited until it is approved, so confirm a program's current status on its website or directly with the accrediting body before you enroll.

Paying for an NP Program

You can lower costs upfront or after graduation. Sources include public and private loans, grants, loan repayment and forgiveness programs, and tuition reimbursement, plus scholarships tied to specific schools, affiliations, or specialties. How much aid you need depends on the program's cost and length, your residency, the school's public or private status, and whether you keep working while you study. File the FAFSA to apply for federal grants and loans; graduate students qualify. After graduation, federal loan repayment programs forgive part or all of your debt in exchange for working in underserved areas, and your employer may offer tuition reimbursement, sometimes with a grade or service commitment attached.

What You Can Do with the Degree

The BLS projects 46% employment growth for nurse practitioners from 2023 to 2033, far above the average for all occupations. As of May 2024, NPs in Texas earned an average of $130,930 a year, putting the state in the top third nationally. Texas NP programs confer either an MSN or a doctor of nursing practice (DNP). An MSN remains the minimum degree required to practice as an NP, though many schools now offer the DNP as well.

Graduates apply for board certification in their specialty and must pass a national certification exam. NPs work across many settings; the highest-paying include mental health residential and acute care, research, ambulatory care, and outpatient care.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to become an NP in Texas? Counting clinical training as an RN, most NPs spend at least eight years reaching the role. An RN who already holds a BSN and one to two years of experience can finish an NP program in as little as two years.

Do Texas NPs have full practice authority? No. Texas is a restricted-practice state. NPs handle many functions with real independence but must work in collaboration with or under the supervision of a physician.

What do Texas NPs earn? The average was $130,930 as of May 2024. The lowest 10% of earners averaged $97,960, and the highest 10% averaged $169,950.