What should you know about online nursing programs in Texas? First, nursing programs can’t be completed fully online. Rather, look for a program that offers online classes and in-person learning experiences. Choosing an accelerated BSN program in Texas, like Concordia Texas’s ABSN track, helps you earn your degree quickly.
Online nursing programs in Texas offer career changers an accelerated path into nursing. Through online nursing colleges in Texas, students can access coursework remotely while completing required in-person labs and clinical rotations. Graduates of qualifying hybrid programs are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN, the licensure exam for aspiring registered nurses (RNs).
Learn how online nursing degrees in Texas combine online coursework with hands-on labs and clinical rotations. Discover the benefits of hybrid learning and what to consider when comparing online nursing colleges in Texas.
Can You Earn an RN Degree Online?
It is not possible to attain a nursing degree 100% online. It is possible, though, to enroll in a program that includes online coursework instead of the traditional university lecture format. As with any nursing program, you will also participate in hands-on labs and clinicals. This is referred to as hybrid.
Why Should You Consider Hybrid Online Nursing Programs in Texas?
Online/hands-on hybrid nursing education like the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track at Concordia University Texas can provide a quality nursing education more quickly. We also allow for a greater number of students each year by offering three start dates — January, May, and August.
Concordia Texas offers a $10,000 Nursing Workforce Development Scholarship to incoming ABSN students to promote workplace development and help more people become nurses.
How Do Online-Based ABSN Programs Work?
Traditional nursing programs use in-person lectures to teach foundational nursing topics. A hybrid track like Concordia Texas’s ABSN uses an online learning management system (LMS) to deliver the material. This enables the use of interactive media and decreases the number of classrooms needed, thereby making room for more students. Delivering this content online also allows students to adjust when and where they study according to their preferences.
Online Coursework
At Concordia University Texas, our online courses are taught by many of the same distinguished faculty who teach our campus-based nursing degrees. In addition to assigned textbook readings, students complete nursing theory coursework online through an e-learning platform that lets you:
- Listen to, view, read, and interact with coursework materials
- Submit assignments
- Discuss coursework with other students using an online forum
- Stay organized using its calendar function
Skills Labs
In skills labs, you will learn to take blood pressure, insert catheters, start IVs, place nasogastric tubes, and more. You will practice some of these skills on task trainers and full-body medical manikins, while you’ll practice others, like vital signs and physical assessments, with classmates under the supervision of an instructor.
Simulation Labs
Simulation labs are designed to simulate healthcare scenarios in a controlled setting. You will be tasked with practicing patient assessments and responding to a range of clinical situations.
In these labs, your patients will be medical manikins. These manikins are more advanced than those used in skills labs. They may breathe, blink, speak, produce heart sounds, and simulate symptoms and conditions you could encounter in healthcare settings.
After each simulation lab, you will debrief with your classmates and instructor to learn how you can improve in the future.
Clinical Rotations
During clinical rotations, you will provide direct patient care in healthcare facilities under the supervision of clinical instructors and preceptors. You may rotate through outpatient clinics, community health centers, and hospitals. You will first observe nurses and then begin caring for patients under supervision.
Nursing specialties where you’ll rotate can include:
- Acute care
- Adult health
- Intensive care
- Long-term care
- Mental health
- Obstetrics
- Pediatrics
Clinical rotations at Concordia University Texas may also help you build professional connections with potential employers in the Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth areas.
What Are the Benefits of an Online Nursing Program in Texas?
Becoming a nurse in Texas is an excellent decision for many reasons, including the nursing employment outlook in the state of Texas, accreditation, and the state's participation in the Nurse Licensure Compact.
Employment Outlook
Texas offers many career opportunities for nurses. According to the Texas Hospital Association, the state is projected to need 57,000 more nurses by 2032, creating a 16% deficit.
Nursing salaries in Texas are another factor to consider. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for an RN in the state was $95,970 in May 2025.
Accreditation and Approval
Choose a nursing track that is approved by the state board of nursing (BON) and accredited by the appropriate agencies. Without required approval, graduates may not be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN.
Concordia University Texas’s nursing track has received the full approval of the Texas Board of Nursing. It has also received accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Nurse Licensure Compact
Texas participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, which makes a multistate license available to RNs. Nurses who qualify for a multistate license may practice in other compact jurisdictions, making travel nursing and telehealth work more accessible.
Learn more about how compact nursing licenses work.
Why Should You Live and Study in Texas?
Choosing Texas for your nursing education and career means you get to enjoy living in an incredible state with a rich culture, natural beauty, and family values.
Our ABSN track has locations in Dallas as well as Austin, and our students enjoy both vibrant cities.
Austin Highlights
- Texas State Capitol building
- Many parks and places to reconnect with nature, such as the McKinney Falls State Park
- Museums and history centers, including the Blanton Museum of Art
- Barton Springs Pool: a year-round natural swimming hole
Dallas Highlights
- Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
- Museums including the Dallas Museum of Art and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science
- Dallas World Aquarium
- World-class cuisine, including Tex-Mex, barbecue, and ethnic foods
- Dallas Zoo, home to more than 2,000 animals
Start Your Nursing Education With Concordia University Texas
If you decide to pursue an online nursing program in Texas, Concordia University Texas’s ABSN track can help you earn a BSN fast. The track builds on students’ previous education, allowing them to earn a BSN in as few as 16 months after completing required prerequisites. Applicants need at least 60 non-nursing college credits or a non-nursing bachelor’s degree to be eligible.
Request info today and connect with an admissions counselor to discuss your next steps.