Top 100 ADN Programs
One of the best measures of a nursing program’s ability to prepare its students to become a practicing nurse is to look at an institutions first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate. We went directly to each state board of nursing to find, report and rank the the best ADN programs in the country.
Find the ADN program(s) that will best prepare you for your RN licensing exam and beyond.
We compiled the first-time NCLEX passing for more than 1133 RN-ADN programs across the United States for as many as 7 years running. We then complied our results and ranked the top 914 RN-ADN programs across the country. You will find the top 100 in the list below. Research the best RN-ADN nursing schools state-by-state.
|
Rank |
University |
Based In |
NCLEX Grade |
Reporting Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Basin College | Elko, NV | 100.00 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 1 | Virginia State University | Petersburg, VA | 100.00 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 2 | University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus | Gallup, NM | 100.00 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 |
| 3 | Mendocino College | Ukiah, CA | 100.00 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 5 | Coastal Alabama Community College (James H Faulkner State) | Bay Minette, AL | 99.41 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 6 | Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College | Orangeburg, SC | 99.33 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 7 | Pikes Peak Community College | Colorado Springs, CO | 99.27 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 8 | York Technical College | Rock Hill, SC | 99.12 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 9 | Jefferson Community College | Watertown, NY | 98.90 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 10 | Cayuga County Community College | Auburn, NY | 98.79 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 11 | Chabot College | Hayward, CA | 98.37 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 12 | Lawson State Community College-Birmingham Campus | Birmingham, AL | 98.34 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 13 | Southside Virginia Community College | Alberta, VA | 98.15 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 14 | Western Governors University | Salt Lake City, UT | 98.04 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 15 | Cuesta College | San Luis Obispo, CA | 98.02 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 16 | Los Angeles Harbor College | Wilmington, CA | 97.99 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 17 | Big Bend Community College | Moses Lake, WA | 97.94 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 18 | California State University-Channel Islands | Camarillo, CA | 97.87 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 19 | Merritt College | Oakland, CA | 97.76 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 20 | Louisiana Delta Community College | Monroe, LA | 97.75 | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 21 | Mississippi University for Women | Columbus, MS | 97.67 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 22 | McHenry County College | Crystal Lake, IL | 97.63 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 23 | Truckee Meadows Community College | Reno, NV | 97.53 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 24 | Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College | Cumberland, KY | 97.41 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 25 | Southeastern Illinois College | Harrisburg, IL | 97.33 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 26 | Columbia College | Columbia, MO | 97.30 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 27 | Howard College | Big Spring, TX | 97.10 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 28 | Victor Valley College | Victorville, CA | 97.00 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 29 | Coahoma Community College | Clarksdale, MS | 96.97 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 30 | MiraCosta College | Oceanside, CA | 96.95 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 31 | Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Campus | Roswell, NM | 96.91 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 32 | Brigham Young University-Provo | Provo, UT | 96.86 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 33 | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | Perkinston, MS | 96.83 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 34 | Nashville State Community College | Nashville, TN | 96.81 | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 35 | Chemeketa Community College | Salem, OR | 96.78 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 36 | Linn-Benton Community College | Albany, OR | 96.76 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 37 | Milwaukee Area Technical College | Milwaukee, WI | 96.76 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 38 | Western Nevada College | Carson City, NV | 96.59 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 39 | Sierra College | Rocklin, CA | 96.57 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 40 | Motlow State Community College | Tullahoma, TN | 96.52 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 41 | Helena College University of Montana | Helena, MT | 96.52 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 42 | Monterey Peninsula College | Monterey, CA | 96.49 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 43 | State Fair Community College | Sedalia, MO | 96.39 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 44 | Hartnell College | Salinas, CA | 96.35 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 45 | Seminole State College of Florida | Sanford, FL | 96.30 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 46 | Montana Tech of the University of Montana | Butte, MT | 96.30 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 47 | Elizabethtown Community and Technical College | Elizabethtown, KY | 96.22 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 48 | College of Coastal Georgia | Brunswick, GA | 96.11 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 49 | Peninsula College | Port Angeles, WA | 96.10 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 50 | Pierce College at Puyallup | Puyallup, WA | 96.06 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 51 | Mississippi Delta Community College | Moorhead, MS | 96.05 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 52 | Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, LA | 96.04 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 52 | Chattanooga State Community College | Chattanooga, TN | 96.04 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 54 | Henderson Community College | Henderson, KY | 95.93 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 55 | Columbus Technical College | Columbus, GA | 95.91 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 56 | California State University-San Marcos | San Marcos, CA | 95.86 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 57 | Greenville Technical College | Greenville, SC | 95.82 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 58 | Gordon State College | Barnesville, GA | 95.78 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 59 | Portland Community College | Portland, OR | 95.77 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 60 | Valencia College | Orlando, FL | 95.66 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 61 | Simpson University | Redding, CA | 95.65 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 62 | Sheridan College | Sheridan, WY | 95.63 | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 63 | Central Maine Community College | Auburn, ME | 95.57 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 64 | Whatcom Community College | Bellingham, WA | 95.48 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 65 | California State University-Stanislaus | Turlock, CA | 95.42 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 66 | Jackson State Community College | Jackson, TN | 95.41 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 67 | Central Oregon Community College | Bend, OR | 95.26 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 68 | Clinton Community College | Plattsburgh, NY | 95.26 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 69 | Fox Valley Technical College | Appleton, WI | 95.26 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 70 | Mesa Community College | Mesa, AZ | 95.23 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 71 | Itawamba Community College | Fulton, MS | 95.20 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 72 | College of the Siskiyous | Weed, CA | 95.19 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 73 | Carroll University | Waukesha, WI | 95.15 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 74 | Chattahoochee Technical College | Marietta, GA | 94.96 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 75 | Austin Community College District | Austin, TX | 94.94 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 76 | North Iowa Area Community College | Mason City, IA | 94.90 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 77 | Santa Barbara City College | Santa Barbara, CA | 94.88 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 78 | Paradise Valley Community College | Phoenix, AZ | 94.87 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 79 | Northeast Mississippi Community College | Booneville, MS | 94.85 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 80 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | Oshkosh, WI | 94.77 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 81 | Clackamas Community College | Oregon City, OR | 94.73 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 82 | Grossmont College | El Cajon, CA | 94.65 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 83 | Saddleback College | Mission Viejo, CA | 94.64 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 84 | Sacramento City College | Sacramento, CA | 94.57 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 85 | Lincoln University | Jefferson City, MO | 94.48 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 86 | Bethel College-Indiana | Mishawaka, IN | 94.47 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 87 | Southwest Mississippi Community College | Summit, MS | 94.45 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 88 | Owensboro Community and Technical College | Owensboro, KY | 94.22 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 89 | Johnson County Community College | Overland Park, KS | 94.19 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 90 | Panola College | Carthage, TX | 94.12 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 91 | Southern Utah University | Cedar City, UT | 94.10 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 92 | California State University-Chico | Chico, CA | 94.10 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 93 | Aiken Technical College | Graniteville, SC | 94.09 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 94 | Jones County Junior College | Ellisville, MS | 94.08 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 95 | Great Bay Community College | Portsmouth, NH | 94.08 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 96 | Kishwaukee College | Malta, IL | 94.07 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 96 | Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove, IL | 94.07 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 98 | Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health | Los Angeles, CA | 94.05 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
| 99 | Central Wyoming College | Riverton, WY | 94.05 | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 100 | Blackhawk Technical College | Janesville, WI | 94.05 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 |
ADN Program Rankings by State
View all RN-ADN Degree Program rankings by state using the map below.
- Total RN-ADN Programs: 1133
- Ranked RN-ADN Programs: 914
List of Best RN-ADN Nursing Schools
View the top 100 BSN programs In the United States.
For information about how we rank ADN programs, please see our ranking methodology.