NCLEX passing score: what does it take to pass?
There is no passing score on the NCLEX in points or percent. You either pass or fail. The adaptive test compares your ability with a passing standard: 0.00 logits for the NCLEX-RN and -0.18 logits for the NCLEX-PN, both in effect through March 31, 2029. The test ends once the computer is 95 percent sure your ability is clearly above or clearly below that line.
A logit is a unit that measures your ability and the difficulty of each question on the same scale. Every time you answer, the computer re-estimates your ability from all your answers so far and picks the next question to match it. That is why almost every question feels hard: each one is aimed at your current level. Feeling that the exam went badly tells you very little about the result. NCSBN reviews the passing standard every three years, and its board voted in December 2022 to keep both standards through March 31, 2029.
Both the RN and the PN exam have at least 85 and at most 150 questions, within 5 hours that include all breaks. 15 of the questions are unscored pretest items, and you cannot tell which ones. You cannot go back to a question once you submit it. A test that ends at 85 questions can mean a pass or a fail: it only means the computer reached 95 percent certainty early. If you run out of time, you fail if you answered fewer than the minimum number of questions. Otherwise your final ability estimate from all your answers decides, so you cannot skip ahead by rushing.
You get no score at the test center. Official results come only from your nursing regulatory body, within about six weeks. If your board takes part in Quick Results, you can see an unofficial result two business days after the exam. If you do not pass, you get a Candidate Performance Report that shows, for each area of the test plan, whether you were above, near or below the passing standard. NCSBN lets you retake after 45 days, and some boards ask you to wait longer.
| Rule | When it applies | How it decides |
|---|---|---|
| 95% confidence | Most candidates, anywhere from 85 to 150 questions | Stops once the computer is 95% sure you are clearly above or below the standard |
| Maximum length | Your ability is very close to the standard | At 150 questions, a final ability estimate at or above the standard passes |
| Run out of time | The 5 hours end before a decision | Under 85 questions answered fails; otherwise the final estimate from all answers decides |
- 1Take a baseline set of practice questions that covers every content area of the NCLEX test plan.
- 2Sort your misses by test plan area, so you know which areas hold you below the line.
- 3Study the weakest area first, then redo those questions on a later day until you get them right.
- 4Practice clinical judgment case studies, which come as sets of six questions on one patient.
- 5Do at least one long timed session so 5 hours of focus does not catch you off guard.
- 6If you do not pass, plan your retake around the Candidate Performance Report and book a date at least 45 days out.