NCLEX pass rate is the most important metric when comparing nursing schools. Here's how to find it, what the numbers mean, and which schools consistently outperform the national average.
The NCLEX-RN is the national licensing exam every aspiring registered nurse must pass. A school's first-attempt pass rate is the clearest signal of programme quality.
The national average first-attempt NCLEX-RN pass rate is approximately 87%. Any programme consistently above 90% is considered strong. Below 80% is a red flag.
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) publishes aggregate pass rate data annually. Individual state boards of nursing also publish school-specific data.
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NCLEX Pass Rates