Accredited nursing programs in Texas
89 schools in Texas have at least one nursing program accredited by ACEN or CCNE: 66 BSN, 37 ADN, 3 LPN, 29 MSN programs. 1 holds both accreditors across their programs. For the bachelor’s degree, 45 of 66 listings are CCNE and 22 are ACEN.
- Bachelor's programs
- 66
- 22 ACEN, 45 CCNE
- Associate programs
- 37
- 37 ACEN, 0 CCNE
- Practical programs
- 3
- 3 ACEN, 0 CCNE
- Master's programs
- 29
- 5 ACEN, 25 CCNE
Accredited schools in Texas
| School | City | Type | BSN | ADN | LPN | MSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian University | Abilene | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Alvin Community College | Alvin | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Amarillo College | Amarillo | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Angelo State University | San Angelo | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Arizona College of Nursing-Dallas | Dallas | For-profit | ACEN | – | – | – |
| Austin Community College District | Austin | Public | ACEN | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Baptist Health System School of Health Professions | San Antonio | For-profit | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Baylor University | Waco | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Blinn College District | Brenham | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Central Texas College | Killeen | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| College of the Mainland | Texas City | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Collin County Community College District | McKinney | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Concordia University Texas | Austin | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Dallas College | Dallas | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Del Mar College | Corpus Christi | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| East Texas A&M University | Commerce | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| East Texas Baptist University | Marshall | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| El Paso Community College | El Paso | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Galen College of Nursing-San Antonio | San Antonio | For-profit | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Galveston College | Galveston | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Grayson College | Denison | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Hardin-Simmons University | Abilene | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Houston Christian University | Houston | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Howard College | Big Spring | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Howard Payne University | Brownwood | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Kilgore College | Kilgore | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Lamar University | Beaumont | Public | ACEN | – | – | ACEN |
| Laredo College | Laredo | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Lee College | Baytown | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| LeTourneau University | Longview | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Lone Star College System | The Woodlands | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Lubbock Christian University | Lubbock | Private | ACEN | – | – | ACEN |
| McLennan Community College | Waco | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| McMurry University | Abilene | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Midwestern State University | Wichita Falls | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Navarro College | Corsicana | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| North Central Texas College | Gainesville | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Odessa College | Odessa | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Panola College | Carthage | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Paris Junior College | Paris | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Prairie View A & M University | Prairie View | Public | ACEN + CCNE | – | – | ACEN + CCNE |
| Sam Houston State University | Huntsville | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| San Antonio College | San Antonio | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| San Jacinto Community College | Pasadena | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Schreiner University | Kerrville | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| South Plains College | Levelland | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| South Texas College | McAllen | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| Southwest University at El Paso | El Paso | For-profit | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Southwestern Adventist University | Keene | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| St Philip's College | San Antonio | Public | – | ACEN | ACEN | – |
| Stephen F Austin State University | Nacogdoches | Public | ACEN | – | – | ACEN |
| Sul Ross State University | Alpine | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Tarleton State University | Stephenville | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Tarrant County College District | Fort Worth | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Temple College | Temple | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Texarkana College | Texarkana | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Texas A & M International University | Laredo | Public | ACEN | – | – | ACEN |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | Corpus Christi | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Texas A&M University-Central Texas | Killeen | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Texas A&M University-Texarkana | Texarkana | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Texas A&M University-Victoria | Victoria | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Texas Christian University | Fort Worth | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Texas Lutheran University | Seguin | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Texas State University | San Marcos | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | Lubbock | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso | El Paso | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Texas Wesleyan University | Fort Worth | Private | – | – | – | CCNE |
| Texas Woman's University | Denton | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| The University of Texas at Austin | Austin | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| The University of Texas at Tyler | Tyler | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | Houston | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | San Antonio | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston | Galveston | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| The University of Texas Permian Basin | Odessa | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| Trinity Valley Community College | Athens | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| University of Houston | Houston | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| University of Houston-Downtown | Houston | Public | CCNE | – | – | – |
| University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | Belton | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| University of St Thomas | Houston | Private | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
| University of the Incarnate Word | San Antonio | Private | CCNE | – | – | – |
| Vernon College | Vernon | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Victoria College | Victoria | Public | – | ACEN | – | – |
| Wayland Baptist University | Plainview | Private | ACEN | – | – | – |
| Weatherford College | Weatherford | Public | ACEN | ACEN | – | – |
| West Coast University-Texas | Richardson | For-profit | CCNE | – | – | – |
| West Texas A & M University | Canyon | Public | CCNE | – | – | CCNE |
Programs listed as accredited in the ACEN directory (opens in a new tab) and the CCNE directory (opens in a new tab), collected November 2026 and matched to schools by name and city. Programs in candidacy are not counted. A dash means no accredited program at that level was matched.
Programs with an ACEN note
ACEN publishes a note beside some listings. The wording below is ACEN’s own; open the listing for what it means for the program.
- Dallas College, ADN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
- Dallas College, LPN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
- Galveston College, ADN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
- College of the Mainland, ADN: With Conditions. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
- Prairie View A & M University, MSN: For Good Cause. ACEN listing (opens in a new tab)
What accreditation means in Texas
Two separate approvals apply to a nursing program. The Texas board of nursing approves programs so their graduates can sit the NCLEX. Programmatic accreditation from ACEN or CCNE is voluntary and is judged by a national peer body.
Bachelor's programs are the most common accredited level here, with 66. For bachelor’s degrees, 66 of 75 schools reporting graduates to the federal government matched an accredited program (88%). Compare Texas BSN programs by NCLEX pass rate, cost and pay.
Common questions
How many nursing schools in Texas are accredited?
We matched 89 Texas schools to at least one accredited nursing program in the ACEN and CCNE directories: 66 BSN, 37 ADN, 3 LPN, 29 MSN. Schools with several programs appear once.
What is the difference between ACEN and CCNE?
ACEN accredits nursing programs at every level, from practical nursing to doctorates. CCNE accredits bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs. Both are recognized by the US Department of Education.
Do I need an accredited program to become a nurse in Texas?
Not always. The state board of nursing approves programs for licensure, and that is a separate approval from ACEN or CCNE accreditation. Accreditation still matters for transferring credits, federal and employer tuition benefits, and entry to graduate programs.
Are all Texas bachelor’s programs accredited?
66 of the 75 Texas schools that report nursing bachelor’s graduates to the federal government matched an accredited listing. A school that does not match may be new, may be listed under another name, or may lack accreditation, so check the accreditor’s own directory before you apply.