Working as a PCT offers a great entry point into nursing or the healthcare field, as it provides valuable experience with medical procedures and patient care.
Lear how to get started.
Education & Training
The online courses below are convenient way to achieve certification.
How Will This Program Help Me?
The course is designed to help you pass one of the certification exams below. You can choose which one to take.
NHA’s Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A)
or
AMCA’s Patient Care Technician Certification (PCTC)
The price includes a voucher for the exam.
How Long Does it Take?
350 course hours, or about 12 months depending on your pace of study. You may enroll at anytime.
How Much Does it Cost?
The online courses above cost $2,800. If needed, you may apply for financing and pay on a monthly basis.
What Will You Study?
Your instructor will teach you about the following:
- Medical terminology
- Human anatomy and physiology
- Communication and health occupation professionalism
- Pharmacology
- Fundamentals of direct patient care
- How care is delivered as a PCT
- The PCT within a healthcare team setting
- Patient transfer techniques
- Certification preparation
From the Classroom to an Externship
Students study these topics in traditional classroom settings, then practice their skills on medical mannequins in on-site labs. From there, they’ll need to complete clinical rotations during externships at local clinics and hospitals to gain hands-on experience working with real patients.
Other Local Trade School Programs
- Alvin, Manvel
- Dallas
- El Paso
- Farmers Branch, Lancaster, Mesquite, Dallas, Irving, Coppell, Garland
- Houston, Katy, Missouri City, Stafford
- Cypress, Houston, Kingwood, Conroe, Tomball, Katy, Magnolia, Spring
- Gainesville, Corinth, Denton, Flower Mound, Bowie, Graham, Fort Worth
- Fort Worth, Hurst, Arlington
- Weatherford, Bridgeport
Alvin College
Alvin College's Patient Care Technician program is a non-credit, 208-hour bundle the college calls three certificates in one: EKG (32 hours), Phlebotomy (80 hours) and the 96-hour PCT course, each leading to an NHA certification exam. As listed in October 2026, the whole bundle costs $3,746 in-district or $3,851 out-of-district, which the college rounds to about $3,800. Classes are hybrid, and the summer 2025 group met at Alvin College West in Manvel. A $95.99 screening package is also required.
Compu-Med
Compu-Med's Patient Care Technician diploma is 30.5 credits (915 clock hours), 14 courses over about 45 weeks, and covers EKG, phlebotomy and home health aide skills. Students attend in person or study online, then complete a 180-hour externship in settings such as nursing homes, health centers and rehabilitation facilities. The school says the online version is valid in every US state except California; the Dallas campus does not teach it. No certification exam is named, and the price is not published.
Cultural Technical Institute, LLC.
Patient Care Technician at CTI bundles patient care and vital signs with phlebotomy, EKG, infection control and a CPR certification, and prepares students for NCCT's NCPT, NHA's CPCT/A and MEDCA's patient care technician exam. The school's website gives 10 weeks; TWC's eligible training provider list (updated July 2026) gives 180 hours over 12 weeks and a cost of $7,435, including $1,100 for books and supplies and a $225 state exam. CTI's registration page shows a $263 fee (or $315 for a "2 in 1" option) plus $2,250 paid over time.
Dallas College
The Patient Care Technician certificate at El Centro takes two to three semesters and at least 16 credits, and prepares students for the NHA's Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) exam. At $99 per credit hour for Dallas County residents (October 2026), 16 credits come to about $1,584. A non-credit continuing-education version is also offered, and El Centro teaches phlebotomy and EKG courses alongside it.
Houston City College
HCC's Patient Care Technician course (listed as PCT, Level 3) is a 356-hour continuing-education certificate with a listed tuition of $2,767 (October 2026), excluding books and exam vouchers, and it includes clinical placements. It is taught at South, Coleman College at Midtown, Acres Homes, Eastside and Brays Oaks. PCT is a national certification, not a state license: the course prepares students for the NCCT, NHA or ACA patient care technician exams.
Lone Star College
Lone Star College lists a Patient Care Technician Certificate Level I in its health sciences pathway and teaches PCT at the Health Professions Building in Houston. A separate non-credit Acute Care Technician course of 172 contact hours combines nurse aide training with clinical and skills hours at LSC-Houston North, LSC-Montgomery and LSC-Tomball. Liability insurance for that course is $12 a semester in fall and spring and $8 in summer. We found no certification exam named for either.
North Central Texas College
Patient Care Technician is a non-credit occupational skills award at North Central Texas College that prepares students for the NHA's CPCT/A certification. In Summer 2026 it ran at the Corinth campus as two courses costing $398 and $700, for a total of $1,098. The college's non-credit health courses run in eight-week blocks, cannot be paid for with FAFSA, and add $98 in student fees for a background check, drug screen and insurance.
Tarrant County College
TCC's Patient Care Technician award is a 15-credit Level 1 certificate with selective admission, taught at TCC South and Trinity River Campus East. It prepares students for NHA or NAHP exams in three areas: patient care technician, phlebotomy and EKG. Certified nurse aide training is not part of it; CNA is a separate continuing education course. Tuition and fees come to $1,110 for Tarrant County residents in 2026–27.
Weatherford College
Patient Care Technician is a 150-contact-hour non-credit program made of two courses: ECRD 1011 Electrocardiography (64 hours) and NUPC 1020 Patient Care Technician (86 hours). It prepares students for the NHA's Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant (CPCT/A) exam. Students need immunizations, a background check and AHA BLS before clinical work. Weatherford College's Workforce Education Grants and Foundation scholarships can help with the cost of non-credit health training while funds last.
Texas PCT Requirements
Patient care technicians are essentially nursing assistants with phlebotomy and EKG training. As such, you’ll need to be a certified nursing assistant before you can qualify for patient care technician jobs in Texas.
Licensing Requirements
The state’s Health and Human Services Commission regulates CNA licenses in Texas. To obtain your CNA credential, you’ll need to take the following steps:
- Show proof of identity, certifying that you are at least 18 years of age
- Show successful completion of an approved nurse’s aide training course
- Pass a competency exam through the Prometric website
If you plan on working in a nursing home or other skilled nursing facility, you can also apply for placement on the Texas Nurse Aide Registry (NAR).
Additional Certifications
Most employers in Texas require their patient care techs to have an official Basic Life Support credential from the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. Some schools include this certification in their standard curriculum. You can also find classes on the Red Cross and AHA websites.
BLS Credential
Obtaining a BLS credential shows your certification and competency in:
- CPR
- First Aid
- AED
Certified Patient Care Technician
You might also consider getting a Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT) credential from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Although this is an optional certification, it might make it easier to find patient care jobs in Texas.
To be eligible for this credential, you’ll need to have:
- A high school diploma, GED, or equivalent
- A certificate or degree from an accredited patient care tech program OR at least one year of supervised patient care experience
Salaries in TX
How Much Money Can You Make?
Per Indeed.com, average patient salary in the state is $46,808.
It is worth comparing that number to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which says that average salary is $35,370.
Below is some more data from the BLS for parts of the state.
| Area | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene | $14.96 | $31,120.00 |
| Amarillo | $16.36 | $34,030.00 |
| Austin-Round Rock | $17.87 | $37,180.00 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $15.52 | $32,280.00 |
| Big Thicket | $16.24 | $33,780.00 |
| Border Region | $15.00 | $31,200.00 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $13.92 | $28,950.00 |
| Coastal Plains | $15.47 | $32,170.00 |
| College Station-Bryan | $16.48 | $34,280.00 |
| Corpus Christi | $16.15 | $33,580.00 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $18.17 | $37,790.00 |
| El Paso | $15.40 | $32,030.00 |
| Hill Country | $15.43 | $32,090.00 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | $17.60 | $36,600.00 |
| Killeen-Temple | $16.42 | $34,160.00 |
| Laredo | $13.84 | $28,790.00 |
| Longview | $16.10 | $33,490.00 |
| Lubbock | $15.34 | $31,910.00 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $14.61 | $30,380.00 |
| Midland | $18.11 | $37,660.00 |
| North Texas | $15.84 | $32,940.00 |
| Odessa | $16.91 | $35,170.00 |
| San Angelo | $15.58 | $32,410.00 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $16.99 | $35,350.00 |
| Sherman-Denison | $15.83 | $32,920.00 |
| Texarkana | $14.86 | $30,910.00 |
| Tyler | $15.60 | $32,450.00 |
| Victoria | $15.72 | $32,690.00 |
| Waco | $16.61 | $34,560.00 |
| West Texas | $15.41 | $32,050.00 |
| Wichita Falls | $16.26 | $33,810.00 |
Occupation: Nursing Assistants (SOC Code311131)
source: data.bls.gov
Specializing in a particular area of the medical field, such as urgent care, pediatrics, labor and delivery, or oncology, might provide higher salaries than those performing general patient care duties in a hospital or long-term care facility.
Job Description
What Do They Do?
As the job title suggests, patient care technicians in TX provide direct care for patients in various medical and healthcare facilities.
Workday duties for these allied health professionals typically include:
- Monitoring patients’ vital signs
- Changing bandages and providing basic wound care
- Assisting patients with daily living activities like bathing, dressing, and eating
- Collecting fluid samples and specimens
- Administering injections and oral medications
Other Career to PCT
Many patient care technicians in TX start out in other allied health professions, such as:
- Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)
- Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs)
- Phlebotomists
- EKG Technicians
- Medical Assistants
Employees in these positions perform a few patient care tech tasks as part of their regular workday duties. However, they need to develop additional abilities to round out their skill sets and qualify for patient care technician jobs in Texas.
Hands-On Instruction
Depending on which skills you need to learn, your employer may offer hands-on instruction on standard patient care practices like:
- Bathing, dressing, grooming, and feeding patients
- Drawing blood and collecting fluid samples
- Operating EKG equipment
- Administering medication
- Catheter care
- Transferring patients to and from beds, chairs, and examination tables
Career Outlook
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics places patient care technicians in the Nursing Assistants and Orderlies category. Professionals in this field are likely to see a five-percent growth rate in the demand for patient care tech jobs over the next decade. Qualifying patient care technicians in TX can take advantage of this increase by applying for well-paying positions in their areas.