If you are looking up the NCLEX pass rate, there is a good chance you are doing the quiet math in your head. Is 90% good? Am I in the 90% or the 10%? What if I already failed once? Those are normal questions, and asking them does not mean you are not ready.
Pass rates are useful, but only if you read them the right way. A single headline number hides big differences between first-time and repeat testers, between U.S.-educated and internationally educated nurses, and even between different months of the year.
This guide walks through the latest NCSBN numbers, explains what drives the gaps, and shows you what you can actually control between now and test day.
What Is the NCLEX Pass Rate in 2026?
For first-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN candidates, the 2026 year-to-date pass rate is 91.2% across 186,765 test takers. Across all NCLEX-RN candidates, including repeat and internationally educated testers, it is 73.3% across 317,943 test takers. All figures in this post are 2026 year-to-date (NCSBN dashboard, latest exam date Oct 17, 2026).
That first number is the one most nursing grads care about. If you graduated from a U.S. program and this is your first attempt, the large majority of people in your position pass. The second number is lower because it includes groups that historically pass at lower rates, which we will break down below.
One thing to keep in mind: these are national numbers. Your school's pass rate comes from your state board of nursing, and your own odds depend far more on how you prepare than on any average.
NCLEX-RN Pass Rates by Candidate Group
Here is how the NCLEX-RN breaks down by group, 2026 year-to-date (NCSBN dashboard, latest exam date Oct 17, 2026).
| Candidate group | Pass rate | Test takers |
|---|---|---|
| First-time, U.S.-educated (all programs) | 91.2% | 186,765 |
| First-time, Baccalaureate (BSN) | 91.9% | Included above |
| First-time, Diploma | 90.8% | Included above |
| First-time, Associate (ADN) | 90.6% | Included above |
| Repeat, U.S.-educated | 50.9% | 32,019 |
| First-time, internationally educated | 53.9% | 59,068 |
| Repeat, internationally educated | 36.4% | See NCSBN dashboard |
| All NCLEX-RN candidates | 73.3% | 317,943 |
ADN vs BSN: The Gap Is Smaller Than You Think
A lot of ADN students worry that their degree puts them at a disadvantage. The numbers say otherwise. The difference between BSN and ADN first-time pass rates this year is 1.3 percentage points. Your program type matters far less than your study habits, your clinical reasoning and how you handle test-day pressure.
The Groups That Need a Different Plan
The two groups that stand out are repeat testers and internationally educated nurses. A 50.9% repeat pass rate and a 53.9% first-time international pass rate are not reasons to panic. They are signals that doing the same thing a second time, or relying on a different training system, usually is not enough on its own.
Why Pass Rates Shift Through the Year
NCSBN reports results by quarter, and the numbers move quite a bit. Here are first-time, U.S.-educated NCLEX-RN rates, 2026 year-to-date (NCSBN dashboard, latest exam date Oct 17, 2026):
| Quarter | Pass rate | Test takers |
|---|---|---|
| Jan to Mar | 94.2% | 51,943 |
| Apr to Jun | 92.7% | 66,468 |
| Jul to Sep | 89.2% | 50,653 |
| Oct to Dec (so far) | 82.2% | 17,701 |
NCSBN does not publish a reason for these swings, so treat any explanation as informed guesswork. A few patterns are commonly pointed to by educators:
- Cohort timing. Many programs graduate large classes in spring and early winter, so the mix of people testing changes from quarter to quarter.
- Time since graduation. Many educators believe candidates who test while content is fresh tend to do better than those who wait months, though everyone's situation is different.
- Partial data. The Oct to Dec figure only covers a few weeks so far. Small, early samples can look very different from the final number.
The takeaway is not "avoid testing in the fall." It is that you should schedule when you are prepared, not when a calendar or a statistic tells you to.
How the Pass Rate Connects to How the NCLEX Is Scored
Here is something that surprises a lot of candidates: there is no percentage-correct score on the NCLEX. The pass rate tells you how many people passed, not what percent of questions they got right.
The NCLEX-RN uses computerized adaptive testing. After each answer, the computer re-estimates your ability and picks the next item, which is why the questions should feel hard. You will see a minimum of 85 items and a maximum of 150, and every exam includes 15 unscored pretest items. The passing standard for the NCLEX-RN is 0.00 logits, effective through March 31, 2029.
Most exams end under the 95% Confidence Interval Rule, meaning the computer is 95% certain your ability is clearly above or below the standard. If you want the full breakdown of logits and the three pass/fail rules, read our guide to the NCLEX passing score.
Where to Find Your School's Pass Rate
National numbers come from the NCSBN dashboard. School-level pass rates are published by each state board of nursing, so check your board's website if you want to compare programs or see how your own class performed.
How to Put Yourself on the Right Side of the Numbers
You cannot change national averages. You can change the inputs that decide your own result.
1. Study the Way the Test Plan Is Weighted
The 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan assigns each Client Needs category a share of the exam. Management of Care is the biggest at 15 to 21% of items, followed by Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies at 13 to 19% and Physiological Adaptation at 11 to 17%. If your study time is spread evenly across every topic, you are probably under-preparing for the areas that show up most.
2. Train Clinical Judgment, Not Just Recall
Since the Next Generation NCLEX launched on April 1, 2023, the exam has measured clinical judgment through case studies and newer item types. A minimum-length exam includes 18 case-study items. Knowing the normal potassium range is not enough; you need to know what to do when it is off, and in what order.
3. Schedule With Intention
First-time candidates are offered an appointment 30 days after the request to schedule, and you can decline and pick a later date. Use that window to finish a focused review rather than drifting for months.
4. If You Already Failed, Start With Your CPR
Candidates who do not pass receive a Candidate Performance Report showing performance in each content area as Below, Near or Above the Passing Standard. That report is the roadmap for your next attempt. You can retake 45 days after your exam, though some boards are stricter. Our guide on what happens if you fail the NCLEX covers the full retake process.
What Most Students Get Wrong About the NCLEX Pass Rate
Treating it as a prediction. A 91.2% first-time rate does not mean you have a 91.2% chance. It is an average across very different people with very different preparation.
Assuming a high rate means the exam is easy. Most first-time candidates pass because programs, students and review resources take the exam seriously. Coasting is how people end up in the other group.
Reading the repeat rate as a verdict. Roughly half of U.S.-educated repeat testers pass. The ones who do typically change something specific: their content gaps, their practice question approach or how they manage anxiety.
Confusing the pass rate with a passing score. There is no "you need 70% right" number. The exam decides based on your ability estimate compared with the 0.00 logit standard.
Using old numbers. Pass rates move every quarter and test plans update every three years. Always check the current NCSBN dashboard instead of a screenshot from a forum.
Prepare for the Exam Behind the Statistics
The best way to beat any statistic is to make your review match what the exam actually asks: connecting signs and symptoms, labs, medications and nursing actions, then prioritizing safely. The Complete NCLEX Bundle from The NCLEX Nurse is built for exactly that. It includes a 434-page visual hardcover study guide for NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN, online eBook access on your computer, tablet or phone, and one year of the Guru AI Assistant to explain topics, clarify labs, quiz you and work through NCLEX-style reasoning with you.
Want more practice when it is available? Join the MedSchoolGuru NCLEX QBank waitlist. The QBank is coming in January 2027, and guide owners get first access plus a bundle-owner discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NCLEX-RN pass rate for first-time test takers? For first-time, U.S.-educated candidates, the pass rate is 91.2% across 186,765 test takers, 2026 year-to-date (NCSBN dashboard, latest exam date Oct 17, 2026). Rates vary by quarter and by program type.
What is the pass rate for repeat test takers? For U.S.-educated repeat candidates it is 50.9% in 2026 year-to-date data, and 36.4% for repeat internationally educated candidates. Using your Candidate Performance Report to target weak areas is the most direct way to improve your next attempt.
Do BSN graduates pass the NCLEX more often than ADN graduates? Slightly. In 2026 year-to-date data, BSN first-time candidates pass at 91.9% and ADN first-time candidates at 90.6%. That gap is small compared with the impact of how you prepare.
Where can I find my nursing school's NCLEX pass rate? School-level pass rates are published by each state board of nursing. National figures come from the NCSBN pass rates dashboard, which is updated through the year.
Does the pass rate tell me how many questions I need to get right? No. The NCLEX has no percentage-correct passing score. It uses computerized adaptive testing and compares your ability estimate with a passing standard of 0.00 logits for the NCLEX-RN.
