There are two ways to approach LVN training from Baytown: study inside the city or commute into the east Harris County and Galveston County college corridor. In 2026, the first option is gone. Lee College's vocational nursing program closed in 2024, and no other Board-approved LVN program enrolls inside Baytown city limits.
The practical route for 77520 residents runs through Pasadena/Houston (San Jacinto College North and HCC Coleman), Alvin, and Texas City. Public certificate costs sit near $5,000 to $12,000, shaped more by in-district eligibility than mileage. NCLEX-PN pass rates and Houston metro starting pay vary, making the commute a financial decision, not just a geographic one.
Can You Study to Be an LVN in Baytown Right Now?
No. As of 2026, there is no Texas Board of Nursing approved vocational nursing program actively enrolling students inside Baytown city limits. The program that once filled that role, at Lee College, is closed.
What Happened to Lee College's LVN Program
Lee College's vocational nursing program at 200 Lee Drive underwent a voluntary closure, reported to the Board at its July 18, 2024 meeting and effective August 1, 2024. The Board accepted the closure. At the time, the program had zero students enrolled, so no formal teach-out plan was required; there was no cohort left to transition through. Before closing, the program held full approval and had posted a strong showing on the licensing exam (100% first-time pass rate on a small 2023 cohort). Under Board rules, Lee College cannot reapply to offer a new vocational nursing program at that site until at least 12 months after closure, meaning no earlier than August 1, 2025. As of the most recent approved-program listing for 2026, no new proposal has been submitted or approved, so the program remains closed rather than paused or in teach-out. Some older third-party nursing-school directories still list Lee College's VN program as active; those listings predate the closure and are not authoritative. The Board's own records control here.
Why Board Approval Is the Number That Matters
For LVN programs in Texas, "BON-approved" is the credential that actually counts for LVN eligibility. It means the Texas Board of Nursing has reviewed and authorized the program's curriculum, faculty, and clinical training against state requirements for licensed vocational nurses. Regional or national accreditation from an outside agency is a separate marker of institutional quality, but it does not by itself qualify a graduate to sit for the NCLEX-PN. Only Board approval does that. Any program a Baytown-area student considers should carry current BON approval, not just accreditation.
What This Means for Baytown Students
With no local option, plan on a commute. The nearest BON-approved programs that Baytown-area students realistically travel to include LVN programs in Houston (Houston Community College and Lone Star College both run LVN certificate tracks) and Alvin (Alvin Community College). Lee College itself has not exited nursing education entirely: its associate degree and RN-track programs continue to operate, so the broader nursing department is still active, it's specifically the LVN pathway that's on hold.
LVN Schools Within Commuting Distance of Baytown
Baytown sits close enough to the east Harris County and Galveston County college corridor that most students commute rather than relocate. The four programs below are the ones with published vocational nursing pathways inside a realistic daily drive of ZIP 77520, and the last entry is a post-licensure bridge for nurses who already hold an LVN license rather than an entry-level option. Drive times are approximate and assume off-peak traffic, which matters more than mileage on this side of Houston.
| School / Campus | City | Approx. Drive from Baytown (77520) | Program Length | Cohort Starts | Application Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jacinto College North Campus, Vocational Nursing Program | Houston, Texas | About 15 miles, roughly 25 to 35 minutes | Three semesters | Fall and Spring | Fall: Feb. 1 to April 15. Spring: July 1 to Sept. 15 |
| Alvin Community College Main Campus, Vocational Nursing (LVN) Certificate | Alvin, Texas | About 45 miles, roughly 55 to 70 minutes | One year (44 credits) | Summer semester only | Typically Oct. 1 to early November for the following summer cohort |
| College of the Mainland Main Campus, Vocational Nursing (LVN) Certificate | Texas City, Texas | About 30 miles, roughly 40 to 50 minutes | 12 months | Spring semester only | Not published in the program FAQ; confirm with the nursing office |
| Houston Community College, LVN to ADN Transition Program (for licensed LVNs) | Houston, Texas | Varies by campus; roughly 30 to 35 miles, 40 to 60 minutes | Three semesters (nine to twelve months) | Fall (August) main cohort of 40, plus a smaller January cohort | Not stated in the Texas Board of Nursing program documentation |
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What LVN Training Actually Costs Near Baytown
Budget somewhere between $5,000 and $12,000 to finish a vocational nursing certificate at a public college within commuting range of Baytown, with the final number driven almost entirely by two things: which school you're eligible to attend at resident rates, and how many of the "extra" costs you pay out of pocket versus what's bundled into the sticker price.
Tuition Versus the Add-Ons
Alvin Community College publishes the most transparent all-in figure: about $7,100 for in-district students and $9,300 for out-of-district students for its 2025-2027 cohort, a bundle that already folds in the HESI A2 entrance exam, CPR certification, books, supplies, uniforms and malpractice coverage. That's unusual. Most programs quote tuition and fees separately, then let you discover the rest later. Expect to budget separately for:
- Background check and drug screen: required before clinical placement at every program in the area, typically ordered through a school-designated vendor
- Immunizations and a TB test: not included even where uniforms and kits are
- Liability insurance: a small annual fee most programs pass through to students
- ATI or HESI testing packages: used throughout the program for progression exams, separate from the entrance exam
- NCLEX-PN application and Pearson VUE fee: Alvin lists these at $100 for licensure application and $200 for the exam registration itself, figures that are a reasonable planning number for other programs too
Comparing the Published Numbers
San Jacinto College North charges $83 per credit hour in-district and $144 out-of-district, which pencils out to roughly $2,490 versus $4,320 a year before books, though San Jac's own materials list program fees at $0 and its cost figures lean heavily on general cost-of-attendance estimates rather than a nursing-specific total. Houston Community College's Coleman campus, one of the LVN programs in Houston Texas, runs $33 per credit in-district against $121 out-of-district, with a $7,267 figure appearing in its FY2025 budget documents, though it's not clearly labeled as the full certificate price. College of the Mainland's most detailed VN cost sheet, in-district around $4,910 and out-of-district near $6,610, is dated and should be confirmed directly with the college. Separately, the institution-wide average net price after aid, which factors in the entire student body rather than nursing students specifically, runs from about $1,300 at College of the Mainland to over $12,000 at San Jacinto, a figure worth knowing but not a substitute for a program quote.
The Residency Trap and Two Paths Forward
Baytown sits near several college taxing districts without falling cleanly inside most of them, so confirm residency status before assuming the lower rate. The gap between in-district and out-of-district tuition alone can run $1,800 to $2,200 over a program. The cheapest LPN program path is in-district enrollment at San Jacinto or Alvin; the fastest-to-start path is usually whichever program has an open seat next term, even at the out-of-district rate.
Admissions Requirements: TEAS Scores, Prerequisites and Application Windows
Entry requirements differ meaningfully across the programs within driving range of Baytown, and the entrance exam itself is not standardized. San Jacinto College North uses the ATI TEAS, while Alvin Community College, College of the Mainland and HCC Coleman use HESI-based testing. Confirm every number with the program's current information packet before you pay for a test date, because several of these programs update cut scores and deadlines annually.
- Entrance exam and minimum scoresSan Jacinto College North requires the ATI TEAS, but the college does not publish a specific minimum composite score in its current vocational nursing materials, plan to score as high as you can rather than aim at a threshold. Alvin Community College requires the HESI A2 with a minimum 70 in reading and a 65 cumulative score; HESI results stay valid for five years. College of the Mainland requires the HESI A2 with a minimum of 70% on each required section (older College of the Mainland documents have listed 75%, so verify against the version of the packet in effect when you apply). HCC Coleman's LVN track requires HESI testing plus HESI Critical Thinking, though the college has not published numeric minimums for the current cycle.
- Prerequisite coursework and GPAAlvin Community College is the outlier in a helpful way: no prerequisite courses are required and prior college GPA is not considered, though you must be TSI complete or exempt. San Jacinto College North expects Anatomy and Physiology I (BIOL 2301/2101 or BIOL 2401) and a 2.25 minimum GPA. College of the Mainland requires BIOL 2401 Anatomy and Physiology I with a 2.5 prerequisite GPA, then a 2.0 minimum once you are in the program. HCC Coleman lists Nutrition and Anatomy and Physiology among its prerequisite coursework.
- Non-academic clearancesEvery Texas vocational nursing program layers clinical requirements on top of the academics: a current immunization record, CPR/BLS certification at the healthcare provider level, drug screening and a criminal background check before clinical placement. If you have any arrest or conviction history, file a declaratory order petition with the Texas Board of Nursing early, ideally before you enroll, so you learn whether your record affects licensure eligibility rather than discovering it after you have paid tuition and finished coursework.
- Application windows and cohort timingCollege of the Mainland publishes the clearest schedule: applications for the spring cohort close the first Friday in October at 5 p.m., with the program running 12 months. San Jacinto College North, Alvin Community College and HCC Coleman do not publish firm deadline and cohort-start dates in their currently available materials, so call the nursing department directly and ask for the next application window and cohort start term.
- How competitive is itAlvin Community College selects competitively, ranking qualified applicants primarily by HESI A2 score after the deadline closes, with additional consideration for residency in the Alvin Community College tax district, a HESI math score of 85 or above, and BIOL 2401/2402 completed with a C+ or better within the last five years. College of the Mainland screens for eligibility on prerequisites and HESI cut scores, then selects competitively on entrance exam performance, prerequisite GPA and clinical readiness; the scoring rubric and tie-breakers are not published. Seat counts per cohort are not publicly stated for any of these four programs, ask the program coordinator how many students they admitted last cycle, which is the most honest indicator of your odds.
NCLEX-PN Pass Rates and Completion Numbers at Area Programs
With Lee College's program closed and seats tight across the region, the pass rate is the one number that separates a school worth your tuition from one that isn't. Here's how the programs nearest Baytown actually perform on the NCLEX-PN licensing exam.
Where Local Programs Land
The most recent Texas Board of Nursing program-level data runs through the 2024 exam year. San Jacinto College is the standout: 97.56% of first-time test takers passed in 2024, according to the San Jacinto College Nursing Program Pass Rates, and the San Jacinto College North (Houston) LVN Program Profile reports every candidate (41 of 41) passing in 2025. Houston Community College's vocational nursing graduates passed at 85.19% in 20241, with 46 of 54 first-time candidates clearing the exam.
For context, the statewide Texas first-time pass rate for 2025 came in around 91.9% across roughly 4,244 candidates, according to the First-Time NCLEX-PN Pass Rates by State, comfortably above the national figure of 86.59%1. HCC sits below the state average; San Jacinto sits well above it. Program-level 2025 and 2026 BON reports aren't published yet, and Alvin Community College and College of the Mainland don't appear in the current BON vocational nursing pass-rate excerpt, so treat their most recent numbers as unconfirmed until you check directly.
The 80% Threshold Is Your Red Flag
The Texas Board of Nursing expects programs to keep first-time NCLEX-PN pass rates at or above 80%. Fall below that line, and a program can be placed on a warning or conditional status, required to submit a corrective plan, and monitored until it recovers. If a school you're considering has dipped under 80% in recent years, that's the single clearest warning sign a prospective student can spot on their own.
Small Cohorts Cut Both Ways
These programs graduate modest numbers each year, which matters in two ways. Fewer graduates means fewer open seats, so competition for admission stays fierce. It also means pass rates swing hard: in a 40-student cohort, a handful of failures drops the percentage sharply, so one weak year isn't always a lasting problem. Look at three to five years of results, not a single number.
Verify everything yourself on the Texas Board of Nursing education pages, where current program approval status and pass-rate histories are posted, before you commit to any program.
From Application to Texas LVN License: The Full Timeline
Most Baytown students underestimate the front end of this process. The classroom year is fixed, but everything before it (prerequisites, entrance testing, and waiting for a cohort seat) is where the calendar stretches. Here is the realistic sequence from first prerequisite course to your first shift as a licensed LVN.
Online, Hybrid and Fast-Track LVN Options: What's Realistic
Texas Board of Nursing regulations require supervised in-person clinical hours, so no fully online LVN program can lead to licensure in the state. What Baytown students can realistically find is a hybrid LPN program: online didactic coursework paired with required campus labs and clinical rotations. That applies to every pathway, including private, nonprofit, and online-advertised options.
What Can Legitimately Be Online
In a Texas-approved vocational nursing program, the classroom-heavy portion may be delivered online or through recorded lectures. That can include fundamentals, pharmacology theory, growth and development, math dosage calculations, and written exams. Some programs use online platforms for study modules and pre-lab quizzes.
What cannot move online are the hands-on skills check-offs and clinical rotations. Medication administration, wound care, catheter insertion, physical assessment, and supervised patient care all require an instructor or preceptor physically present. Even programs that describe themselves as online still require you to show up for these hours.
What a Fast-Track LVN Actually Looks Like
When Houston-area schools advertise fast-track or accelerated LPN programs, they almost always mean 11 to 12 months of continuous full-time study, not a six-month shortcut. Texas Health School lists a 48-week program, CHCP advertises a 48-week certificate that can finish in as few as 11 months, and Galen's Houston campus describes a 12-month full-time program. Treat any six-month LVN claim as a warning sign: the supervised clinical hour requirements alone make that timeline unrealistic.
How to Vet a Hybrid or Accelerated Program
- BON approval: Confirm the program has current Texas Board of Nursing approval. This is non-negotiable.
- NCLEX-PN pass rate: Ask for the most recent first-time pass rate, not just a completion rate. If a salesperson cannot produce a pass rate, do not enroll.
- Clinical sites: Ask where rotations occur and confirm those facilities are within driving range of Baytown.
- Advertised delivery: Among the program listings reviewed, no nearby school advertises fully online LVN training. College of the Mainland lists an in-person learning format, Houston Community College lists its LVN courses as offered in person, and Galen's Houston campus describes a primary on-campus class mode.
Paying for It: Financial Aid, Free Training and Employer Sponsorship
Most people picture a lump sum when they think of nursing tuition, but the reality near Baytown is a patchwork of federal aid, state workforce grants, and employer deals that fit together differently for each student weighing should I become an LPN / LVN.
Start With Pell and Federal Aid
The public community college programs within commuting distance, San Jacinto, College of the Mainland, Houston Community College, Lone Star College, Alvin, and Galveston, all accept federal financial aid, and Pell Grants tend to do heavy lifting at these schools. Pell reaches a large share of students at several of them, which matters because tuition at the publics generally runs in the low thousands rather than the $28,000 to $32,000 range some private career colleges charge, a key reason why getting your LPN/LVN degree can be a smart strategic move. File the FAFSA first; it determines Pell eligibility and controls access to most other aid.
Texas and Gulf Coast Workforce Routes
Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast serves the Houston-Galveston region and can fund tuition through Individual Training Accounts for WIOA-eligible participants (adult, dislocated worker, or youth categories, generally low-income or underemployed).1 The program must appear on the approved training provider list, and a Career Advisor confirms it aligns with an in-demand job. Capital IDEA Houston runs a nursing pathways initiative covering Harris, Chambers, Liberty, and neighboring counties for unemployed or underemployed low-income adults, with LVN among the tracks.2 Exact tuition coverage and any per-student caps vary, so ask directly.
The Truth About "Free" LVN Training
Searches for free LVN programs in Houston usually lead to employer tuition sponsorship and earn-while-you-learn arrangements at hospital systems and long-term care employers. These exist, but named 2026 Houston LVN sponsorships were not confirmed in current public sources, so treat any offer on its own terms. The catch is almost always a work commitment: a service agreement requiring one to three years of employment, with a repayment clause if you leave early. Aid and sponsorship also rarely cover uniforms, background checks, the HESI or TEAS entrance exam, NCLEX-PN testing fees, or your Texas licensure application. Budget for those out of pocket.
Your First Two Calls
Contact the financial aid office at your target college to confirm Pell eligibility and payment plans, then call Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast at 1-888-469-5627 to see whether the program qualifies for an ITA. Do both before you enroll, not after.
Texas LVN Licensure Requirements at a Glance
Top LVN Programs Serving Baytown Students
Below are the top LVN programs serving Baytown students, ranked by cost, completion outcomes, and how well each program fits a commuter from the 77520 area. Because Lee College closed its vocational nursing program in 2024, every option here sits outside Baytown proper, which means planning a drive along I-10, Highway 146, or the Beltway. Tuition figures come from the schools themselves, and net price is an institution-wide average across all students, not the price of the certificate alone.
How we ranked these
- Median graduate debt
- Graduation and completion rates
- Sticker tuition and total cost
- Commute distance from Baytown
- Flexibility for working students
- IPEDS institutional survey data from NCES covering graduation rates, retention rates and student-faculty ratios — nces.ed.gov
- College Scorecard graduate earnings — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Internal program database
- Independent editorial research
Texas Health School
This private Houston school sits on the west side of the metro, roughly 35 miles from Baytown along I-10, so it appeals to students who value flexible scheduling over a short drive. Its vocational nursing certificate covers 1,440 hours through a 48-week day track or a 74-week evening track, and recent NCLEX-PN pass rates stay above 90%. Program tuition is not published, but the institution-wide average net price across all students is about $32,550.
Vocational Nursing Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
College of the Mainland
College of the Mainland sits in Texas City, roughly 25 miles south of Baytown down Highway 146, making it one of the closer public options for 77520 residents. The 12-month vocational nursing certificate starts once a year in spring and admits on a HESI A2 score of at least 75, so the October application deadline matters as much as the commute. Listed tuition is about $3,450, and the institution-wide average net price across all students is roughly $1,342.
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Galveston College
Galveston College is a coastal option roughly 45 miles from Baytown, and its 46-credit vocational nursing certificate finishes in one calendar year with a summer start. Enrollment is capped near 20 students, which means small clinical groups and close faculty contact but also real competition for a seat. Total program tuition is listed at $8,865, and the institution-wide average net price across all students is about $8,412.
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Alvin Community College
Alvin sits southwest of Houston, roughly 35 miles from Baytown and an easier reach for students on the south side of the metro. The 44-credit LVN certificate takes one year and starts each summer, with clinical placements at area hospitals and long-term care facilities. Total program tuition is listed at $7,100 with books and supplies included, and the institution-wide average net price across all students is about $8,525.
Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN) Certificate — On-Campus
San Jacinto Community College
San Jacinto College is the closest community college option to Baytown, with its South campus in Pasadena about 20 miles west along the Beltway. The 45-credit Level 2 certificate takes one year and includes 448 clinical hours plus a capstone NCLEX-PN review. Listed tuition is about $4,320, and the institution-wide average net price across all students is roughly $12,143. It fits students who want an open-admission college with a stackable pathway to an AAS degree.
2, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Galen Health Institutes-Houston
Galen's Houston campus sits near the northwest side of the metro, roughly 40 miles from Baytown, and its practical nursing program is built for speed rather than proximity. Students finish in 12 months with no prerequisites, and four start dates a year mean less time waiting for a seat. Tuition is listed near $16,848, while the institution-wide average net price across all students is about $30,222 and median graduate debt is roughly $24,166.
Practical Nursing (PN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Lone Star College System
Lone Star offers its vocational nursing certificate at three campuses, and LSC-Kingwood is the practical pick for Baytown students at roughly 25 miles northwest. The one-year Level II certificate blends fundamentals coursework with clinical practice and publishes a printable program plan to keep prerequisites on track. Listed tuition is about $5,976, with an institution-wide average net price around $11,252. It suits students who want a large college system with room to stack credentials later.
Vocational Nursing Certificate Level II — On-Campus
Houston Community College
Houston Community College runs its vocational nursing certificate at the Coleman Campus near the Texas Medical Center, about 25 miles west of Baytown. The 48-credit program spans three full-time semesters and admits selectively, so applicants should finish the HESI-A2 and prerequisites early. Listed tuition is about $2,904, with an institution-wide average net price near $5,737. It fits students who want a big-city clinical environment and hospital exposure.
Licensed Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
The College of Health Care Professions-Southwest Houston
This CHCP location is a private, clock-hour option roughly 30 miles from the 77520 ZIP code, drawing students who want a fast, structured certificate rather than a semester-based college calendar. The vocational nursing certificate runs three 16-week semesters for 55 credits and 1,422 total clock hours, including 672 clinical hours. Program tuition is not published, and the institution-wide average net price across all students is about $28,471.
Vocational Nursing Certificate — On-Campus
College of Health Care Professions
The College of Health Care Professions lists a second Houston-area vocational nursing certificate, also taught at the CHCP Houston Northwest campus, about 25 miles from Baytown. It runs 48 weeks and can be finished in as little as 11 months, with clinical rotations at hospitals and long-term care facilities and an LVN-to-RN bridge afterward. Tuition is not published in the federal data, and the institution-wide average net price across all students is about $29,837.
Vocational Nursing Certificate Program — On-Campus
Baytown LVN Program Questions, Answered
These are the questions we field most often from Baytown-area readers trying to figure out where to train. Answers reflect program status as of 2026, and because vocational nursing programs open, pause and close on their own schedules, always confirm current enrollment directly with the school before you commit money or time.
Are there any LVN programs actually located in Baytown, TX?
No. As of the 2025-2026 cycle there are no active, Board-approved vocational nursing programs based in Baytown itself. Baytown students commute to programs elsewhere in the greater Houston area, which is why planning around drive time, clinical site locations and class schedules matters as much as choosing the school.
Is Lee College's LVN program still accepting students?
No. Lee College's vocational nursing certificate program closed voluntarily effective August 1, 2024. Because no students were enrolled at the time of closure, no teach-out was required. Lee College still offers nursing education, including an ADN and an LVN-to-RN transition track, but it does not accept new LVN certificate applicants.
Can you complete an LVN program online in Texas?
Not entirely. Texas requires approved vocational nursing programs to include supervised clinical practice, so programs are campus-based or hybrid at best. Some theory coursework may be delivered online, but skills labs and clinical rotations happen in person. As of 2026, no fully online LVN entry pathway exists in Texas.
How much does an LVN program near Baytown cost in total?
Plan on roughly $5,000 to $15,000 in tuition and required fees, depending on the institution and your residency status. Public colleges price by credit hour, and rates vary sharply by district: Lee College, for example, charges between $59 and $130.50 per semester credit hour depending on whether you live in-district. Books, uniforms, testing and licensure costs are additional.
How long does it take to go from LVN to RN in the Houston area?
Expect roughly a year and a half to two years of full-time study in LVN to RN programs in Texas. One Houston-area LVN-to-ADN transition program runs 64 weeks across eight 8-week sessions, while a Houston-north LVN-to-ADN associate degree is structured as a full-time transition of about 20 months. Part-time tracks stretch longer, so confirm the sequence with each program.
