How does the NCLEX work?
The NCLEX is the national exam every new nurse must pass to be licensed. It is computer-adaptive: the RN version asks 85 to 150 questions over up to 5 hours. 86.7% of US-educated candidates passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt in 2025.
Format
The exam adapts to you: each answer influences the next question, and it ends once the computer is confident about your result, or when you reach the maximum. In 2025 the average RN candidate answered 103 questions in 2 hours 14 minutes. Since April 2023 it has used the Next Generation NCLEX, which adds case studies that test clinical judgment.
Cost
The registration fee is $200, and rises to $350 for registrations from February 1, 2027. State boards charge separate licensing fees.
Pass rates
First-time pass rates in 2025: 86.7% for US-educated RN candidates, 86.6% for practical nursing candidates. Candidates educated abroad passed 47.3% of the time on their first attempt, and US repeat testers 52.7%.
Programs publish their own results: see NCLEX pass rates by state.
If you do not pass
Boards set waiting periods and attempt limits, so check your state. Many programs and testing services offer remediation. The repeat pass rate shows that many candidates pass on a later try.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.