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NCLEX pass rates by year, from NCSBN reports

NCSBN figures for 2021 to 2025. In 2025, 86.7% of first-time U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN candidates passed; 47.3% of first-time internationally educated.

Checked November 10, 2026

Short answer: In 2025, 86.7% of first-time, U.S.-educated candidates passed the NCLEX-RN, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), and 47.3% of first-time, internationally educated candidates passed. For the NCLEX-PN in 2025, the rate was 86.6% for first-time, U.S.-educated candidates.

Every figure on this page comes from NCSBN's yearly "NCLEX Examination Statistics" reports, one PDF for each year from 2021 to 2025. We copy the year totals as NCSBN prints them. We do not round, combine or adjust them.

How to read the tables

In the three main tables, each cell holds three numbers in this order: the number of candidates who tested, the number who passed, and the percent who passed. For example, "192,916 / 167,272 / 86.7%" means 192,916 candidates tested, 167,272 passed, and 86.7% passed.

NCSBN sorts candidates into four types. Two questions decide the type:

  • First-time or repeat? A first-time candidate is taking the exam for the first time. A repeat candidate has taken it before.
  • Where did the candidate study nursing? In the U.S. tables, "U.S.-educated" means the nursing program was in the United States, and "internationally educated" means it was in another country. In the Canada table, the split is "Canada-educated" and "internationally educated".

"All candidates" is the total of the four types. It mixes first-time and repeat candidates, so it is lower than the first-time, home-educated figure in every year below.

NCLEX-RN, candidates for U.S. licensure

Year First-time, U.S.-educated Repeat, U.S.-educated First-time, internationally educated Repeat, internationally educated All candidates
2021 185,056 / 152,642 / 82.5% 55,205 / 25,129 / 45.5% 18,524 / 8,663 / 46.8% 20,074 / 5,573 / 27.8% 278,859 / 192,007 / 68.9%
2022 187,990 / 150,216 / 79.9% 69,718 / 30,497 / 43.7% 35,090 / 15,181 / 43.3% 28,813 / 8,008 / 27.8% 321,611 / 203,902 / 63.4%
2023 186,374 / 165,058 / 88.6% 58,675 / 30,008 / 51.1% 66,008 / 34,763 / 52.7% 48,144 / 20,435 / 42.4% 359,201 / 250,264 / 69.7%
2024 186,760 / 170,256 / 91.2% 32,030 / 16,313 / 50.9% 58,995 / 31,762 / 53.8% 40,082 / 14,577 / 36.4% 317,867 / 232,908 / 73.3%
2025 192,916 / 167,272 / 86.7% 42,513 / 22,404 / 52.7% 52,827 / 24,999 / 47.3% 40,187 / 12,271 / 30.5% 328,443 / 226,946 / 69.1%

This table counts everyone who took the NCLEX-RN to be licensed in the United States, wherever they studied. A nurse educated in the Philippines or India who tests for a U.S. state board is in the two "internationally educated" columns.

First-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN candidates by type of nursing program

NCSBN also splits the first-time, U.S.-educated group by the kind of program the candidate finished.

Year Diploma Baccalaureate Associate
2021 79.5% 86.1% 78.8%
2022 78.4% 82.3% 77.9%
2023 89.0% 90.2% 87.8%
2024 90.8% 91.9% 90.6%
2025 83.3% 87.6% 86.1%

The three labels are NCSBN's own. A baccalaureate program leads to a bachelor's degree in nursing.

NCLEX-PN (United States only)

Year First-time, U.S.-educated Repeat, U.S.-educated First-time, internationally educated Repeat, internationally educated All candidates
2021 46,353 / 36,898 / 79.6% 17,423 / 6,172 / 35.4% 435 / 224 / 51.5% 661 / 120 / 18.2% 64,872 / 43,414 / 66.9%
2022 47,636 / 38,076 / 79.9% 17,689 / 6,309 / 35.7% 407 / 205 / 50.4% 562 / 128 / 22.8% 66,294 / 44,718 / 67.5%
2023 47,548 / 41,214 / 86.7% 17,206 / 7,369 / 42.8% 410 / 221 / 53.9% 515 / 150 / 29.1% 65,679 / 48,954 / 74.5%
2024 50,570 / 44,693 / 88.4% 11,779 / 4,941 / 41.9% 395 / 202 / 51.1% 406 / 97 / 23.9% 63,150 / 49,933 / 79.1%
2025 54,818 / 47,470 / 86.6% 13,342 / 5,558 / 41.7% 397 / 213 / 53.7% 439 / 121 / 27.6% 68,996 / 53,362 / 77.3%

The NCLEX-PN is the exam for licensed practical and vocational nurses. NCSBN uses it for U.S. licensure only, so there is no Canada table for it. The two internationally educated groups are small: a few hundred candidates in each group each year.

NCLEX-RN, candidates for Canadian licensure or registration

Year First-time, Canada-educated Repeat, Canada-educated First-time, internationally educated Repeat, internationally educated All candidates
2021 9,536 / 8,063 / 84.6% 2,427 / 1,340 / 55.2% 2,030 / 1,092 / 53.8% 1,595 / 584 / 36.6% 15,588 / 11,079 / 71.1%
2022 9,600 / 7,473 / 77.8% 3,210 / 1,676 / 52.2% 2,488 / 1,180 / 47.4% 2,641 / 834 / 31.6% 17,939 / 11,163 / 62.2%
2023 9,992 / 8,725 / 87.3% 2,737 / 1,718 / 62.8% 3,626 / 2,187 / 60.3% 2,913 / 1,188 / 40.8% 19,268 / 13,818 / 71.7%
2024 11,241 / 9,867 / 87.8% 1,925 / 1,208 / 62.8% 7,332 / 3,653 / 49.8% 3,665 / 1,581 / 43.1% 24,163 / 16,309 / 67.5%
2025 10,789 / 9,282 / 86.0% 2,396 / 1,452 / 60.6% 7,312 / 2,893 / 39.6% 5,982 / 1,959 / 32.7% 26,479 / 15,586 / 58.9%

This table counts candidates who took the NCLEX-RN to register with a Canadian regulator. It is the same exam as in the United States. The differences between the two countries are in NCLEX in Canada and in the United States: what is different.

2025 first-time, Canada-educated candidates by province or territory

Jurisdiction 2025
Alberta 91.3%
British Columbia 89.7%
Manitoba 90.5%
New Brunswick 82.6%
Newfoundland and Labrador 92.2%
Northwest Territories and Nunavut 76.9%
Nova Scotia 84.1%
Ontario 84.3%
Prince Edward Island 83.8%
Saskatchewan 76.9%
Total 86.1%

The jurisdiction is where the candidate was educated. In Ontario, 5,152 candidates tested and 4,342 passed. The total here is 10,734 candidates, not the 10,789 in the main Canada table. NCSBN explains that 55 candidates are left out because their education jurisdiction is not one of the 10 regulatory bodies that adopted the NCLEX-RN. Quebec is not in the table.

What these numbers do and do not tell you

  • They are group results, not scores. NCSBN reports each candidate's result only as pass or fail. There is no number score behind these percents. See How is the NCLEX scored, and what is the passing standard?.
  • There is no quota. NCSBN states that no fixed percentage of candidates passes or fails each exam. A candidate passes by performing at or above the passing standard.
  • The passing standard stayed the same in every year shown. The NCLEX-RN standard has been 0.00 logits since April 2013. The NCLEX-PN standard has been -0.18 logits since March 25, 2020.
  • 2026 is not here. NCSBN published its final 2025 report in 2026. It also runs a live pass-rate dashboard, and it notes that the dashboard and the PDF reports can differ slightly. We add 2026 when NCSBN publishes its 2026 statistics report.

What to do next

  1. Find the row that matches you: the country where you want to be licensed, where you studied, and whether this is your first attempt.
  2. Read NCSBN's own PDF for the year you need. Each report has more tables, such as figures by quarter and by type of nursing program.
  3. If you are planning a second attempt, read How many times can you retake the NCLEX?.

Common questions

Where do these numbers come from?

From NCSBN's annual "NCLEX Examination Statistics" PDFs. Table 1 in each report is the NCLEX-RN for U.S. licensure, Table 2 is the NCLEX-RN for Canada, and Table 12 is the NCLEX-PN.

Why is the "All candidates" figure so much lower than the first-time figure?

It includes repeat candidates and internationally educated candidates, whose rates are lower in every year shown. The total is a mix of all four groups.

Do the jurisdiction figures for Canada match the main Canada table?

Not exactly. The jurisdiction table leaves out 55 candidates educated outside the 10 regulatory bodies that adopted the NCLEX-RN, so its total is 10,734 instead of 10,789.

All Nursing Exams, NCLEXPace and NPractitioner are run by the same team.

Sources