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States With The Highest NCLEX Pass Rates
You have to pass the NCLEX to get licensed. A high state pass rate signals that its nursing schools prepare graduates well. Here's how pass rates and RN salar…
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Key Takeaways
- New Hampshire leads the nation with a 96.5% NCLEX pass rate, followed by North Dakota, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
- Nationally, 91.2% of test-takers passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt.
- BSN graduates consistently outscore associate degree holders, which is a real argument for the four-year degree.
You have to pass the NCLEX to get licensed. A high state pass rate signals that its nursing schools prepare graduates well. Here's how pass rates and RN salaries break down by state.
What Is the NCLEX Exam?
The NCLEX is a standardized exam that tests a nursing graduate's clinical judgment and skills. Pass it and your state board issues your license. It comes in two formats: the NCLEX-PN for licensed practical nurses and the NCLEX-RN for registered nurses.
Both versions test four areas: safe and effective care environment, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity. Nationally, 91.2% of candidates passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt, according to the NCSBN. Some states run well above that.
Top 5 States With the Highest NCLEX Pass Rates
More than 186,000 candidates took the NCLEX-RN for the first time in 2024. Programs need an 80% pass rate to keep accreditation, but the states below clear that easily. In all five, BSN graduates pass at a higher rate than associate degree (ADN) graduates, and all five have above-average RN demand.
1. New Hampshire
- NCLEX Pass Rate Average (2024): 96.5%
- RN-Associate Degree Pass Rate (2024): 95.2%
- RN-Bachelor Degree Pass Rate (2024): 97.8%
- Total Candidates (2024): 836
New Hampshire has the highest pass rate in the country, more than five points above the national average, and has led every year since 2018. The median RN salary is $94,620, and RN jobs are projected to grow 6.6% from 2022 to 2032.
2. North Dakota
- NCLEX Pass Rate Average (2024): 96.4%
- RN-Associate Degree Pass Rate (2024): 94.9%
- RN-Bachelor Degree Pass Rate (2024): 97.0%
- Total Candidates (2024): 591
North Dakota ranks second and pairs it with strong demand. RN jobs are projected to grow 10.4% from 2022 to 2032. In 2024, 570 candidates passed the NCLEX-RN, against 770 projected annual openings, so newly licensed RNs have plenty of room. Average RN salary is $81,900.
3. Nebraska
- NCLEX Pass Rate Average (2024): 95.1%
- RN-Associate Degree Pass Rate (2024): 93.4%
- RN-Bachelor Degree Pass Rate (2024): 95.5%
- Total Candidates (2024): 1,153
Nebraska clears 95% for both first-time test takers and BSN graduates. RN jobs are projected to grow 7.7% from 2022 to 2032. Twelve of the state's counties have one or fewer RNs, and rural nursing pays competitively. Average RN salary is $82,890.
4. Tennessee
- NCLEX Pass Rate Average (2024): 94.9%
- RN-Associate Degree Pass Rate (2024): 93.0%
- RN-Bachelor Degree Pass Rate (2024): 96.8%
- Total Candidates (2024): 3,866
Tennessee has the strongest projected growth in the top five: 12.8% from 2022 to 2032, more than double the national rate. That's about 4,200 annual openings, more than the state's first-time test-takers. Employers include the Vanderbilt Transplant Center, which performed more transplants than any center in the world in 2024. Average RN pay tops $82,000 in a low cost-of-living state.
5. Wyoming
- NCLEX Pass Rate Average (2024): 94.9%
- RN-Associate Degree Pass Rate (2024): 94.3%
- RN-Bachelor Degree Pass Rate (2024): 98.1%
- Total Candidates (2024): 326
Wyoming has fewer test-takers but a high pass rate, and its BSN graduates pass at over 98%, the best of any state. RN jobs are projected to grow 11.9% from 2022 to 2032, and average pay is $88,020. Wyoming is in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so out-of-state nurses can work there more easily.
Average NCLEX Pass Rates by State (2024)
The national NCLEX-RN pass rate was 92.1% in 2024, but it varies by state and by program. Accreditation agencies and regulators treat pass rate as a key performance measure. Several factors drive the salary differences below, including demand, cost of living, and employment setting.
| State | Average NCLEX Pass Rate | Average RN Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 93.4 | $74,970 |
| Alaska | 91.6 | $112,040 |
| Arizona | 93.8 | $95,230 |
| Arkansas | 91.1 | $77,720 |
| California | 92.7 | $148,330 |
| Colorado | 93.4 | $95,470 |
| Connecticut | 91.7 | $103,670 |
| Delaware | 93.3 | $95,450 |
| District of Columbia | 90.5 | $109,240 |
| Florida | 84.9 | $88,200 |
Sources: NCSBN, BLS.