NCLEX pass rates in North Dakota
92.4% of North Dakota nursing graduates passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt in FY2025, 5.7 points above the 86.7% national rate for 2025. In FY2023 the figure was 92.3%.
First-time NCLEX-RN pass rate in North Dakota
- FY2023 684 first-time takers92.3%
- FY2024 621 first-time takers96.9%
- FY2025 578 first-time takers92.4%
United States, 2025: 86.7%
All programs combined, US-educated first-time candidates. Source: North Dakota board of nursing (opens in a new tab), fiscal (Jul-Jun). 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) | 6 | 386 | 95.3% | 87.6% |
| Associate (ADN) | 5 | 173 | 85.5% | 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 11 ranked programs
6 programs at 95% or higher, 2 programs at 90% to 94.9%, 3 programs at 80% to 89.9%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Mary | BSN | 97.9% | 193 |
| Minot State University | BSN | 97.4% | 114 |
| Williston State College | ADN | 97.1% | 70 |
| Bismarck State College | ADN | 95.3% | 128 |
| Dickinson State University | BSN | 95.2% | 42 |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus | BSN | 95.1% | 556 |
| Dakota College at Bottineau | ADN | 93.1% | 101 |
| University of North Dakota | BSN | 93.0% | 329 |
| Lake Region State College | ADN | 88.1% | 118 |
| North Dakota State College of Science | ADN | 86.3% | 102 |
Every ranked BSN program, with cost and pay, is on BSN programs in North Dakota.
Practical nursing (NCLEX-PN)
Graduates of practical and vocational nursing programs in North Dakota passed the NCLEX-PN on their first attempt 98.5% of the time in FY2025, against 86.6% nationally in 2025.
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 North Dakota. Registered nurses in North Dakota earned a median $80,730 in May 2025.
Common questions
What is the NCLEX-RN pass rate in North Dakota?
92.4% of North Dakota nursing graduates passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt in FY2025, 5.7 points above the 86.7% national rate for 2025.
Which North Dakota nursing program has the highest NCLEX pass rate?
Among the 11 ranked programs, University of Mary has the highest three-year first-time pass rate at 97.9%. 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.