Baylor Nursing Program: What to Know Before You Apply
Nursing is one of the most popular majors at Baylor University — and one of the hardest to get into. The Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) consistently ranks among Texas's top programs, with first-time NCLEX pass rates of 94–96% and 90% of graduates receiving job offers at graduation. But "I want to do nursing at Baylor" and "I'm accepted into the baylor nursing program" are two very different things.
Whether you're a high school senior mapping out your college decision or a current Baylor student navigating prerequisites, this guide covers what the program requires, what your first two years in Waco will actually look like, and why your housing choice matters more than most nursing students expect.
What Is the Louise Herrington School of Nursing?
Baylor's nursing school runs on a dual-campus model that surprises many students when they first learn about it. The LHSON has a Waco presence for pre-nursing students, but the upper-division nursing major is completed in Dallas.
- First 60 credit hours (approximately 2 years): Completed on Baylor's main campus in Waco. These are prerequisite courses — biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, statistics — alongside general Baylor University requirements.
- Final 65 credit hours (approximately 2 years): Completed at the Louise Herrington campus near Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, one of the nation's top teaching hospitals.
This structure sets Baylor apart from most nursing degrees. Your Waco years are foundational: you're building the GPA and prerequisite record needed to apply to the nursing major. Getting into Baylor doesn't guarantee getting into nursing — admission to the LHSON is a separate competitive process.
Three Paths Into Baylor's Baylor BSN Program
The school offers multiple entry points depending on where you are academically:
Traditional BSN (4 years): The standard path for incoming freshmen. You complete two years of prerequisites in Waco, then apply to the nursing major. Accepted students relocate to Dallas for years three and four.
FastBacc (12 months): An accelerated post-baccalaureate track for students who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field. FastBacc has graduated over 855 students and compresses the clinical nursing curriculum into one intensive year in Dallas.
Distance ABSN (12 months, hybrid online/clinical): Another accelerated option for post-baccalaureate students. This program posted a 96% first-time NCLEX pass rate as of December 2023 — among the strongest in Texas.
For most students reading this, the Traditional BSN is the relevant path. Everything below focuses on that track.
What It Takes to Get In
Admission to the nursing major is competitive and runs on its own timeline, separate from Baylor University admission. Here's what the LHSON requires:
Academic minimums:
- 3.0 GPA in prerequisite courses — treat this as a floor, not a target. Competitive applicants typically run higher.
- HESI A2 exam: English Composite score of 80+ and Math score of 80+ required.
- Application deadline: Spring cycle — July 15 each year.
- Application platform: NursingCAS (the national centralized nursing school application system).
Transfer students: You must complete 44 of 61 prerequisite hours, including at least 2 of 4 required science courses, before you're eligible to apply.
The prerequisite list:
- BIOL 1305/1105 and BIOL 1306/1106 (General Biology I & II)
- CHEM 1301/1101 and CHEM 1302/1102 (General Chemistry I & II)
- BIOL 2404/2404L (Anatomy)
- BIOL 2405/2405L (Physiology)
- MATH 1342 (Statistics)
These courses are serious. Anatomy and Physiology are common gatekeeping classes — students who earn B's across the board may not be competitive. Many nursing hopefuls retake A&P once to improve their standing. Students who take anatomy and physiology in the same semester often benefit from the subject overlap, and early familiarity with NCLEX-style reasoning questions (which test application, not memorization) pays dividends throughout the program.
Clinical Rotations and Why Your Waco Address Matters
During the nursing major, students complete clinical hours at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas plus regional healthcare facilities. But your Waco years also involve observation hours, simulation labs, and increasingly NCLEX-prep work — all of which require you to be present, focused, and close to campus.
Waco-area healthcare facilities like Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest (100 Hillcrest Medical Blvd) serve as clinical exposure sites. Getting from South Waco to Hillcrest takes about 10-12 minutes — manageable when clinical days start at 6:30 or 7 AM. Students living close to campus avoid the cumulative cost of long daily commutes right when they can least afford to lose time.
The students who succeed in Baylor's baylor nursing school applications typically live somewhere that reduces friction, not because their apartment is "nursing-adjacent," but because they're not losing 30 minutes each way to every lab session, study group, or campus advising appointment.
Career Outcomes After You Graduate
The return on a Baylor BSN is compelling. Program data shows:
- 90% of graduates receive job offers at graduation
- New graduate RN salaries in Texas average $72,141, with a typical range of $64,676–$80,618
- Top Texas health systems — UT Southwestern, Baylor Scott & White, Houston Methodist — recruit aggressively from LHSON
- Many graduates receive sign-on bonuses of $10,000–$20,000, paid relocation, and tuition reimbursement benefits
NCLEX pass rates are a useful proxy for program quality. Texas nursing programs average an 88.45% first-time pass rate; the national figure is around 87.5%. Baylor LHSON has consistently run 93–97% across recent graduating classes. In 2026, the program received the NLN Centers of Excellence™ designation for enhancing student learning and professional development — recognition awarded to a small number of programs nationally.
On cost: Baylor's 2026–27 tuition and fees are $67,756 following the Board of Regents' 6.5% increase. Nursing students also carry additional program costs — clinical supplies, uniforms, simulation fees — running approximately $1,500–2,500 over the program. With tuition already at this level, housing is one of the few places where smart choices have a real monthly impact.
Housing for Pre-Nursing Students in Waco
Your first two years in Waco are about one thing: earning acceptance into the nursing major. That means maintaining a competitive GPA in a demanding science sequence, preparing for the HESI A2, and staying connected to advising resources at nursing.baylor.edu/advising.
The less friction in your daily routine, the more mental space you have for what matters. Centre Apartments at 1901 S 11th Street sits walking distance from Baylor's main campus — close enough to get to an early anatomy lab, loop back for office hours, and still have time to study before evening. Every unit includes high-speed internet, an in-unit washer/dryer, and parking, so you're not losing time or money on those logistics mid-semester.
The two-bedroom floor plans work well for nursing students splitting rent with a study partner in the same major. Having a built-in study group member who understands your schedule — and won't be throwing a party the night before your physiology final — is underrated.
For the full year-by-year cost picture at Baylor, our Baylor Housing Costs by Year guide breaks down what you'll spend from freshman dorm through senior apartment. If you're also weighing the pre-med path, see our Baylor Pre-Med Program Guide for comparison. And for a look at what's within walking distance of campus, the Apartments Near Baylor Walking-Distance Guide covers the full picture.
Getting Started
The LHSON application opens each spring with a July 15 deadline. Before you start filling out NursingCAS, confirm your prerequisite plan is on track and your GPA is where it needs to be. The nursing advising team can walk you through your specific situation — reach them at nursing.baylor.edu/advising.
For housing, we'd recommend scheduling a tour before your first semester begins. Spots near Baylor fill months in advance, and the students who figure out their living situation early are the ones spending fall semester focused on biology rather than apartment hunting. See our floor plans and amenities to get a sense of what Centre offers — then come walk the place.
