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 87.5%). Only display-eligible cohorts of 10+ first-time candidates are shown.

91.5%
Pennsylvania State Average
14
Schools (N≥10)
10
Schools Above 90%

Key takeaways

  • Pennsylvania institutional average in our dataset: 91.5% (2025).
  • Small cohorts (fewer than 10 first-time candidates) are marked display-ineligible and not shown as headline rates.
  • Pennsylvania is a Nurse Licensure Compact state — an RN license issued here can authorize practice in other compact states.
  • National first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate reference: 87.5% (NCSBN).
  • 10 Pennsylvania schools with latest-year pass rates at or above 90%.

91.5%

Pennsylvania first-time RN average (2025)

Source: PA State Board of Nursing — NCLEX 5-Year Pass Rates (exam years ending 2021-2025)

14

Schools with N≥10 cohorts in 2025

Source: PA State Board of Nursing — NCLEX 5-Year Pass Rates (exam years ending 2021-2025)

10

Schools at or above 90%

Source: PA State Board of Nursing — NCLEX 5-Year Pass Rates (exam years ending 2021-2025)

Last verified 2026-08-21. Only display-eligible cohorts (N≥10) are shown.

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First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates — Pennsylvania schools

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). Only display-eligible cohorts of 10+ first-time candidates are shown.

Pass rate

Showing 14 of 14 schools.

14 Pennsylvania schools with display-eligible first-time RN NCLEX pass rates (N≥10 candidates, latest reporting year)
Reading Area Community College98.3%602025
Duquesne University School of Nursing96.4%2202025
Bucks County Community College95.2%622025
Northampton Community College94.9%592025
Drexel University94.2%3082025
Wilkes University92.8%692025
University of Pittsburgh92.3%2842025
Community College of Philadelphia92.1%1272025
Villanova University92.0%2012025
University of Pennsylvania91.5%1992025
Community College of Allegheny County88.2%2542025
Montgomery County Community College87.7%1142025
Harrisburg Area Community College83.8%4502025
Lehigh Carbon Community College82.3%1302025

Source: PA State Board of Nursing — NCLEX 5-Year Pass Rates (exam years ending 2021-2025)

Next step: compare Pennsylvania programs by what matters to you

Pennsylvania schools in this table average 91.5% first-time NCLEX-RN pass (14 schools, N≥10; 10 above 90%). Pass rates tell you how a program performs — these views narrow the same Pennsylvania schools by cost, speed, and seat availability.

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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 87.5%. 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 school table on this page — 14 Pennsylvania schools with first-time RN rates from cohorts of 10+ candidates. Compare those rates against the state average (91.5%) and the national reference (87.5%). 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 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.
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Pennsylvania nursing reference

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