Board-reported · 2025

NCLEX Pass Rates — Pennsylvania Nursing Schools (2025)

As of 2025, 14 Pennsylvania schools reported first-time RN NCLEX pass rates of 82.3–98.3%, per PA State Board of Nursing — NCLEX 5-Year Pass Rates (exam years ending 2021-2025). Dataset average 91.5% (national reference 86.7%). Only display-eligible cohorts of 10+ first-time candidates are shown.

Pennsylvania average: 91.5%; +4.8 pts vs national
National: 86.7%; NCSBN 2025
Schools reported: 14; Cohorts of 10 or more
At 90% or higher: 10

Board-reported outcomes

Every Pennsylvania program the board reports, ranked by first-time pass rate. Schools listed on this site link to their profiles.

10 of 14

First-time RN NCLEX pass rates for Pennsylvania, ranked by pass rate. National average 86.7% marked on each bar.
#	School	Credential	Pass rateNational 86.7% marked	N	Status
1	Reading Area Community College ADN	—	98.3%	60	On site
2	Duquesne University BSN	—	96.4%	220	On site
3	Bucks County Community College ADN	—	95.2%	62	On site
4	Northampton Community College ADN	—	94.9%	59	On site
5	Drexel University BSN	—	94.2%	308	On site
6	Wilkes University BSN	—	92.8%	69	On site
7	University of Pittsburgh BSN	—	92.3%	284	On site
8	Community College of Philadelphia ADN	—	92.1%	127	On site
9	Villanova University BSN	—	92.0%	201	On site
10	University of Pennsylvania BSN	—	91.5%	199	On site
11	Community College of Allegheny County ADN	—	88.2%	254	On site
12	Montgomery County Community College ADN	—	87.7%	114	On site
13	Harrisburg Area Community College ADN	—	83.8%	450	On site
14	Lehigh-Carbon Community College ADN	—	82.3%	130	On site

Source: PA State Board of Nursing — NCLEX 5-Year Pass Rates (exam years ending 2021-2025). Last verified Oct 1, 2026.

Programs accepting applications

Compare Pennsylvania ADN and BSN programs

The pre-licensure programs that lead to the NCLEX-RN. Check each school against the board-reported table above.

Next step in Pennsylvania

All nursing programs in PennsylvaniaEvery accredited Pennsylvania ADN, BSN, and LPN program in one directory, with pass rates where reported.
Fastest nursing programs in PennsylvaniaAccelerated BSN, LPN-to-RN, and short ADN routes, with program length in months.
Affordable programs in PennsylvaniaCompare listed tuition in Pennsylvania once you have the pass-rate picture.
Programs for working adults in PennsylvaniaFlexible online and hybrid tracks for students who need to keep working.
Online nursing programs in PennsylvaniaDidactic coursework online with local clinicals — same-state authorization still applies.
RN-to-BSN in PennsylvaniaAlready licensed? Bridge to a BSN without repeating NCLEX prep.

Find Pennsylvania programs with strong pass rates near you

Tell us where you are and what you want to study. We'll show programs accepting applications for your start date.

We don’t ask for your name, email, or phone. Leave ZIP blank and we’ll use your approximate location. Results include sponsored partner listings, labeled as such.

Apply

Pennsylvania programs with strong pass rates you can apply to

On-site listings from our directory with first-time pass rates at or near the top of the table. Board-reported rates above remain the source for licensure outcomes.

Reading Area Community College ADN
98.3% first-time RN
See start dates and apply
Duquesne University BSN
96.4% first-time RN
See start dates and apply
Bucks County Community College ADN
95.2% first-time RN
See start dates and apply

Already licensed? Next credentials for Pennsylvania nurses

Pass rates and sticker price are for the first license. Working RNs in Pennsylvania often stack an online RN-to-BSN, then an NP specialty. Online RN-to-BSN options serving Pennsylvania include Walden University at $27,710 listed total tuition in our directory. Pennsylvania is a reduced-practice state: nurse practitioners must maintain a career-long collaborative agreement with another health provider for at least one element of practice (often prescriptive authority), which limits fully independent practice.

What is the average NCLEX pass rate for Pennsylvania nursing schools?

The average NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate for schools in Pennsylvania is 91.5%, compared to the national average of 86.7%. Display-eligible school rates in our table range from 82.3% to 98.3%. Source: PA State Board of Nursing — NCLEX 5-Year Pass Rates (exam years ending 2021-2025).

How do I find nursing schools with high NCLEX pass rates in Pennsylvania?

Use the board-reported table on this page — 14 Pennsylvania board-reported first-time RN rates from cohorts of 10+ candidates. Compare those rates against the state average (91.5%) and the national reference (86.7%). Small cohorts under 10 candidates are excluded because 100% rates from tiny samples are statistically unreliable.

Which programs are included in the NCLEX outcomes table for Pennsylvania?

The primary table lists 14 live-directory schools with display-eligible, board-reported first-time RN NCLEX rates (latest year, N≥10). A secondary directory section may list programs serving Pennsylvania that also publish a program-level figure — treat board data as authoritative for licensure outcomes.

Compare nursing programs in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania nursing reference

RN salary data$90,830 average (BLS).Nursing schools Scholarships License requirements Admission requirements How to become a nurse Nursing shortage & outlook For working adults LPN to RN RN to BSN FNP programs PMHNP programs Nurse midwife programs MSN programs DNP programs CRNA programs

Nearby States

Delaware Maryland New Jersey New York Ohio West Virginia