NCLEX Annual Pass Rate
View information on National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for RN and PN exam registrations, Wisconsin passing standards, and licensing requirements for the state's nursing graduates.
Note: The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is the formal organization that owns and administers the exam.
Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter N 1.09 lists information and requirements for meeting NCLEX pass rate standards for professional nursing schools and practical nursing schools. PLEASE NOTE: The Board of Nursing shall consider both the Registered Nurse (RN) NCLEX and Practical Nurse (PN) NCLEX annual pass rates when evaluating a school of professional nursing that grants a certificate of completion for practical nursing.
NCLEX WI Pass Rate for RNs & PNs
Educational Program | Number Delivered | Number: Passed | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
WI - BLACKHAWK TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50100000) | 31 | 31 | 100.00% |
WI - BRYANT AND STRATTON COLLEGE - PN (US50110000) | 91 | 78 | 85.71% |
WI - CHIPPEWA VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50109700) | 86 | 85 | 98.84% |
WI - CHIPPEWA VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - STANDALONE PN (US50110600) | 11 | 10 | 91% |
WI - CLOSED PROGRAM (US50900000) | 2 | 1 | 50% |
WI - FOX VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50105700) | 49 | 49 | 100% |
WI - FOX VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - STAND ALONE (US50101200) | 22 | 22 | 100.00% |
WI - GATEWAY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50105900) | 87 | 86 | 98.85% |
WI - HERZING COLLEGE - PN (US50102000) | 22 | 22 | 100.00% |
WI - HERZING UNIVERSITY - BROOKFIELD - PN (US50110400) | 52 | 41 | 78.90% |
WI - HERZING UNIVERSITY - KENOSHA - PN (US50110300) | 46 | 43 | 93.48% |
WI - LAC COURTE OREILLES OJIBWE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - PN (US50110100) | 4 | 2 | 50% |
WI - LAKESHORE TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50109800) | 15 | 15 | 100% |
WI - LAKESHORE TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN STAND ALONE (US50110200) | 12 | 11 | 91.67% |
WI - MADISON AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50105600) | 73 | 72 | 99% |
WI - MATC-MADISON PN STAND ALONE (US50101300) | 35 | 35 | 100% |
WI - MID STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50101000) | 44 | 42 | 95.45% |
WI - MILWAUKEE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50105800) | 56 | 51 | 91.07% |
WI - MILWAUKEE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE - STAND ALONE (US50101400) | 67 | 62 | 93% |
WI - MORAINE PARK TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50105300) | 30 | 30 | 100.00% |
WI - NICOLET AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50100100) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
WI - NORTH CENTRAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50100500) | 25 | 24 | 96.00% |
WI - NORTHEAST WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50105200) | 80 | 78 | 97.50% |
WI - NORTHEAST WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE - STAND ALONE (US50100600) | 35 | 34 | 97% |
WI - NORTHWOOD TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50100300) | 43 | 42 | 98% |
WI - SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50109600) | 41 | 41 | 100% |
WI - WAUKESHA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50109900) | 19 | 19 | 100% |
WI - WESTERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE - PN (US50109500) | 29 | 29 | 100.00% |
2025 Wisconsin NCLEX-PN Pass Rate
Educational Program | Number Delivered | Number: Passed | Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
WI - ALVERNO COLLEGE - BS (US50509100) | 49 | 45 | 91.84% |
WI - ALVERNO COLLEGE - MILWAUKEE - DIRECT ENTRY MSN (US50511300) | 30 | 29 | 96.67% |
WI - BELLIN COLLEGE - BS (US50502200) | 90 | 88 | 97.78% |
WI - BLACKHAWK TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407700) | 46 | 45 | 97.83% |
WI - BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE - ADN (US50400200) | 112 | 105 | 93.78% |
WI - BRYANT & STRATTON COLLEGE - BS (US50510500) | 17 | 15 | 88% |
WI - CARDINAL STRITCH UNIVERSITY - BS (US50502700) | 2 | 2 | 100% |
WI - CARDINAL STRITCH UNIVERSITY - RUTH S. COLEMAN COLLEGE OF NURSINGÂ - ADN (US50408300) | 2 | 2 | 100.00% |
WI - CARROLL UNIVERSITY - BS (US50500000) | 87 | 87 | 100.00% |
WI - CARROLL UNIVERSITY - MILWAUKEE - ADN (US50408700) | 13 | 11 | 85% |
WI - CARROLL UNIVERSITY - WAUKESHA - MSN (US50511100) | 18 | 18 | 100.00% |
WI - CARTHAGE COLLEGE OF NURSING (US50510400) | 58 | 57 | 98.28% |
WI - CHIPPEWA VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50408100) | 179 | 173 | 96.65% |
WI - COLUMBIA COLLEGE - MT MARY COLLEGE - BS (US50502000) | 1 | 0 | 0% |
WI - CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY WISCONSIN - BS (US50509400) | 49 | 45 | 91.84% |
WI - EDGEWOOD COLLEGE - BS (US50507500) | 126 | 122 | 96.83% |
WI - FOX VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407000) | 98 | 97 | 98.98% |
WI - GATEWAY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407800) | 171 | 165 | 96.49% |
WI - HERZING COLLEGE - ADN (US50405500) | 6 | 4 | 67% |
WI - HERZING UNIVERSITY - BROOKFIELD/KENOSHA - BS (US50500200) | 54 | 49 | 90.74% |
WI - HERZING UNIVERSITY - KENOSHA - BS (US50509900) | 120 | 107 | 89.17% |
WI - HERZING UNIVERSITY - MADISON - ADN (US50408600) | 4 | 3 | 75.00% |
WI - HERZING UNIVERSITY - MADISON - BS (US50510300) | 83 | 77 | 92.77% |
WI - HERZING UNIVERSITY MASTERS IN NURSING - DIRECT ENTRY - MADISON - MSN (US50511000) | 113 | 99 | 87.61% |
WI - HOLY FAMILY COLLEGE (US50510200) | 1 | 1 | 100.00% |
WI - LAC COURTE OREILLES OJIBWE COMMUNITY COLLEGE - ADN (US50400300) | 20 | 7 | 35.00% |
WI - LAKESHORE TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407600) | 30 | 30 | 100% |
WI - MADISON AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407900) | 178 | 173 | 97.19% |
WI - MARANATHA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY - BS (US50500100) | 12 | 12 | 100% |
WI - MARIAN COLLEGE FOND DU LAC - BS (US50503900) | 17 | 17 | 100.00% |
WI - MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY - BS (US50509000) | 136 | 134 | 99% |
WI - MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY - MSN (US50509700) | 212 | 198 | 93.40% |
WI - MID STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50400000) | 79 | 78 | 99% |
WI - MILWAUKEE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50408000) | 97 | 94 | 96.91% |
WI - MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING - BS (US50504400) | 42 | 41 | 97.62% |
WI - MORAINE PARK TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50408200) | 100 | 96 | 96.00% |
WI - MOUNT MARY UNIVERSITY - BSN (US50511200) | 30 | 21 | 70.00% |
WI - NICOLET AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50400100) | 25 | 24 | 96% |
WI - NORTH CENTRAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407500) | 71 | 71 | 100.00% |
WI - NORTHEAST WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407300) | 165 | 162 | 98.18% |
WI - NORTHWOOD TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407200) | 58 | 57 | 98.28% |
WI - RASMUSSEN COLLEGE - GREEN BAY - BS (US50510000) | 8 | 8 | 100% |
WI - RASMUSSEN COLLEGE - WAUSAU - ADN (US50400400) | 17 | 16 | 94.12% |
WI - RASMUSSEN COLLEGE - WAUSAU - BS (US50510100) | 2 | 1 | 50% |
WI - RASMUSSEN COLLEGE- GREEN BAY- ADN (US50408500) | 13 | 12 | 92% |
WI - SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407100) | 35 | 34 | 97.14% |
WI - UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - EAU CLAIRE - BS (US50508400) | 137 | 134 | 97.81% |
WI - UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - GREEN BAY - BS (US50510900) | 50 | 45 | 90.00% |
WI - UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON - BS (US50509500) | 207 | 202 | 97.58% |
WI - UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE - BS (US50508300) | 226 | 205 | 90.71% |
WI - UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - OSHKOSH - BS (US50508100) | 244 | 236 | 96.72% |
WI - VITERBO UNIVERSITY - BS (US50508200) | 115 | 108 | 93.91% |
WI - VITERBO UNIVERSITY - MSN (US50510800) | 22 | 22 | 100% |
WI - WAUKESHA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50407400) | 96 | 95 | 98.96% |
WI - WESTERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE - ADN (US50408400) | 72 | 68 | 94.44% |
WI - WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE - BS (US50500500) | 20 | 19 | 95% |
2025 Wisconsin NCLEX-RN Pass Rate
Nursing License Application Process
Step 1: Submit Your License Application via LicensE
All first-time candidates must apply online through the Wisconsin DSPS LicensE Portal. (To access any forms referenced below, you will first need to sign up on the AccessGov website. Then, you can access the forms.)
Create an Account: Register on the portal to start an application for "Licensure by Examination."
Submit the Fee: Pay the required non-refundable application fee directly via the portal.
Select Your License Type: Indicate whether you are applying for a single-state license or a Multistate License (Nursing Licensure Compact). Note: For a multistate license, your primary state of residence must be Wisconsin.
Step 2: Complete Background Checks and Fingerprinting
Wisconsin requires background processing before granting testing eligibility.
Multistate Applicants: If you requested a Multistate License, you must complete the Authorization for Release of FBI Information (Form 2687) and submit a physical passport-style photograph to the department.
Schedule Fingerprinting: Once your background authorization is processed, you will receive digital fingerprinting instructions via email. Schedule your appointment promptly through the state-approved vendor.
Step 3: Register with Pearson VUE
To complete your registration for the examination, you must:
Create an account and register for the exam online through the Pearson VUE NCLEX Portal.
Pay the $200 NCLEX examination fee.
Ensure a strict name match: Verify that the first and last names used during Pearson VUE registration exactly match the physical identification you plan to present at the test center on exam day.
Step 4: Verify Your Nursing Education
Your application cannot be finalized until DSPS receives verification of your graduation.
In-State Graduates: If you attended a Wisconsin Board-approved nursing program, your school will upload your graduation confirmation electronically directly to DSPS.
Out-of-State Graduates: Request your official transcripts be sent directly from your institution to the DSPS licensing email endpoint.
FAQs for NCLEX
(To access any forms referenced below, you will first need to sign up on the AccessGov website. Then, you can access the forms.)
What is the difference between a single-state and a multistate (compact) license?
Wisconsin is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). A single-state license only permits you to practice within Wisconsin.
A multistate license allows you to practice in Wisconsin as well as NLC participating states without applying for additional licenses, provided your primary home residence remains in Wisconsin.
Can I get a temporary permit to work while waiting to take the NCLEX?
Yes. Exam candidates can apply for a Graduate Temporary Permit by submitting Form 2434 and a $10 fee via the LicensE portal.
This permit is valid for 3 months and allows you to practice under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse while you await your exam date. The permit is automatically revoked if you fail the NCLEX.
What happens if I do not pass the NCLEX on my first try?
If you do not pass, you must wait 45 days before you are eligible to retake the exam. To test again, you must:
Re-register and pay the $200 fee to Pearson VUE.
Submit a Professional Nurse Retake Application (Form 1055) along with the retake fee to DSPS.
How long does the entire registration and licensing process take?
On average, the timeline spans 8 to 14 weeks from graduation to test day. DSPS processing typically takes 4 to 6 weeks depending on volume, followed by 1 to 2 weeks for Pearson VUE to issue your ATT once eligibility is approved.
What are the continuing education requirements to maintain a Wisconsin nursing license?
The Wisconsin Board of Nursing does not require continuing education (CE) hours for the standard biennial renewal of a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) license. Standard RN and LPN renewals only require the completion of the mandatory nursing workforce survey via the LicensE Portal.
Continuing education mandates apply exclusively to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) holding prescriptive authority. To maintain this authority under the new Wisconsin Act 17 framework, APRNs must complete 16 contact hours of clinical pharmacology or therapeutics continuing education every two years, which must include at least 2 hours focused on the responsible prescribing of controlled substances.
Nursing Schools, Courses & LicensE Look Up
Approved Nursing Schools
Click the links below to view Wisconsin-approved in-state and out-of-state nursing schools and compliance forms.
Nursing Refresher Courses
Click the links below to access approved Wisconsin Nursing refresher courses, requirements, & FAQs.
LicensE Lookup Search Tool
Click the link below to search by an Organization or Individual Name License, Credentialing or License Number, or License Type.
Nursing Licensure Compact Resources
Nursing Licensure FAQs Fact Sheet
Click the link below to view NLC FAQs Sheet which references multistate licensing benefits for nurses and more. Wisconsin joined the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC).
NCSBN Proposed NLC Rulemaking
Click the link below to view official public announcements when ICNLCA creates, amends, or appeals rules governing the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
Interstate Comm NLC Admin Rules
Click the link below to review the administrative framework of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) along with 2024 regulations governing multistate license applications, uniform data sets and more.
Board Information
Meetings & Agendas
Click the link below to view the Wisconsin Board of Nursing's meeting dates, options to submit agenda items, and access to join sessions.
Board Statutes
Click the link below to access the codes and statutes governing the Wisconsin Board of Nursing.
Newsletters
Click the link below to view the Wisconsin Board of Nursing newsletters.
Contact Us
Call:
(608) 266-2112
Email:
dsps@wi.gov
Mailing Address:
Board of Nursing
DSPS
P.O. Box 8366
Madison, WI 53705
Office Hours:
7:45 AM - 4:30 PM
Location:
Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way
Madison, WI 53705
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