The NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) is a standardized exam that nursing graduates must pass to obtain a nursing license in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Its primary purpose is to ensure that candidates have the necessary knowledge and skills to practice nursing safely and effectively.
On April 1, 2023, a significant update to the NCLEX, known as the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), was introduced for both Registered Nurse (RN) and Practical Nurse (PN) candidates. This revision followed years of preparation by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the organization responsible for developing and maintaining the NCLEX.
The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) introduced new question formats designed to better assess critical thinking, clinical judgment, and decision-making abilities.
In this article, we’ll describe everything you need to know about NCLEX pass rates for 2024.
How Are NCLEX Pass Rates Calculated?
NCLEX pass rates are shown as percentages to make it easy to understand how many test-takers passed the exam. The percentage represents the number of students who passed out of the total number who took the exam during a specific 3-months-long period.
For example, if 1000 students took the NCLEX and 800 of them passed, the pass rate would be 80%. It’s a simple way to see how many people successfully passed the exam compared to the total who attempted it.
NCLEX 2024 Pass Rates
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has issued NGN results data for the first half of 2024. The data is divided into two triads, January–March and April–June.
January-March 2024 Pass Rates
Let’s look at the NGN pass rates data for the triad quarter of 2024. The pass rates for NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN are different. You will find both below.
NCLEX-RN
The NCLEX-RN pass rate for first-time U.S.-educated test-takers between Jan-March was 94.15%, with 51,946 candidates successfully passing the exam.
Among repeat U.S.-educated test-takers, 6,609 passed, resulting in a pass rate of 52.78%.
For first-time internationally educated candidates, 14,006 individuals passed, achieving a pass rate of 58.77%.
In contrast, repeat internationally educated test-takers had a lower pass rate of 44.05%, with 9,263 candidates passing.
Overall, across all candidates, 81,824 individuals passed the exam, leading to a combined pass rate of 79.08%.
NCLEX-PN
For the NCLEX-PN, the pass rate for first-time U.S.-educated candidates was 91.09%, with 12,844 passing the exam. Among repeat U.S.-educated test-takers, 2,811 passed, resulting in a pass rate of 45.39%.
For first-time internationally educated candidates, 91 individuals passed, achieving a pass rate of 51.65%. However, repeat internationally educated test-takers had a lower pass rate of 29.17%, with 96 candidates passing.
Overall, across all candidates, 15,842 passed the exam, leading to a combined pass rate of 82.38%.
April-June 2024 Pass Rates
Now, we will describe the NGN passing rates for NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN separately.
NCLEX-RN
Between April and June, the NCLEX-RN saw a 92.72% pass rate among first-time U.S.-educated candidates, with 66,385 individuals passing the exam. For repeat U.S.-educated test-takers, 6,870 candidates achieved a pass rate of 43.10%.
First-time internationally educated candidates had a pass rate of 54.09%, with 15,011 individuals successfully passing the test.
Repeat internationally educated candidates experienced a pass rate of 37.38% and 9,928 test-takers passed. Overall, the combined pass rate for all candidates during this triad was 77.75%, with a total of 98,194 individuals passing the exam.
NCLEX-PN
For the NCLEX-PN, first-time U.S.-educated candidates achieved a pass rate of 88.31%, with 10,809 individuals passing the exam. Among repeat U.S.-educated test-takers, 2,972 passed, resulting in a pass rate of 42.77%.
First-time internationally educated candidates had 92 individuals pass, with a pass rate of 51.09%. The pass rate dropped significantly for repeat internationally educated test-takers, with only 103 candidates passing and a rate of 19.42%.
The combined pass rate for all candidates was 77.87%, with a total of 13,976 individuals passing the exam.
What Do the Numbers Mean?
The rising NCLEX pass rates are encouraging news for patients and healthcare systems, as more Registered Nurses (RNs) and Practical Nurses (PNs) are entering the workforce—an essential boost, especially given the current nursing shortage.
However, repeat test-takers have a consistently lower pass rate than first-time test takers due to the unique challenges they face.
Unlike first-time test-takers, repeat candidates often deal with added pressure and anxiety, which affects their performance. They also struggle with the lingering effects of previous failures, such as diminished confidence and increased stress, which makes it harder to focus and succeed on subsequent attempts. These factors contribute to the significant difference in pass rates between first-time and repeat test-takers.
Feuer Nursing Review: A Ray of Hope for Repeat Test Takers
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Our structured learning approach helps you rebuild your confidence by focusing on core nursing principles, with step-by-step guidance to make sure you’re fully prepared for your next attempt.
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