Nursing exam pass rates turn around in 2023

Editor's Note

Nursing exam pass rates are on the rise after years of decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a January 1 report from MedPage Today.  

During 2020 and 2021, the share of US candidates who passed the national licensure exam to work as an RN fell from 88.2% to 82.5%. Rates continued to decline in 2022, when just 79.0% passed. In 2023, pass rates rebounded to 88.6% for first-time, US-educated candidates, although experts note that this figure excludes fourth-quarter data that typically include the lowest rates.

Nurse educators credit the rise to a rebound after the pandemic, as well as increased resources and preparation of candidates, including "student success" coaching programs.