| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Private, for-profit career school; campus programs plus fully online diplomas and AAS degrees |
| Campuses | 8, all in Texas: Austin (main), Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Pharr, San Antonio North, San Antonio South and Waco |
| Credentials | Certificates, diplomas and associate of applied science (AAS) degrees, including an AAS in Nursing (RN) |
| Typical length | Nurse Aide 5 weeks; CDL-A 8 to 24 weeks; most diplomas 27 to 54 weeks; AAS degrees 45 to 75 weeks |
| Accreditation | Council on Occupational Education; campuses approved by the Texas Workforce Commission |
| Federal aid | Yes |
| 2026 prices | One total per program, no residency tiers: $1,200 (Nurse Aide) to $40,470 (AAS in Nursing) |
| Founded | 1960, in Austin |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Southern Careers Institute: eight Texas campuses and online programs
Southern Careers Institute (SCI) is a private, for-profit career school founded in Austin in 1960. It now has eight campuses, all in Texas: Austin, San Antonio (two), Waco, Corpus Christi and three in the Rio Grande Valley at Brownsville, Harlingen and Pharr. Most of its programs are diplomas of six months to a year in health care, the building trades, truck driving, cosmetology and office work, with associate degrees and a group of fully online programs run from three of the campuses.
The biggest recent change is nursing: SCI’s School of Nursing launched on 1 October 2025 with an AAS in Nursing, authorized by the Texas Board of Nursing and taught only in Brownsville. In August 2026 SCI added an AAS in Trades Management at Austin and dropped Administrative Assistant from its program chart.
Programs at SCI’s eight campuses
SCI’s 2026 catalog lists each program in clock hours and quarter credits, with two week counts for most diplomas because programs run in day or evening shifts. Delivery is either all on campus, hybrid (part online) or fully online. Programs and prices below are from the 2026 catalog and SCI’s campus pages, checked in October 2026.
| Program | Credential | Hours and length | Delivery | Where | Prepares for | 2026 total price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAS in Nursing (RN) | AAS | 1,590 hours; five 15-week terms | On campus, with clinicals | Brownsville | NCLEX-RN | $40,470 |
| Medical Assistant | Diploma | 978 hours; 36 or 54 weeks | On campus or hybrid | All 8 campuses | NHA exams such as CCMA and EKG Technician | $18,450 |
| Medical Billing and Coding Specialist | Diploma | 926 hours; 36 or 51 weeks | On campus or fully online | 6 campuses and online | NHA CBCS, CMAA, EHRS | $18,450 |
| Pharmacy Technician | Diploma | 848 hours; 33 or 45 weeks | On campus or hybrid | Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Pharr, San Antonio South | Texas licensure exam requirements | $18,450 |
| Nurse Aide | Certificate | 100 hours; 5 weeks | On campus or hybrid | Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Pharr, San Antonio South, Waco | Texas Nurse Aide competency exam | $1,200 |
| HVAC | Diploma | 942 hours; 36 weeks | On campus or hybrid | Austin, Harlingen, San Antonio North, Waco | – | $20,025 |
| Electrical Technician | Diploma | 720 hours; 27 weeks | On campus or hybrid | Austin, Brownsville, San Antonio North | – | $14,210 |
| Welding | Diploma | 700 hours; 27 weeks | On campus or hybrid | Austin, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Pharr, San Antonio North | – | $14,250 |
| CDL-A | Diploma | 160 hours; 8 to 24 weeks | On campus or hybrid | Austin, Pharr, San Antonio North, Waco | Texas DPS Class A test | $5,500 |
| Cosmetology Operator | Diploma | 1,000 hours; 25 hours a week | On campus or hybrid | Brownsville, Corpus Christi, San Antonio South | TDLR Class A operator licence | $18,875 |
| Esthetician | Diploma | 750 hours; 25 hours a week | On campus or online | Brownsville, Corpus Christi | TDLR esthetician licence | $9,995 |
| Business Accounting Specialist | Diploma | 806 hours; 33 or 48 weeks | On campus or fully online | Harlingen, Pharr, San Antonio South and online | CPB, Microsoft Office Specialist, QuickBooks | $18,450 |
| Computer Support Specialist | Diploma | 720 hours; 27 weeks | On campus or fully online | Brownsville and online | CompTIA A+ and ITF+, TestOut | $13,950 |
| AAS in Management (and three other AAS degrees) | AAS | 1,050 to 1,080 hours; 45 to 51 weeks | On campus or online (Management); online (Healthcare and Computer Science Management); Austin (Trades Management) | Management at 7 campuses | – | $22,100 |
Several health and business diplomas include a six-week externship: 178 hours in Medical Assistant, 168 in Pharmacy Technician, 166 in Medical Billing and Coding and 86 in Business Accounting Specialist. SCI also lists fully online diplomas in Cyber Security, Data Science, Software Developer and UI/UX Designer ($15,800 each in 2026), a Business Administration diploma (Pharr, San Antonio South and online) and a Medical Office Specialist diploma at San Antonio South. Nail Technician, Lash Technician, Barber and Small Business Start-Up are not enrolling, and SCI offers no automotive program.
What the main programs cover
AAS in Nursing (RN)
The nursing degree is 1,590 clock hours and 103 quarter credits over five 15-week terms, about 75 weeks; SCI’s program page says approximately 72. It combines classes with required clinicals and leads to the NCLEX-RN exam for Texas licensure, and the catalog lists the NCLEX-RN and Board of Nursing fees. Applicants must be at least 17, pass the TEAS (up to three attempts in 12 months), finish five prerequisite courses with a C or better, interview, and clear a Board of Nursing background check. It is taught only at Brownsville.
Medical Assistant
At 978 clock hours and 69 quarter credits, Medical Assistant takes 36 or 54 weeks depending on the shift, on campus or hybrid. It includes a 178-hour, six-week externship. The catalog’s exam section names National Healthcareer Association credentials, including Certified Clinical Medical Assistant and EKG Technician. It is the one program offered at every SCI campus, so students can choose the nearest location and either shift.
Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy Technician runs 848 clock hours and 65 quarter credits: 33 or 45 weeks depending on the shift, on campus or hybrid. It finishes with a 168-hour, six-week externship in a pharmacy. Before starting it, each student must register with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy as a pharmacy technician trainee. SCI’s licensing disclosure says the program meets Texas licensure-exam requirements. SCI added Pharmacy Technician in 1994, and it is taught at four campuses.
Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
This 926-clock-hour, 68-credit diploma takes 36 or 51 weeks and can be taken entirely on campus or entirely online; the online version is run from Austin, and SCI says it takes part in SARA, the agreement that lets colleges enroll online students from other states. The six-week externship is 146 hours at a site plus 20 hours of National Healthcareer Association work. Students prepare for the NHA billing and coding (CBCS), medical administrative assistant (CMAA) and electronic health records (EHRS) exams, plus Microsoft Office Specialist in Word.
CDL-A truck driving
CDL-A is 160 clock hours and 12 quarter credits, spread over 8 to 24 weeks and taught on campus or in a hybrid format. It ends with the Texas Department of Public Safety Class A test. Students pay for their own physical and drug test. Waco also enrolls students in a 73-hour CDL-B program, and SCI sells refresher, B-to-A upgrade, passenger, tanker, hazmat and E-restriction seminars for drivers who already hold a licence.
Cosmetology Operator
The Cosmetology Operator program is 1,000 clock hours, approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and scheduled at 25 hours a week, so about 40 weeks for a student who keeps pace; the maximum time allowed is 60 weeks. Graduates apply for the TDLR Class A operator licence, which requires an age of 17 or older. Students buy their kit from a vendor. The 750-hour Esthetician program at Brownsville and Corpus Christi follows the same weekly schedule and leads to the TDLR esthetician licence.
2026 prices and paying for them
SCI publishes one total price per program in its 2026 catalog, valid from 1 January to 31 December 2026, with no in-state or out-of-state tiers. Tuition includes textbooks where applicable. A separate 2026 cosmetology catalog sets the cosmetology and esthetician prices. A 2027 catalog had not been published by mid-October 2026.
| Program (2026 catalog) | Total price | What the total includes |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Aide | $1,200 | Tuition |
| CDL-A | $5,500 | $5,230 tuition, $70 registration, about $200 for the physical and drug test paid by the student |
| Welding | $14,250 | $13,950 tuition and a $300 tool kit paid by the student |
| Electrical Technician | $14,210 | $13,950 tuition and a $260 tool kit paid by the student |
| Medical Assistant, Medical Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Technician | $18,450 each | Tuition, with textbooks where applicable |
| Cosmetology Operator | $18,875 | $18,700 tuition and a $175 kit bought from a vendor |
| HVAC | $20,025 | Tuition |
| AAS degrees (Management, Healthcare, Computer Science and Trades Management) | $22,100 each | Tuition |
| AAS in Nursing (RN) | $40,470 | $40,170 tuition plus a $300 kit, scrubs and lab coat |
SCI takes federal student aid and links a net price calculator from its consumer-information page. Federal data shown on Niche put the average net price at $25,517 a year at Austin and $27,260 at San Antonio South. The Texas Veterans Commission approves the campuses for veterans’ training, and the catalog refers students to Vocational Rehabilitation and local Workforce Solutions offices for funding.
Admission requirements and schedules
Applicants must be at least 16 (17 for nursing) and show proof of finishing high school within 21 calendar days of the start date. Campus programs require a visit and an interview with a licensed admissions representative, and online programs require an online orientation and meeting SCI’s technology requirements. Every applicant completes a criminal-history disclosure: some felony convictions, pending charges and sex-offence histories make a person ineligible for every program. Nurse Aide students are checked against the Nurse Aide Registry and Employee Misconduct Registry. Most programs run in day or evening shifts, including evening welding, electrical and HVAC classes.
Accreditation and results
SCI is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education. Each campus is approved by the Texas Workforce Commission’s Career Schools and Colleges office, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board authorizes the associate degrees, the Texas Board of Nursing authorizes the RN program, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation approves the cosmetology programs.
Federal figures are limited. Austin’s graduation rate within 150% of normal time was 52.9% in 2024 data, according to DataUSA.
Median earnings five years after graduation are $27,240, a school-wide federal figure shown on Niche. No NCLEX-RN results exist yet, because the first nursing class started in October 2025 and runs about 75 weeks.
SCI publishes job placement rates by program and campus from its 2023 annual report to the Council on Occupational Education. It gives no definition or dates for the students counted, and it states that it does not guarantee employment or a starting salary. A dash means no figure was reported; we also leave out the Waco figures SCI lists for Welding and Electrical Technician, programs Waco does not teach.
| Program | Austin | Brownsville | Corpus Christi | Harlingen | Pharr | SA North | SA South | Waco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistant | 95% | 65% | 78% | 70% | 75% | 86% | 72% | 70% |
| Medical Billing and Coding | 64% | 76% | 78% | 65% | 83% | 73% | 71% | – |
| Pharmacy Technician | 100% | 57% | 76% | – | 76% | – | 71% | – |
| Business Accounting Specialist | 100% | 75% | – | 71% | 83% | 86% | 91% | – |
| Welding | 77% | – | 76% | 67% | 70% | 49% | – | – |
| HVAC | 85% | – | – | 74% | – | 74% | – | – |
| Electrical Technician | – | 79% | – | – | – | 76% | – | – |
| CDL (truck driving) | 93% | – | – | – | 71% | 82% | – | 50% |
| Computer Support Specialist | 38% | 67% | – | – | 70% | 59% | – | – |
| Cosmetology Operator | – | 66% | 76% | – | – | – | 71% | – |
| Nurse Aide | – | 73% | 81% | – | 76% | – | 76% | 67% |
Before you enroll
- The RN program is new and has no track record. It began in October 2025 at Brownsville only, and no NCLEX-RN pass rate has been published.
- Prices are high for diplomas: most health diplomas cost $18,450 and HVAC $20,025, while the federal median earnings figure five years after graduation is $27,240. Compare the total with a community college program before signing.
- Welding, Electrical Technician and CDL-A totals include tool kits or a physical and drug test that students pay for themselves, and the cosmetology kit is bought from a vendor.
- SCI’s placement rates are its own figures, with no definition or cohort dates, and some campuses report rates below 60% in programs such as Computer Support Specialist and Welding.
- Not every program is enrolling at every campus. Check the campus page before applying: CDL-B, Nurse Aide, Business Administration and other programs are not enrolling at some campuses.
Exam fees and career help
SCI covers the exam fee for the certifications built into some programs, such as the CompTIA and TestOut exams in Computer Support Specialist, if the student takes the exam within three months of finishing. Program pages also list career skill badges that students earn along the way. We found no SCI student housing.
What students say on Niche
Two of SCI’s campus pages on Niche have more than 25 reviews (checked October 2026): San Antonio South is rated 3.84 out of 5 from 63 reviews, with an overall grade of D, and Austin 4.62 from 29 reviews, with a B−. Reviewers praise knowledgeable instructors, hands-on training in small classes, the choice of day or night schedules with make-up options, and close-knit medical assisting groups; Austin reviewers also mention a smooth enrollment. The most common complaints are administrative and scheduling mistakes, an unclear attendance policy, instructor turnover, worries about loans and cost, and, at San Antonio South, staff described as unsupportive. These two pages cover two of eight campuses; the other Niche campus pages have 17 or fewer reviews each, so they say little about the rest.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Nursing and Health
- AAS in Nursing (RN, Brownsville)
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
- Pharmacy Technician
- Nurse Aide
- Medical Office Specialist
HVAC, Electrical and Welding
- HVAC
- Electrical Technician
- Welding
Trucking and Transportation
- CDL-A
- CDL-B (Waco)
Cosmetology and Beauty
- Cosmetology Operator
- Esthetician
Business
- Business Accounting Specialist
- Business Administration
- AAS in Management
- AAS in Trades Management (Austin)
- AAS in Healthcare Management (online)
Computers and IT
- Computer Support Specialist
- Cyber Security (online)
- Data Science (online)
- Software Developer (online)
- UI/UX Designer (online)
- AAS in Computer Science Management (online)
Campus Locations
Austin, TX 1701 W Ben White Blvd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78704
Brownsville, TX 935 North Expressway, Southwinds Shopping Center, Brownsville, TX 78520
Corpus Christi, TX 2422 Airline Road, Corpus Christi, TX 78414
Harlingen, TX 1122 Morgan Blvd., Harlingen, TX 78550
McAllen (Pharr), TX 1500 North Jackson Road, Pharr, TX 78577
San Antonio, TX 6963 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78238
San Antonio, TX 238 Southwest Military Dr., Suite 101, San Antonio, TX 78221
Waco, TX 3700 S IH 35, Suite A, Waco, TX 76706