The Next Gen NCLEX® Pass Rate: A Look at the Numbers

The Next Generation NCLEX® (NGN) exam launched in 2023, marking a significant update to the NCLEX for nursing graduates. Let's explore the most recent score averages and delve into key contributing factors in the years since last year's big update.

The National Council Licensure Examination®, known as the NCLEX®, is an exam nursing graduates must take before obtaining their nursing license. The NCLEX ensures that entry-level nurses are prepared to provide safe and competent patient care. 

A major update to the NCLEX, called the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), was released on April 1, 2023, for both Registered Nurse (RN) and Practical Nurse (PN) test-takers. This revision came after years of preparation by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), which develops and maintains the NCLEX. This new exam was developed to better measure test-takers clinical judgment and ability to make complex decisions.

The Results 

NCSBN displays pass rates as a percentage, representing the proportion of students who passed the exam from the total number of students who took the exam during that time frame. So, as an example, if a class of 100 students took a pharmacology exam and 90 of those students passed the exam but 10 failed it, the pass rate for that exam would be 90%.  

The table below shows the pass rates for U.S.-educated, first-time test-takers of the RN and PN NCLEX for the past several years. 

We can see that pass rates began to decline from 2020 through 2022. 

However, the pass rate for 2023, the year NGN was launched, increased to 88.56% for the NCLEX-RN and 86.67% for the NCLEX-PN. 

In the first half of 2024, there has been a further increase in pass rates to 93.35% for NCLEX-RN and 89.82% for NCLEX-PN! 

The pass rates for all test-takers, including repeat test-takers and internationally educated test-takers, have also increased. More detailed information, including a breakdown of pass rates by program type, such as baccalaureate or associate degree programs, is available on the NCSBN website.

What This Means 

This is exciting news for patients and healthcare systems as a higher passing percentage equates to more RNs and PNs entering the workforce. This is especially important now because there is a critical shortage of nurses! 

So, what has contributed to the pass rate increase? Likely, there are multiple factors.  

The Impact of COVID-19 

First, the COVID-19 pandemic had a dramatic impact on nursing education and NCLEX pass rates. Starting in early Spring 2020, nursing programs rapidly transitioned from primarily in-person instruction to fully remote learning, and many students were removed from their clinical settings. At the same time, students faced even more challenges outside of school, like loss of employment and childcare, as well as illness and fear.  

Though programs have mostly returned to a “new normal” with in-person or hybrid classes, the pandemic’s impact on the NCLEX pass rates has persisted. This is because several years of nursing graduates had their education disrupted. In looking at the pass rate chart, there was a minor dip in 2020 but more significant drops in 2021 and 2022. Therefore, the 2023 pass rate may be somewhat artificially elevated as we come out of a period of pandemic-related decline.

NGN Questions and Scoring

Another factor to consider is the NGN question types and new scoring methods. 

Each test-taker will be given three case studies. Each case study contains six questions pertaining to layer 3 of the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (CJMM), and all six questions reference one case study. This gives test-takers the opportunity to think more like a nurse by connecting electronic health record information to patient symptoms and responding to changing clinical data.

Also new to the exam is the way some test questions are scored, including “partial credit” scoring, where the test-taker earns partial points even if they did not get the entire answer correct, as with "select all that apply" (multiple response) questions.  

Student and Faculty Preparation

Lastly is the incredible work that both nursing instructors and students have done to prepare for the new NCLEX. 

Many faculty have “flipped” or “scrambled” the classroom, bringing more opportunities for students to practice clinical judgment through active learning strategies like case studies, escape rooms, and simulations. They have also provided students with opportunities to practice the new NGN question styles through the use of resources like Osmosis and HESI.  

Nursing program graduates also deserve a huge amount of credit. In the months leading up to the new exam, students undoubtedly experienced nervousness and fear of the unknown and responded by thoroughly preparing for the exam.   

What's Next

As the initial fear that the increased pass rates would be temporary wanes, it is important for students and faculty to remain vigilant in their preparation. 

Of even greater significance, and what should be at the center of all nursing education decisions, is the impact on patients. While it is encouraging to see an increase in pass rates, which equates to more nurses entering the workforce, the hope is that the patients they care for experience better outcomes overall.   

Osmosis from Elsevier is here to help you with our 700+ nursing videos, including our new case study-style and dosage calculations videos and thousands of NCLEX-style questions, no matter where you are on your nursing learning journey!

About the Author 

Liz Lucas, EdD, RN, CNE, has been an RN since 2008 and has an EdD with an Emphasis in Nursing and Health Professions Education. Liz's clinical background is in oncology, and she later transitioned into nursing academia, where she taught in a pre-licensure nursing program for several years. Liz feels passionate about building a strong nursing workforce through increasing education accessibility and believes in the role of technology in that pursuit. At Osmosis by Elsevier, Liz manages the nursing assessment and scripting teams. Liz currently lives near Baltimore, MD, with her husband, two sons, and their dog.

Osmosis by Elsevier is here to help you with our 600+ nursing videos and thousands of NCLEX-style questions, no matter where you are on your nursing learning journey! Try it for free today!