For our 2024 rankings of ADN programs, the research team at Nursing Schools Almanac compiled an extensive database of student performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Aspiring registered nurses in the United States must pass this examination before they may commence practice. Thus, student performance on the NCLEX-RN exam provides an excellent benchmark for comparing the relative quality of associate’s degree programs.
We used our database to calculate each program’s NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers. This is the standard program assessment metric reported by the Missouri State Board of Nursing and the test’s administrator, Pearson Vue. Whenever possible, we calculated this first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate over an extensive period of time, typically the past decade of student performance. We then used this metric to rank all of Missouri’s ADN programs accordingly.
#1: State Fair Community College
3201 West 16th Street
Sedalia, MO 65301
https://www.sfccmo.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 97.8%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 51
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes the Sedalia, Clinton, and Eldon campuses
#2: Ozarks Technical Community College
1001 East Chestnut Expressway
Springfield, MO 65802
https://www.otc.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 93.8%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 42
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes both the Springfield and Table Rock campuses
#3: North Central Missouri College
1301 Main Street
Trenton, MO 64683
https://www.ncmissouri.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 93.3%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 76
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes both the Trenton and Maryville campuses
#4: Cox College
1423 North Jefferson Avenue
Springfield, MO 65802
https://www.coxcollege.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 91.9%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 69
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#5: Columbia College
1001 Rogers Street
Columbia, MO 65216
https://www.ccis.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 91.8%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 61
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes both the Columbia and Lake of the Ozarks campuses
#6: East Central College
1964 Prairie Dell Road
Union, MO 63084
https://www.eastcentral.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 91.0%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 47
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes both the Union and Rolla campuses
#7: Moberly Area Community College
101 College Avenue
Moberly, MO 65270
https://www.macc.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 90.5%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 49
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes the Moberly, Kirksville, and Mexico campuses
#8: St. Charles Community College
One Academy Place
Dardenne Prairie, MO 63368
https://www.stchas.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 90.2%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 62
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#9: Lincoln University
820 Chestnut Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101
https://www.lincolnu.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 89.0%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 42
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes the Fort Leonard Wood campus as well as historical data from the Jefferson City campus
#10: St. Louis Community College
5600 Oakland Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63110
https://www.stlcc.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 88.7%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 163
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes the Forest Park, Florissant Valley, Meramec, and Wildwood campuses
#11: Hannibal-LaGrange University
2800 Palmyra Road
Hannibal, MO 63401
https://www.hlg.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 88.3%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 31
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#12: Crowder College
601 Laclede Avenue
Neosho, MO 64850
https://www.crowder.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 87.9%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 101
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes the Neosho, Cassville, McDonald County, and Nevada campuses
#13: Metropolitan Community College
3444 Broadway
Kansas City, MO 64111
https://www.mcckc.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 87.4%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 131
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#14: Mineral Area College
5270 Flat River Road
Park Hills, MO 63601
https://mineralarea.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 87.2%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 51
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#15: Southwest Baptist University
4431 South Fremont Avenue
Springfield, MO 65804
https://www.sbuniv.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 86.2%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 151
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes both the Springfield and Salem campuses
#16: Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing & Health Sciences
2001 William Street
Cape Girardeau, MO 63703
https://www.sehcollege.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 86.0%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 61
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#17: Missouri State University - West Plains
128 Garfield Avenue
West Plains, MO 65775
https://www.wp.missouristate.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 86.0%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 40
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#18: Three Rivers College
2080 Three Rivers Boulevard
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
https://www.trcc.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 86.0%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 63
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020; includes both the Poplar Bluff and Sikeston campuses
#19: Bolivar Technical College
2001 West Broadway Street
Bolivar, MO 65613
https://www.bolivarcollege.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 85.5%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 19
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#20: Texas County Technical College
6915 South US Highway 63
Houston, MO 65483
https://www.texascountytech.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 83.2%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 18
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#21: Jefferson College
1000 Viking Drive
Hillsboro, MO 63050
https://www.jeffco.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 81.3%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 52
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#22: State Technical College of Missouri
One Technology Drive
Linn, MO 65051
https://www.statetechmo.edu
NCLEX-RN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 77.8%
Average number of ADN students graduating annually: 9
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2019 through 2020