For generations of nursing graduates, passing the NCLEX has marked the final step into professional practice, but when national pass rates begin to fall, it signals a moment to examine how nursing education, exam standards, and workforce demands are aligning.
The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is the benchmark exam that nursing graduates must pass to practice as RNs or LPNs/LVNs in the United States. It is carefully designed to assess a candidate’s readiness for safe, entry-level nursing practice.
In 2025, a new trend emerged: national NCLEX-RN pass rates dropped for the first time since major changes were introduced to the exam in 2023. This shift raises important questions about education standards, workforce readiness, and what the future of nursing will look like for students, employers, and the patients they serve.
What recent data shows about current NCLEX pass rates
According to new statistics from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), only about 69.1% of all NCLEX-RN candidates passed in 2025, marking a decline from 73.3% in 2024.
This decrease follows several years of notable fluctuations:
- 2019: Approximately 72.8% of all candidates passed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2020: The pass rate dipped slightly to 72.4% during the early stages of the pandemic.
- 2021: Pass rates declined further to 68.9% as pandemic-related disruptions continued to impact nursing education and clinical training.
- 2022: The rate fell to approximately 63.4%, the lowest in recent years and the final full year before the NCLEX Next Generation update.
- 2023: Following the launch of the Next Generation NCLEX, pass rates rebounded to 69.7%.
- 2024: The pass rate then climbed to 73.3%, before declining again in 2025.
These year-to-year changes show how external factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as exam redesigns, can significantly influence candidate performance outcomes.
The Next Generation NCLEX
In April 2023, the NCLEX underwent a major overhaul known as the Next Generation NCLEX. This updated format places a stronger emphasis on clinical judgment, critical thinking, and decision-making skills, testing not just rote knowledge, but also how well a candidate thinks like a practicing nurse.
Unlike earlier versions, the Next Generation NCLEX includes:
- Case-based scenarios that reflect real-world patient care
- New item types that require multi-step reasoning
- Clinical judgment measurement models within questions
These enhancements aim to ensure that nurses are entering the workforce better prepared to handle complex clinical situations.
Dissecting the pass rate decline
According to nurse leaders in a Becker’s Hospital Review article, several key factors may be contributing to the recent decline in NCLEX pass rates.
1. Adjustment to exam difficulty
After the Next Generation NCLEX launched, pass rates initially rose, and some thought this was due to simpler questions or greater transparency. However, once the new format became consistent, the results started to more accurately reflect how prepared candidates really were.
2. COVID-19 impact on education
Many nursing students graduating in recent years experienced significant disruptions during their clinical training due to the pandemic. Reduced hands-on experiences and rapid shifts to online learning may have weakened preparation for the new format.
3. Preparation gaps in curricula
Because the Next Generation NCLEX is still relatively new, not all nursing programs may have fully adapted their teaching and testing strategies to align with its demands. Case-based practices require extensive curriculum adaptation, resource allocation, and faculty training.
4. Broader demographic shifts
Larger and more diverse cohorts of test-takers, including increases in enrollment and internationally educated nurses, mean a wider range of preparedness levels, which can influence national averages.
How the decline impacts the workforce pipeline
Lower NCLEX pass rates mean that fewer nursing graduates become licensed right away. This, in turn, can slow the pipeline of new nurses entering clinical practice at a time when the demand for healthcare professionals remains high.
As a result, current staff are taking on heavier workloads, new hires require longer onboarding periods, and healthcare organizations are facing increased costs related to extended orientation and additional support.
In response to these trends, academic nursing programs may need to refine their teaching strategies by incorporating more Next Generation NCLEX-style practice questions and placing greater emphasis on clinical judgment training to better prepare graduates for the exam and align their skills with evolving licensure expectations.
Why pass rates matter beyond the numbers
NCLEX pass rates are indicators of how well nursing education translates to real-world practice readiness. They help educators refine curricula, guide students in improvement, and inform stakeholders about workforce capacity. While the dip in 2025 NCLEX pass rates may raise eyebrows, it also highlights a collective opportunity to strengthen the preparation of future nurses for the complexities of patient care.
