For our 2024 rankings of LPN programs, the research team at Nursing Schools Almanac compiled an extensive database of student performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). Aspiring practical nurses in the United States must pass this examination before they may commence practice. Thus, student performance on the NCLEX-PN exam provides an excellent benchmark for comparing the relative quality of practical nursing programs.
We used our database to calculate each program’s NCLEX-PN pass rate among first-time test-takers. This is the standard program assessment metric reported by the Washington State Department of Health’s Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission and the test’s administrator, Pearson Vue. Whenever possible, we calculated this first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate over an extensive period of time, typically the past decade of student performance. We then used this metric to rank all of Washington’s LPN programs accordingly.
#1: Yakima Valley College
South 16th Avenue & Nob Hill Boulevard
Yakima, WA 98907
https://www.yvcc.edu
NCLEX-PN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 100.0%
Average number of LPN students graduating annually: 31
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#2: Bellingham Technical College
3028 Lindbergh Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
https://www.btc.edu
NCLEX-PN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 96.7%
Average number of LPN students graduating annually: 40
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2016
#3: Olympic College
1600 Chester Avenue
Bremerton, WA 98337
https://www.olympic.edu
NCLEX-PN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 95.0%
Average number of LPN students graduating annually: 24
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#4: Green River College
12401 SE 320th Street
Auburn, WA 98092
https://www.greenriver.edu
NCLEX-PN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 93.9%
Average number of LPN students graduating annually: 29
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#5: Edmonds College
20000 68th Avenue West
Lynnwood, WA 98036
https://www.edmonds.edu
NCLEX-PN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 91.9%
Average number of LPN students graduating annually: 17
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2015 through 2020
#6: Bates Technical College
1101 South Yakima Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98405
https://www.batestech.edu
NCLEX-PN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 86.7%
Average number of LPN students graduating annually: 74
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020
#7: Clover Park Technical College
4500 Steilacoom Boulevard SW
Lakewood, WA 98499
http://www.cptc.edu
NCLEX-PN pass rate among first-time test-takers: 84.0%
Average number of LPN students graduating annually: 76
Data analyzed: Calendar years 2011 through 2020