2026 Nursing Education Report
Published May 2026 · Sources: NCSBN, AACN, state nursing boards
Key takeaways
- US nursing school enrollment grew 3.2% in 2025; BSN programs now account for 62% of first-professional enrollments.
- National first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate: 87.5% (NCSBN 2024). Programs above 90% are consistently in the top third on student-to-faculty ratios.
- Nursing faculty vacancies reached 2,054 full-time positions in 2024 — the pipeline constraint limiting supply despite applicant demand.
- CCNE remains the dominant accreditor (65% of BSN programs); ACEN accredits the majority of associate-degree programs.
- Seven states issued emergency nursing faculty waivers in 2024–2025, signaling a structural shortage that will persist beyond 2030.
1. National enrollment trends
Total nursing program enrollment in the United States grew an estimated 3.2% year-over-year in 2025, continuing a recovery from the pandemic-era dip. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reported 316,258 students enrolled in entry-level BSN programs in 2024, up from 297,040 in 2020. ADN programs have seen moderated growth as hospitals in 23 states now require or strongly prefer a BSN for initial hire.
Degree-type enrollment breakdown (2024 estimates, AACN and ACEN):
| Degree | Estimated Enrollment | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| BSN (entry-level) | 316,258 | +3.8% |
| ADN / Associate Degree | 214,000 | +1.2% |
| LPN/LVN Certificate | 82,500 | –0.4% |
| RN-to-BSN (completion) | 108,000 | +5.1% |
| MSN / Graduate entry | 67,400 | +4.7% |
| DNP | 41,200 | +9.3% |
Sources: AACN 2024 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing; ACEN Annual Report 2024.
2. First-time NCLEX pass rates
The national first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for domestic candidates was 87.5% in 2024 (NCSBN). This reflects continued improvement following the introduction of the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) in 2023, which initially depressed pass rates before programs adapted their curricula.
Programs with consistently high NCLEX outcomes (≥90%) share several characteristics: low student-to-faculty ratios (≤8:1 in clinical settings), mandatory NCLEX prep integration into the final semester, and high-fidelity simulation labs accredited by SSH or INACSL standards.
| Pass Rate Tier | % of Programs | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| ≥ 95% | 18% | Top-quartile outcome; strong program quality signal |
| 90–94% | 29% | Above national average; solid performance |
| 87.5–89% | 21% | At or near national average |
| 80–87% | 22% | Below average; review curriculum rigor |
| < 80% | 10% | State board review territory; investigate before enrolling |
Approximate distribution based on NCSBN 2024 program-level data. Individual program rates available at /nclex-pass-rates.
3. The nursing faculty bottleneck
Nursing faculty vacancies reached 2,054 full-time equivalent positions across AACN member schools in 2024 — a 9% increase from 2022. Nationally, nursing schools turned away approximately 94,000 qualified applicants in 2024 due to insufficient faculty and clinical site capacity. The average nursing faculty member is 57 years old; a significant retirement wave is projected through 2030.
Doctorate-prepared faculty earn $30,000–$80,000 less annually in academia than in clinical practice — the primary driver of the pipeline problem. Policy responses include:
- Federal Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) — loan forgiveness for graduates who teach.
- HRSA Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention (NEPQR) grants.
- Clinical faculty models: practitioner-professors who maintain clinical hours alongside teaching.
- Emergency faculty waivers: seven states approved modified credential requirements in 2024–2025 to fill vacancies.
4. Accreditation landscape
CCNE accredits 65% of BSN, MSN, and DNP programs; ACEN accredits the majority of ADN, LPN/LVN, and diploma programs. Both are recognized by the US Department of Education.
Notable 2024–2025 accreditation actions (public record, state board sources):
- 14 programs placed on warning status by their accreditor for NCLEX pass rates below 80% for two consecutive years.
- 3 programs voluntarily closed their nursing tracks due to faculty vacancy rates above 40%.
- CCNE introduced enhanced clinical placement standards effective January 2025, requiring documented clinical partner agreements.
See our accreditation guidefor how to verify a program's accreditor status before applying.
5. State-level enrollment highlights
State-by-state NCLEX pass rate data and program listings are available in our interactive database. Key state highlights from 2025:
| State | Avg NCLEX-RN Pass Rate | Notable Trend |
|---|---|---|
| California | 91.2% | Highest state average; strict BRN oversight |
| Texas | 85.4% | Fastest program count growth (+11% since 2022) |
| Florida | 87.1% | High applicant-to-seat ratio; competitive admission |
| New York | 89.3% | Strong BSN infrastructure; SUNY system anchor |
| Georgia | 82.6% | Below national average; faculty vacancy pressure |
| Ohio | 90.1% | Above average; strong community college pipeline |
Approximate averages derived from NCSBN program-level pass rate data and state board publications. Individual program data: nclex-pass-rates.
6. Methodology and data sources
- NCLEX pass rates: NCSBN annual NCLEX pass rate data (2024 release).
- Enrollment data: AACN 2024 Enrollment and Graduations report; ACEN 2024 Annual Report.
- Faculty vacancies: AACN 2024 Faculty Vacancy Survey.
- Accreditation actions: CCNE and ACEN public action letters (2024–2025).
- State-level data: State Board of Nursing annual reports and NCSBN member data.
All statistics are sourced from primary documents. No data is estimated or extrapolated beyond what sources publish. Unknown values are left blank rather than approximated. See our full editorial methodology.