Now that you're almost finished with nursing school, you’re closer than ever to fulfilling your calling to be a nurse. But before you start as a practicing clinician, there is one more hurdle to clear — passing the NCLEX®.
The NCLEX® is designed to determine if you have the skills and knowledge to effectively practice nursing at the entry-level.
The exam uses “computer adaptive testing” (CAT) to efficiently gauge your knowledge and competency. With each question you answer, the program re-estimates your ability based on the previous answers and the difficulty of the items asked. The program then selects the next question based upon that information. With each question you answer, the program’s gauge of your nursing competency becomes more precise. To pass the exam, your competency level must meet the exam’s passing standard.
According to the NCSBN's NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN Detailed Test Plans, the questions you encounter on the NCLEX require you to think critically and analyze or evaluate clinical situations. It’s not enough to simply recall the correct answer, you must be able to apply your knowledge to real-world situations.
We believe that your time is best spent practicing NCLEX-style, application-level questions for exam preparation. We provide you with thousands of rigorous, clinically-relevant questions across all subjects and systems to prepare you for a passing result.
Because our questions are so challenging, your average QBank score might be lower than you expect. Not to worry! Our research shows that learners with an average QBank score of 56% pass the NCLEX at a 92% rate.
2020 NCLEX® Pass Rates
Number of Candidates Taking NCLEX Examination and Percent Passing, by Type of Candidate
| 2021 NCLEX-RN® Pass Rates* | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Jan.–March | April–June | July–Sept. | Oct.–Dec. | YTD Total |
| First-Time, U.S. Educated | 84.83% | 85.69% | 81.10% | 71.92% | 82.48% |
| Repeat, U.S. Educated | 43.24% | 44.36% | 49.92% | 43.35% | 45.52% |
| First-Time, International | 42.99% | 48.65% | 48.71% | 45.97% | 46.68% |
| Repeat, International | 23.72% | 30.39% | 29.53% | 27.02% | 27.75% |
| Total | 71.85% | 73.86% | 70.43% | 53.67% | 68.85% |
Published by the NCSBN
| 2021 NCLEX-PN® Pass Rates* | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Jan.–March | April–June | July–Sept. | Oct.–Dec. | YTD Total |
| First-Time, U.S. Educated | 80.26% | 78.25% | 80.99% | 77.98% | 79.60% |
| Repeat, U.S. Educated | 36.81% | 33.42% | 33.01% | 38.37% | 35.42% |
| First-Time, International | 54.33% | 51.49% | 52.38% | 47.06% | 51.49% |
| Repeat, International | 18.03% | 21.19% | 14.97% | 18.87% | 18.18% |
| Total | 68.26% | 64.13% | 69.74% | 64.36% | 66.92% |
Published by the NCSBN
*For more information about 2021 NCLEX Pass Rates, please visit the NCSBN website.
2021 NCLEX® Pass Rates
Number of Candidates Taking NCLEX Examination and Percent Passing, by Type of Candidate
| 2021 NCLEX-RN® Pass Rates* | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Jan.–March | April–June | July–Sept. | Oct.–Dec. | YTD Total |
| First-Time, U.S. Educated | 84.83% | 85.69% | 81.10% | 71.92% | 82.48% |
| Repeat, U.S. Educated | 43.24% | 44.36% | 49.92% | 43.35% | 45.52% |
| First-Time, International | 42.99% | 48.65% | 48.71% | 45.97% | 46.68% |
| Repeat, International | 23.72% | 30.39% | 29.53% | 27.02% | 27.75% |
| Total | 71.85% | 73.86% | 70.43% | 53.67% | 68.85% |
Published by the NCSBN
| 2021 NCLEX-PN® Pass Rates* | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Jan.–March | April–June | July–Sept. | Oct.–Dec. | YTD Total |
| First-Time, U.S. Educated | 80.26% | 78.25% | 80.99% | 77.98% | 79.60% |
| Repeat, U.S. Educated | 36.81% | 33.42% | 33.01% | 38.37% | 35.42% |
| First-Time, International | 54.33% | 51.49% | 52.38% | 47.06% | 51.49% |
| Repeat, International | 18.03% | 21.19% | 14.97% | 18.87% | 18.18% |
| Total | 68.26% | 64.13% | 69.74% | 64.36% | 66.92% |
Published by the NCSBN
*For more information about 2021 NCLEX Pass Rates, please visit the NCSBN website.
UWorld is the industry leader in NCLEX prep, and we can help you pass your exam on the first attempt. Our online learning tools will have you confident and prepared on exam day. With NCLEX-style questions, detailed and thorough rationales, and precise performance tracking, we’ll have you ready for exam success. Click here to discover why we are the students’ choice for NCLEX prep.