If you are a first-time, U.S.-educated nursing graduate, the odds are on your side. In 2024, the most recent full year NCSBN has published, 91.2% of first-time, U.S.-educated candidates passed the NCLEX-RN, and 88.4% passed the NCLEX-PN. The overall NCLEX pass rate looks lower because it blends in repeat testers and internationally educated candidates: across all NCLEX-RN candidates, 73.3% passed.
That gap between the headline number and the number for people in your situation is the whole point of this page. Below is the current NCLEX pass rate data straight from NCSBN's official examination statistics, broken down by candidate type, by RN versus PN, by nursing degree, and over time, so you can see the number that actually applies to you.
- First-time, U.S.-educated candidates passed at 91.2% (RN) and 88.4% (PN) in 2024, per NCSBN.
- The all-candidate NCLEX-RN pass rate was 73.3%, pulled down by repeat and internationally educated testers.
- Repeat testers pass at roughly half the first-time rate: 50.9% for U.S.-educated RN repeaters.
- Pass rates jumped when the Next Generation NCLEX launched in April 2023, and NCSBN did not lower the passing standard.
- 2024 is the latest complete-year dataset. NCSBN has not yet published full-year 2025 statistics.
What is the current NCLEX pass rate?
The single number most people mean by "the NCLEX pass rate" is the first-time, U.S.-educated rate, because that describes the typical new graduate taking the test for the first time. For 2024 that was 91.2% on the NCLEX-RN and 88.4% on the NCLEX-PN, according to NCSBN's 2024 NCLEX Examination Statistics.
Here is how every candidate group compares for both exams in 2024:
| Candidate group | NCLEX-RN pass rate | NCLEX-PN pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| First-time, U.S.-educated | 91.2% | 88.4% |
| Repeat, U.S.-educated | 50.9% | 41.9% |
| First-time, internationally educated | 53.8% | 51.1% |
| Repeat, internationally educated | 36.4% | 23.9% |
| All candidates | 73.3% | 79.1% |
NCLEX-RN pass rates by candidate type, 2024. Source: NCSBN, 2024 NCLEX Examination Statistics.
The takeaway: if you trained in a U.S. program and this is your first attempt, your realistic reference point is around 90%, not the low-70s figure that circulates online.
NCLEX-RN pass rates by candidate type (2024)
The NCLEX-RN is the licensing exam for registered nurses. In 2024, more than 317,000 candidates sat for it under U.S. licensure. The full breakdown, with the actual number tested and passing, looks like this:
| Candidate type | Number tested | Number passing | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-time, U.S.-educated | 186,760 | 170,256 | 91.2% |
| Repeat, U.S.-educated | 32,030 | 16,313 | 50.9% |
| First-time, internationally educated | 58,995 | 31,762 | 53.8% |
| Repeat, internationally educated | 40,082 | 14,577 | 36.4% |
| All candidates | 317,867 | 232,908 | 73.3% |
Two things stand out. First, the first-time U.S. group is by far the largest, so it drives most of the passes. Second, the "all candidates" rate is not a measure of how hard the exam is for you. It is an average across four very different groups, and the low repeat and international rates drag it down.
NCLEX-PN pass rates by candidate type (2024)
The NCLEX-PN is the exam for practical and vocational nurses (LPN or LVN). It has a smaller candidate pool, about 63,000 testers in 2024, and the same pattern by candidate type:
| Candidate type | Number tested | Number passing | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-time, U.S.-educated | 50,570 | 44,693 | 88.4% |
| Repeat, U.S.-educated | 11,779 | 4,941 | 41.9% |
| First-time, internationally educated | 395 | 202 | 51.1% |
| Repeat, internationally educated | 406 | 97 | 23.9% |
| All candidates | 63,150 | 49,933 | 79.1% |
Interestingly, the all-candidate PN rate (79.1%) is higher than the all-candidate RN rate (73.3%), even though first-time PN candidates pass at a slightly lower rate than first-time RN candidates. The reason is mix: the RN pool has a much larger share of internationally educated candidates, who pass at lower rates, so their weight pulls the RN average down further.
How NCLEX pass rates have changed over time
NCLEX pass rates are not static. First-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN pass rates slid through the early 2020s, bottomed out in 2022, and then rose sharply. Here is the recent trend, using NCSBN's annual figures:
| Year | First-time, U.S.-educated RN pass rate | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 88.2% | Pre-decline reference point |
| 2021 | 82.5% | Multi-year slide |
| 2022 | 79.9% | Lowest point, final full pre-NGN year |
| 2023 | 88.6% | Next Generation NCLEX launched in April |
| 2024 | 91.2% | Latest full year on record |
First-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN annual pass rate, 2021 to 2024. Source: NCSBN annual NCLEX Examination Statistics.
The 2022 low of 79.9% got a lot of attention, and plenty of people assumed the newer exam would make things worse. The data shows the opposite happened.
The Next Generation NCLEX effect
The clearest signal in the data is what happened inside 2023. The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) launched on April 1, 2023, which fell right at the start of the second quarter. If you split 2023 by quarter for first-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN candidates, the jump is hard to miss:
| 2023 quarter | Pass rate | Exam version |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 (Jan to Mar) | 80.5% | Old format |
| Q2 (Apr to Jun) | 94.3% | Next Generation NCLEX |
| Q3 (Jul to Sep) | 90.7% | Next Generation NCLEX |
| Q4 (Oct to Dec) | 88.6% | Next Generation NCLEX |
NCLEX-RN, first-time U.S.-educated pass rate by 2023 quarter. Source: NCSBN, 2023 NCLEX Examination Statistics.
The pass rate climbed from 80.5% in the final quarter of the old exam to 94.3% in the first quarter of NGN, a swing of nearly 14 points in one quarter. That is worth understanding correctly, because it is easy to misread:
- NCSBN did not lower the bar. The RN passing standard was 0.00 logits in 2024 and was retained through the NGN transition, not reduced. The exam changed format and content; the standard to pass did not get easier.
- Cohort timing matters. Strong candidates who were ready in early 2023 often waited to test under the new format, and the mix of who tests in each quarter shifts. Quarter-to-quarter comparisons within a year always carry some of this noise.
- The gain held. The rate settled at 88.6% by Q4 2023 and rose again to 91.2% for full-year 2024, so this was not a one-quarter blip.
The NGN adds question types built around clinical judgment (case studies, bow-tie items, matrix and drag-and-drop formats) and uses partial-credit scoring on some items. For a fuller explanation of the format and scoring, see our complete NCLEX exam guide.
RN vs PN: first-time pass rates rose in 2024
Both exams improved from 2023 to 2024 for first-time, U.S.-educated candidates. The NCLEX-RN rose from 88.6% to 91.2%, and the NCLEX-PN rose from 86.7% to 88.4%.
First-time, U.S.-educated pass rates, 2023 vs 2024. Source: NCSBN, 2023 and 2024 NCLEX Examination Statistics.
NCLEX pass rates by nursing degree
For first-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN candidates in 2024, the pass rate barely moves between degree types. Whether you finished a BSN, an ADN, or a hospital diploma program, the first-time pass rate sat around 91%:
| Nursing program | Number tested (2024) | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Baccalaureate (BSN) | 99,204 | 91.9% |
| Associate degree (ADN) | 84,580 | 90.6% |
| Diploma | 2,424 | 90.8% |
The degree you hold has a small effect on your first-time NCLEX odds. What matters far more is which of the four candidate groups you fall into, first-time or repeat, U.S.-educated or internationally educated.
The biggest driver of NCLEX pass rates is not the exam or your degree. It is whether it is your first attempt. First-time U.S.-educated candidates pass at about 91%, while U.S.-educated repeat testers pass at about 51%.
Why repeat and international pass rates are so much lower
The low repeat and international numbers can be alarming if you do not know what is behind them. A few honest explanations:
- Repeat testers are, by definition, a filtered group. Everyone in the repeat pool already did not pass once. That group skews toward candidates with real content or test-taking gaps, so a rate near 50% is expected, not a sign the exam is unbeatable on a second try.
- Internationally educated candidates face extra hurdles. Differences in nursing curricula, English-language testing, and unfamiliarity with the U.S. clinical-judgment style all weigh on first-attempt scores. Preparation aimed specifically at the NGN format closes a lot of that gap.
- These are averages, not your ceiling. A pass rate is a snapshot of a population. It does not predict any single person's result, and it says nothing about how prepared you personally are on test day.
What the NCLEX pass rate does and does not tell you
Use the pass rate for context, not as a prediction. Here is the practical read:
- Find your group first. The number that matters is the one for your candidate type. For most readers of this page, that is the first-time, U.S.-educated rate near 90%.
- Ignore the all-candidate number for personal planning. It is useful for tracking national trends, but it mixes in repeat and international testers, so it understates a typical new graduate's odds.
- A pass rate is not a curve. The NCLEX has no preassigned percentage that passes or fails. Your result depends on whether your ability estimate clears the passing standard, not on how other candidates did.
- School-level pass rates can mislead. A program with 40 graduates and a 95% rate and one with 300 graduates and an 88% rate are not directly comparable. Look at the volume behind the percentage.
How to give yourself the best shot at passing
The candidates who pass on the first try tend to do the same handful of things. None of this is about talent; it is about preparing for the exam that actually exists in 2026.
- Study the current format, not old advice. The NGN rewards clinical judgment: recognizing cues, prioritizing, and evaluating outcomes. Practice with case studies and the newer item types, not just standalone recall questions.
- Work from one strong question bank. Depth beats variety. Pick a primary NCLEX question bank with NGN case studies, detailed rationales, and readiness assessments, and actually finish it rather than sampling five platforms.
- Review rationales, not just scores. For every missed question, identify whether it was a content gap or a judgment error, and what cue you missed. That review is where most of the improvement happens.
- Consider structure if self-study stalls. If you have failed once or have large content gaps, a structured NCLEX prep course adds a study plan and accountability. You can also start with the free NCLEX resources and official NCSBN materials before spending anything.
Every resource we point to is rated against a documented review methodology, so you can see why we recommend it. For a full walkthrough of format, fees, eligibility, and a study timeline, read our NCLEX exam guide, and browse everything in one place at our NCLEX prep hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NCLEX pass rate in 2026?
The most recent full-year data comes from NCSBN's 2024 statistics. In 2024, 91.2% of first-time, U.S.-educated candidates passed the NCLEX-RN and 88.4% passed the NCLEX-PN. The all-candidate NCLEX-RN pass rate, which includes repeat and internationally educated testers, was 73.3%. NCSBN had not yet published full-year 2025 figures as of mid-2026.
What is the first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate?
For first-time, U.S.-educated candidates, the NCLEX-RN pass rate was 91.2% in 2024, up from 88.6% in 2023. This is the number that best reflects a typical new U.S. nursing graduate taking the exam for the first time.
Why is the overall NCLEX pass rate so much lower than the first-time rate?
The overall or "all candidate" rate averages together four groups: first-time and repeat testers, and U.S.-educated and internationally educated candidates. Repeat testers (50.9% for U.S.-educated RN candidates) and internationally educated candidates (53.8% first-time) pass at much lower rates, which pulls the combined NCLEX-RN average down to 73.3%.
Did the Next Generation NCLEX make the exam harder to pass?
No, the data shows pass rates rose after NGN launched in April 2023. First-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN pass rates went from 80.5% in the final pre-NGN quarter to 94.3% in the first NGN quarter, and NCSBN retained the passing standard rather than lowering it. The exam changed format toward clinical-judgment questions, but the bar to pass did not get easier.
What is the NCLEX-PN pass rate?
In 2024, the first-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-PN pass rate was 88.4%, and the all-candidate rate was 79.1%, according to NCSBN.
Does my nursing degree affect my NCLEX pass rate?
Only slightly. In 2024, first-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN pass rates were close across program types: 91.9% for BSN graduates, 90.6% for ADN graduates, and 90.8% for diploma graduates. Whether it is your first attempt matters far more than which degree you hold.
What happens if I fail the NCLEX?
You can retake it. NCSBN allows up to 8 attempts per year with at least 45 test-free days between attempts, though individual nursing boards can set stricter limits. Repeat pass rates are lower as a group, but that reflects who ends up retaking, not a cap on your ability to pass on a later attempt. See our NCLEX exam guide for the full retake policy.
Sources
- 2024 NCLEX Examination Statistics (NCSBN)
- 2023 NCLEX Examination Statistics (NCSBN)
- 2022 NCLEX Examination Statistics (NCSBN)
- NCLEX Pass Rates dashboard (NCSBN)
- Exam Statistics and Publications (NCSBN)
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