LEWISTON, Idaho – Thanks in large part to the continued excellence of Lewis-Clark State College’s nursing program, Idaho continues to produce top-performing healthcare professionals, with students in the Gem State passing the NCLEX exam on their first try at higher rates than their competitors in the West.
LC State’s first-time NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) passing rate in 2025 was 96.43%, which led all bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) programs at public institutions in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. LC State had 84 graduates take the exam last year.
Idaho ranks ninth nationally for first-time NCLEX pass rates at 92.2%, according to a June 17 analysis by Nurse.org. The national average was 89%.
Passing the NCLEX is required to become a licensed registered nurse (RN) in the U.S.
The report looks at the pass rates among 37 states (including the District of Columbia) from 2023-2025; states that did not publish verified candidate totals were excluded from the report. Washington’s NCLEX score was 89.1%, coming in at 26th nationally. Oregon was not included in the report.
LC State’s leading results continue a trend of high scores for the Warriors, with 96.55% of 87 students passing the NCLEX on their first try in 2024, and 96.05% of 76 students in 2023.
Among the BSN programs at other public Idaho universities, Boise State University reported 85.53% passing on their first try in 2025, and Idaho State University reported 83.87% passing. North Idaho College reported 96.25% of its associate degree in nursing (ASN) students passed the NCLEX on their first try; NIC does not have a BSN program.
Nationally, the highest NCLEX marks went to the states of Wisconsin at 95.3%, North Dakota at 94.8%, and Nebraska at 93.9%.
In August 2025, Nurse.org ranked LC State as the best nursing school in Idaho, highlighting the school’s small class sizes and state-of-the-art Healthcare Immersive Learning Lab.
A Nurse.org panel makes its ranking determinations based on a number of factors, including school reputation, NCLEX pass rate, tuition, and acceptance rate. Only accredited schools are considered.
LC State offers several BSN tracks, as well as a master’s degree in Nursing Leadership in Healthcare and two nursing certificate options. The school now also offers a new direct-entry option for the master’s program, which allows those with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field to pursue the MSN degree and simultaneously gain the training to meet requirements for RN licensure.
The nursing program application opens Nov. 1 and closes Feb. 25 for a fall start; applications open April 1 and close Sept. 25 for a spring start.
Learn more about the LC State nursing program at www.lcsc.edu/nursing.