Penn College nursing grads boast high licensing-exam pass rates

A Pennsylvania College of Technology nursing student interacts with SimMan, a patient simulator that can be electronically controlled to display real-life symptoms. The college’s nursing graduates again surpassed state and national pass rates on their licensure exams, including a 100% pass rate by graduates of the associate degree registered nurse preparation major. Credit: Penn College. All Rights Reserved.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — For the second consecutive year, 100% of Pennsylvania College of Technology associate degree graduates who took the national board examination for registered nurses passed on their first attempt, while those in the college’s bachelor’s degree nursing and practical nursing majors also exceeded state and national pass rates on their licensing exams.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing recently released pass rates for the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) and the NCLEX-PN, for practical nurses. Results are for those who took the exams for the first time between Oct. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021.

In addition to the 100% first-attempt pass rate earned by graduates of the college’s associate degree registered nurse preparation majors, graduates of the college’s bachelor’s degree nursing majors who took the NCLEX-RN for the first time earned a 95.83% pass rate. The Pennsylvania first-attempt pass rate for the same time period is 88.21%, and the national rate is 83.22%.

In the college’s practical nursing associate degree major, 90% of Penn College graduates who took the NCLEX-PN passed on their first attempt. The statewide first-attempt pass rate is 81.48%. Nationally, the rate is 79.77%.

“We are extremely proud of our nursing graduates,” said Valerie A. Myers, assistant dean of nursing. “They have consistently scored well above state and national first-time NCLEX pass rates and are well-prepared for entry-level nursing positions.”

The NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN exams are used by all state boards of nursing across the United States to assess a graduate’s competency and are required for licensure. In Pennsylvania, a student must graduate from a recognized education program before sitting for the exam. 

Penn College’s undergraduate nursing majors are approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. They represent the largest academic program at Penn College, with 322 students.

The Penn College nursing program offers six degree options, including a master’s degree with a concentration in nursing education, traditional two- and four-year degrees, as well as pathways for licensed practical nurses to become RNs and for RNs with a diploma or associate degree to pursue a bachelor’s degree. It welcomes high school and transfer applicants for entry each semester.

To learn more about Penn College’s nursing majors, call 570-327-4525 or visit www.pct.edu/nursing.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

Last Updated February 23, 2022