By 2030, Texas is projected to be short 20,420 physicians, and the state’s physician-to-patient ratio is 26% worse than the national average. Overall, the Lone Star State is in the bottom half of states for physician availability.
Luckily, nurse practitioners are uniquely qualified to step in and fill some of these primary care roles. In Texas, nurse practitioners cannot practice independently, but under the supervision of a physician, they can assess, diagnose, and treat patients in various facilities and patient specialties.
If you’re interested in becoming a nurse practitioner in Texas, consider one of the following programs, or review FNP programs, AGNP programs, or PNP programs in the state.
Program Overview:
Angelo State Universe opened its doors in 1928. The Archer College of Health and Human Services, which is home to the nursing department, is housed in the newest academic building on campus. The Health and Human Services Building opened in 2019 and features high-tech simulation labs and state-of-the-art classrooms.
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The Louise Herrington School of Nursing at Baylor University offers a variety of NP programs and gives students access to various high-tech on-campus resources, including simulation labs and a learning resource center.
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Hardin-Simmons University has partnered with the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing (PHSSN) to provide an online nurse practitioner education to prepare for their future careers. PHSSN has roots going back to 1924, providing nursing education in the region for 100 years.
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The nursing programs at Houston Christian University are designed for working professionals, with flexible online classes and local clinical experiences for a faith-based approach to nursing education.
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Lubbock Christian University was founded in 1957 and was established to prepare students in the South Plains for a life of Christian service. The B. Ward Lane College of Professional Studies is home to the university’s graduate nursing program, which offers the following to nurse practitioner programs:
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Like Hardin-Simmons University, McMurray University has also partnered with the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing (PHSSN) to provide an online nurse practitioner degree option. This program allows students a lot of flexibility while getting a nursing education from an institution that’s been preparing nurses for a century.
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The Wilson School of Nursing at Midwestern State University offers flexible programs, allowing students to learn online and in person. Students enrolled in NP programs here have access to the J.S. Bridwell Regional Simulation Center, an over 13,000-square-foot facility equipped with manikins that simulate patients of all ages.
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Prairie View A&M University College of Nursing has educated nurses for over 100 years. It’s located in the Texas Medical Center; the College of Nursing offers students smart classrooms, labs, and enhanced learning opportunities on and off campus.
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Located in Kerr, about 65 miles northeast of San Antonio, Schreiner University was founded as an independent co-educational university in 1923. Over the next century, the school grew significantly, achieving university status in 2001 while keeping many traditions from the early years intact.
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South University is a for-profit school with 11 locations across the south and extensive online offerings. Although the school does have a campus in Austin, the nurse practitioner programs are all offered online with no on-campus requirements.
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The DeWitt School of Nursing in the College of Sciences and Mathematics at Stephen F Austin State University offers online nurse practitioner programs that allow students to learn from home and attend clinical practicums in their own communities, though visits to the Nacogdoches are required.
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Texas A&M International University offers online courses with on-campus components to create flexible programs for working nurses. The nursing program boasts a 100% national certification exam pass rate for FNP first-time test-takers.
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The Texas A&M University School of Nursing was founded in 2008, and the FNP program was introduced in Spring 2015. College Station is the main campus in the Texas A&M University system, located just north of Dalla.
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The Commerce campus of Texas A&M University’s nursing program provides access to the Nursing and Health Sciences Building’s state-of-the-art simulation hospital, where students get hands-on practice in a realistic setting to help prepare them for their future careers.
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Texas A&M University’s Corpus Christi campus offers multiple options for nurses interested in becoming a family nurse practitioner. Students enrolled in these programs gain access to the campus’ CONHS Simulation & Clinical Learning Center, where they can learn hands-on skills and gain confidence in simulated healthcare settings.
Program Overview:
The Texarkana campus of Texas A&M University sits on the border of Texas and Arkansas. The campus is less than three hours from Dallas, two hours from Little Rock, and one hour from Shreveport, uniquely positioned to serve students from parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
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Texas Christian University started in 1873 as one of the first co-ed institutions west of the Mississippi. The Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences was founded in 1912, merging with TCU in 1984. Today, students in the nursing programs at TCU get flexible online and in-person learning with hands-on experience in the state-of-the-art Health Professions Learning Center.
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St. David’s School of Nursing in the College of Health Professions at Texas State University features interactive simulation labs with high-fidelity manikins to help students learn how to react to and manage patients with complex medical needs. The school offers the following FNP program:
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The TTUHSC School of Nursing has been educating nurses for more than 40 years, providing numerous pathways for pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner. The campus’ state-of-the-art simulation centers simulate realistic health situations that help students put what they’ve learned into practice. TTUHSC offers the following six NP programs:
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Texas Wesleyan University was founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1890. Over the past 130 years, it has grown exponentially, with the first graduates of the DNP program graduating in December 2020.
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Texas Woman’s University has roots going back to 1901 and, despite the name, has been admitting men since 1972. The nursing program began in 1954, and today, the school offers the following nine nurse practitioner options to Texas residents.
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UT Arlington is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas system, and the College of Nursing and Health Innovation offers an impressive number of options for students pursuing careers in the nurse practitioner field. Programs for graduate nurses were first offered in 1930; today, the school offers the following 23 NP tracks:
- BSN to FNP Online
- BSN to FNP On-Campus
- RN to FNP
- BSN to AGNP Acute Online
- BSN to AGNP Acute On-Campus
- BSN to AGNP Primary Online
- BSN to AGNP Primary On-Campus
- BSN to AGNP Dual Acute/Primary
- BSN to PNP Acute Online
- BAN to PNP Acute On-Campus
- BSN to PNP Primary Online
- BSN to PNP Primary On-Campus
- BSN to PNP Dual Acute/Primary
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to FNP Online
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to FNP On-Campus
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Acute Online
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Acute On-Campus
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Primary Online
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to AGNP Primary On-Campus
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to PNP Acute Online
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to PNP Acute On-Campus
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to PNP Primary Online
- Post-Graduate Certificate MSN to PNP Primary On-Campus
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The University of Texas at Austin opened its doors 140 years ago. The School of Nursing was established in 1890 and began offering graduate-level courses in 1930. The nursing programs experienced tremendous growth over the years, with nursing skills and simulation labs being completed in 2015.
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The UTEP College of Nursing started as the Hotel Dieu Training School for Nurses in 1898, the first nursing school in El Paso. It joined the University of Texas system in 1976. The campus’ Center for Simulation gives students access to unique learning environments, including nine simulation labs and six standardized testing rooms. The Center hosts simulated hospital days with scripted student patients, open labs, and various skills challenges to give students a well-rounded nursing education.
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Students in the nursing programs at the University of Texas at Tyler have the advantage of being connected to the University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, the only academic medical center in the region. Two nurse practitioner options are available on this campus.
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Cizik School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has educated nurses since 1972. The modern Simulation and Clinical Performance Laboratory uses virtual reality simulators, lifeline manikins, and other learning experiences to ensure students get hands-on experience with intense situations before they work with real patients.
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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio opened the doors to the nursing school in 1969. Today, the school uses its high-tech Center for Simulation Innovation to gain realistic experience before starting their career. This center houses a 7,300-square-foot simulation hospital and a 6,500-square-foot skills lab with high, medium, and low-fidelity manikins for extensive hands-on training.
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The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston School of Nursing was established in 1890 as the John Sealy Hospital Training School for Nurses, the first nursing school west of Mississippi. The school offers a number of options for nurses wishing to pursue careers as nurse practitioners, including:
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The School of Nursing at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley offers multiple nursing programs and provides unique learning experiences with high-fidelity simulations with mannequins that mimic real patients. There are two family nurse practitioner options available here:
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The Andy & Barbara Gessner College of Nursing at the University of Houston offers comprehensive programs with modern facilities and skills development. These programs offer hospital-based, hands-on simulation training to prepare students for clinical work and future careers.
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West Coast University has campuses in several states, including a location in Richardson, Texas. WCU’s campuses feature technologically advanced simulation labs, high-fidelity manikins, and access to 24/7 virtual classrooms to support online and on-campus learning.
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West Texas A&M University is located in Canyon, just south of Amarillo. The Laura and Joe Street School of Nursing is home to the Bivins Nursing Learning Center, a lab with high-tech hospital-like equipment, including ten patient beds and high-fidelity manikins that simulate real-life experiences. There are two FNP options available here: