LC State nursing program leads public BSN pass rates in Idaho and PNW

Lewiston-based Lewis-Clark State College’s nursing program recorded a 96.43% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX licensing exam in 2025, the highest among public Bachelor of Science in nursing programs in Idaho, Washington and Oregon, helping push Idaho to ninth in the nation for first-time pass rates.

Eighty-four LC State graduates sat for the National Council Licensure Examination last year. The result continues a three-year run of top scores for the program: 96.55% of 87 students passed on their first try in 2024, and 96.05% of 76 students passed in 2023.

Idaho’s statewide first-time pass rate of 92.2% ranked ninth nationally, according to a June analysis by Nurse.org. The national average was 89%. Washington came in 26th with an 89.1% pass rate; Oregon was excluded from the report due to unverified candidate totals. The top states nationally were Wisconsin at 95.3%, North Dakota at 94.8% and Nebraska at 93.9%.

Among other public Idaho institutions, Boise State University reported an 85.53% first-time pass rate in 2025 and Idaho State University reported 83.87%. North Idaho College, which offers an associate degree in nursing rather than a BSN, reported a 96.25% pass rate.

Passing the NCLEX is required to become a licensed registered nurse in the United States.

In August 2025, Nurse.org ranked LC State the best nursing school in Idaho, citing its small class sizes and state-of-the-art Healthcare Immersive Learning Lab. The publication’s rankings factor in school reputation, NCLEX pass rate, tuition and acceptance rate, considering only accredited programs.

LC State offers multiple BSN tracks, a master’s degree in nursing leadership in health care and two nursing certificate options. The school recently added a direct-entry option for its master’s program that allows graduates with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree to pursue an MSN while simultaneously gaining the training required for RN licensure.

This story was written using artificial intelligence with human oversight.