Penn College News

Nursing Grads Exceed State, National Board Exam Pass Rates

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Graduates of Pennsylvania College of Technology’s nursing majors exceeded state and national performances in passing the national board examinations required for licensure.

Penn College offers degrees for those preparing to enter the field as a registered nurse and for those pursuing a practical nursing license.



Penn College nursing students attend to SimMan, a patient simulator that can be programmed with a variety of symptoms to help the students practice a variety of health scenarios. In 2016-17, graduates of the nursing program passed national board exams at a rate that exceeded state and national pass rates.One hundred percent of Penn College applied arts: practical nursing associate degree graduates who took the National Council Licensure Exam for Practical Nurses between Oct. 1, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2017, passed on their first try. Statewide, 83.65 percent of candidates passed the NCLEX-PN on their first attempt. Nationally, the first-time pass rate for 2016-17 was 84.5 percent.

On the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses, 95.45 percent of Penn College’s associate-degree graduates and 94.12 percent of its bachelor’s degree graduates passed the exam on their first try in 2016-17, compared with a 91.10 percent first-time pass rate across Pennsylvania and an 86.94 percent national pass rate.

Multiple steps must be completed before a nurse can safely enter the profession. They typically include graduating from a recognized nursing education program, meeting specific requirements of their state’s board of nursing, and passing the National Council of State Boards of Nursing NCLEX examination for registered nurses or licensed practical/vocational nurses.

At Penn College, nursing courses are led by faculty who hold master’s and doctorate degrees in nursing. Its nursing majors are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

To learn more, call 570-327-4519.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.