NCLEX pass rates in Colorado
87.6% of Colorado nursing graduates passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt in 2025, 0.9 points above the 86.7% national rate for 2025. In 2023 the figure was 93.1%.
First-time NCLEX-RN pass rate in Colorado
- 2023 2,298 first-time takers93.1%
- 2024 2,258 first-time takers93.4%
- 2025 2,194 first-time takers87.6%
United States, 2025: 86.7%
All programs combined, US-educated first-time candidates. Source: Colorado board of nursing (opens in a new tab), not stated by board. National rate from NCSBN (opens in a new tab). Portions copyrighted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. All rights reserved.
By type of program
| Program type | Programs | First-time test-takers | Pass rate | National 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's (BSN) | 14 | 1,163 | 86.2% | 87.6% |
| Associate (ADN) | 15 | 776 | 84.3% | 86.1% |
Each program's most recent reporting year, pooled. Programs reporting under another school are included in the type that board lists them under.
Highest pass rates among 28 ranked programs
6 programs at 95% or higher, 11 programs at 90% to 94.9%, 8 programs at 80% to 89.9%, 3 programs at under 80%. Pass rates here are pooled over each program's last three reporting years, and only programs with at least 20 first-time test-takers are ranked.
| Program | Type | Pass rate | First-time test-takers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams State University | BSN | 100.0% | 32 |
| Arizona College | BSN | 100.0% | 29 |
| Front Range Community College | ADN | 98.5% | 416 |
| Pikes Peak State College | ADN | 98.0% | 323 |
| Aims Community College | ADN | 95.8% | 101 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | BSN | 95.6% | 206 |
| Helen and Arther E. Johnson Beth-El CON (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs)- Accelerated | BSN | 94.3% | 88 |
| Colorado Christian University | BSN | 94.2% | 206 |
| Concorde Career College | BSN | 94.0% | 36 |
| Colorado Mountain College | ADN | 94.0% | 132 |
Every ranked BSN program, with cost and pay, is on BSN programs in Colorado.
What a pass rate does and does not tell you
The NCLEX is the licensing exam every US nurse must pass. A program's first-time pass rate reflects its students' preparation and the program's selectivity as well as its teaching, and small programs swing widely from year to year, so we pool three years and set a floor of 20 test-takers for ranking. Pass rates also say nothing about cost or what graduates earn.
Compare BSN programs in Colorado. Registered nurses in Colorado earned a median $100,260 in May 2025.
Common questions
What is the NCLEX-RN pass rate in Colorado?
87.6% of Colorado nursing graduates passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt in 2025, 0.9 points above the 86.7% national rate for 2025.
Which Colorado nursing program has the highest NCLEX pass rate?
Among the 28 ranked programs, Adams State University has the highest three-year first-time pass rate at 100.0%. Only programs with at least 20 first-time test-takers are ranked.
Does the pass rate count students who retake the exam?
No. The rates here are for first-time test-takers educated in the United States. Candidates who retake the exam are not counted in a program’s first-time rate.
Why do small programs swing so much from year to year?
A program with a few dozen test-takers can move several points on one or two results. We pool three years and rank only programs with at least 20 first-time test-takers to reduce that noise.