A well-known name on the diploma matters less than whether graduates pass the NCLEX-RN on the first try , a result shaped by NCLEX Prep During Nursing School. In Arkansas, that exam is the gate to every RN job, whether the degree is an ADN from a community college or a BSN from a university , the classic bsn vs adn programs decision.
The schools here are ordered by first-time NCLEX-RN results reported to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, not by reputation.
A graduate who fails must wait weeks before retesting, and that delay is a lost paycheck.
Arkansas Nursing Schools With the Top NCLEX-RN Pass Rates for 2027
Which Arkansas nursing programs most reliably turn students into licensed registered nurses? That question drives this list, which is ordered mainly by first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates reported to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing across recent reporting years, with accreditation and completion outcomes separating programs whose pass rates sit close together. Where the board has not yet published a program-level figure for a school, the entry below describes the program on its other strengths instead.
How we ranked these
- Institutional graduation and completion rates
- First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates
- Nursing program accreditation status
- Program options and delivery formats
- Average net price after aid
- Original research on individual programs
- NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
- Program-level NCLEX pass rates from the state boards of nursing — ncsbn.org
- College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- In-house program catalog data
University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton
#1Morrilton, AR · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 98% (2-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Local students seeking a low-cost ADN
University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton offers a single, campus-based associate degree in nursing, which keeps the path to an RN license straightforward for students in the Morrilton area. Cohorts are small, and the college's published tuition and fee structure is modest compared with four-year institutions. Recent first-time NCLEX-RN results reported for the program have been strong for a cohort of its size.
- Campus-based associate degree on the Morrilton campus
- Prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam
- Single nursing program offered by the college
Arkansas Tech University
#2Russellville, AR · $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 98.9% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Working nurses finishing a bachelor's degree
Arkansas Tech University runs a bachelor's program in Russellville built for three different starting points: first-time students, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses returning for a degree. The curriculum combines on-campus coursework with clinical placements in partner healthcare facilities, and the university lists flexible and online options for licensed nurses. A separate associate-level registered nursing track is offered through the Arkansas Tech campus in Ozark.
- Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
- Separate pathways for new students, LPNs, and RNs
- Clinical training in partner healthcare facilities
- Hybrid and online options for licensed nurses
- Registered nursing sequence delivered through the Ozark campus
- Hybrid format combining online and in-person learning
Harding University
#3Searcy, AR · ~$22,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96.8% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Faith-centered students wanting a residential BSN
Harding University has one of the longest-running BSN programs in the state, founded in 1975, and its traditional track includes 50 credit hours of upper-level nursing coursework. Clinical experience happens at area hospitals and modern health facilities, and health care missions give students local and international placements. Licensed nurses without a bachelor's degree can finish on an individualized full-time or part-time plan, and an accelerated hybrid track is available in Rogers. The state board's 2025 figures list a 93.6% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for Harding, drawn from 63 first-time test takers.
- 50 credit hours of upper-level nursing coursework
- Accelerated hybrid track available in Rogers
- Individualized completion plan for licensed nurses
- Clinical hours at area hospitals and modern facilities
- Health care missions with local and international placements
- Honors College recognition available
Baptist Health College Little Rock
#4Little Rock, AR · $25,000 – $30,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 95.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Baptist Health College Little Rock has operated a nursing program since 1921 and still teaches it in a hospital setting rather than a traditional campus sequence. The 18-month traditional track moves from foundations in nursing care through adult, maternal and newborn, mental health, and pediatric courses, with pharmacology integrated throughout. Instruction is scheduled over four days a week, and the program admits twice a year on a rolling basis with no minimum GPA requirement for entry.
- 18-month associate degree track
- Established in 1921 as the college's first nursing program
- Four-day instructional weeks
- Rolling admissions with January and August start dates
- Entrance exam required: TEAS or ACT
- No minimum GPA requirement for admission
- Prerequisite courses required before the nursing sequence
- Transfer credits accepted through the Arkansas course transfer system
Southern Arkansas University
#5Magnolia, AR · $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 97.1% (3-yr weighted avg)
Southern Arkansas University splits its BSN into two stages: a pre-nursing foundation in science, math, and general education, then nursing coursework in health assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and care across acute, pediatric, community, and maternal-newborn settings. Simulation takes place in the Wharton Simulation Lab, and clinical placements send students to partner facilities in Arkansas and Texas. Admission requires the HESI A2 exam and a minimum 2.85 GPA in the nursing science core.
- 120 total credit hours from pre-nursing through nursing core
- Admission requires a 2.85 GPA in the nursing science core
- HESI A2 entrance exam required
- Wharton Simulation Lab with hospital-style training
- Clinical placements at partner facilities in Arkansas and Texas
- Prerequisite courses must be completed before admission
- Criminal background check and drug screening required
Ouachita Baptist University
#6Arkadelphia, AR · $20,000 – $25,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96.1% (2-yr weighted avg)
Ouachita Baptist University builds its on-campus BSN on a liberal arts core and Christian values, with coursework in pathophysiology, community health, transcultural nursing, and leadership. A nursing education center with simulated hospital rooms and high-fidelity mannequins anchors the hands-on training, and students work with 15 regional healthcare partners. The university reports a 92% first-time NCLEX pass rate, and dual-degree options in psychology or Spanish let students pair nursing with a second field.
- Four-year BSN on a liberal arts and Christian foundation
- Nursing Education Center with simulated hospital rooms
- High-fidelity mannequins for simulation practice
- Clinical partners include 15 regional healthcare providers
- Dual degrees available in psychology or Spanish
- Faculty bring 118 years of combined experience
- University reports a 92% first-time NCLEX pass rate
Jefferson Regional School of Nursing
#7Pine Bluff, AR · NCLEX-RN pass rate 93.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Jefferson Regional School of Nursing is a hospital-based program that awards an associate of applied science in nursing over 17 months. The curriculum covers 48 nursing credits and pairs classroom instruction with clinical experiences across the Jefferson Regional health system. The school holds accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and advertises a 100% NCLEX-RN pass rate for its graduates.
- 17-month associate degree in nursing
- 48 nursing credits in the curriculum
- Clinical experiences inside a regional health system
- Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
- Advertises a 100% NCLEX-RN pass rate for graduates
Arkansas State University-Beebe
#8Beebe, AR · $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 93.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Arkansas State University-Beebe runs a fast-track registered nursing pathway built for licensed practical nurses and paramedics rather than first-time college students. The associate degree builds on prior clinical experience and covers clinical judgment, safe patient care, therapeutic communication, leadership, and delegation, with the nursing sequence taught at the Searcy campus. The program holds full approval from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Applicants should know that the nursing curriculum itself does not accept transfer or advanced-placement credit, so the nursing courses must be completed through ASU-Beebe.
- Fast-track LPN to RN associate degree pathway
- Open to licensed practical nurses and paramedics
- Full approval from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing
- Nursing sequence taught at the Searcy campus
- Covers clinical judgment, delegation, and prioritization
- Work experience required for admission
- Spring 2027 application cycle available
- Advanced-placement and transfer credit not accepted for nursing courses
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
#9Little Rock, AR · NCLEX-RN pass rate 91.5% (3-yr weighted avg)
UAMS is the state's academic health center, and its College of Nursing offers two routes to a BSN: a traditional track in Little Rock for students who complete 58 semester hours of prerequisites, and an accelerated track in northwest Arkansas for people who already hold a bachelor's degree. Clinical training happens inside an academic health system rather than at outside partner sites. The state board's 2024 report put the program's first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate at 96.7%, and UAMS has announced 10 full-tuition Chancellor's Scholars awards for BSN students beginning in fall 2026. The college is also developing a statewide initiative to expand rural nursing education and streamline pathways into the profession.
- Traditional BSN track on the Little Rock campus
- Accelerated BSN for bachelor's degree holders in northwest Arkansas
- 58 semester hours of prerequisites for the traditional track
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Clinical training inside an academic health system
- Prior bachelor's degree required for the accelerated track
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
#10Fort Smith, AR · ~$11,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 94.6% (3-yr weighted avg)
The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith offers a CCNE-accredited BSN of 120 credit hours with both traditional daytime and weekend or evening scheduling, a structure that lets working students keep earning while they study. Training takes place partly in a simulation center, and the coursework emphasizes evidence-based practice, leadership, and culturally sensitive care. The state board's 2024 report listed a 94.5% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for the program. Scholarships, financial aid, and faculty mentorship support students through a two-step application process.
- 120 credit hours to complete the degree
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Weekend and evening scheduling available
- State-of-the-art simulation center
- Hands-on clinical experiences at partner sites
- Two-step application process
- Employer tuition benefits considered
What Puts a School on This List: Our NCLEX-First Scoring
National reputation lists reward prestige and research dollars. This list rewards something more useful to a future nurse: NCLEX pass rates by school. An RN program exists to produce graduates who can pass that exam and earn a license, so licensure results carry most of the weight in the score.
What Goes Into the Score
First-time pass rates reported by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing are combined across three years and weighted by the number of test takers. That keeps one small cohort from swinging a school's result up or down, and larger groups of candidates count for more because they show a longer track record.
Two other factors break ties when schools land close together:
- Accreditation: Programs that satisfy current nursing school accreditation requirements edge ahead.
- Completion and retention: Schools that keep students enrolled through graduation rank higher.
What the Ranking Ignores
Prestige, research output, and campus amenities do not factor in. Net price and graduation rate appear next to each school for context, but they carry little or no weight in the score.
Older national lists often lean on name recognition and survey-based reputation, which says little about how Arkansas graduates actually perform on the licensing exam. Here, a school with a modest profile and strong first-time results can outrank a better-known name, and that is by design.
School-by-School First-Time NCLEX-RN Results From the Arkansas State Board of Nursing
The table below shows the most recent Arkansas State Board of Nursing first-time NCLEX-RN results: the 2025 reporting year for ADN programs and the 2026 reporting year for BSN programs, each measured against the 2025 national first-time pass rate of 86.71% reported by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. ADN programs keep pace with BSN programs and in several cases beat them: the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith posts the strongest results in both formats, while Arkansas State University's BSN and SAU Tech's ADN fall below the national mark, and small cohorts at schools like Arkansas Northeastern College can make rates shift noticeably from year to year. The board monitors programs that fall below its minimum pass-rate standard and can require improvement plans or take further action, so a consistently strong rate tells you a program prepares graduates well and is less likely to face approval problems while you are enrolled.
| School | Program Type | Reporting Year | Test Takers | First-Time Pass Rate | vs. National Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas at Fort Smith | ADN (AASN) | 2025 | 81 | 97.5% | +10.79 pts |
| University of Arkansas at Fort Smith | BSN | 2026 | 72 | 95.8% | +9.09 pts |
| Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium (ARNEC), DeQueen | ADN | 2025 | 98 | 93.8% | +7.09 pts |
| Arkansas Tech University (Russellville) | BSN | 2026 | 71 | 92.9% | +6.19 pts |
| Arkansas Northeastern College (Blytheville) | ADN | 2025 | 23 | 91.3% | +4.59 pts |
| University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) | BSN | 2026 | 266 | 90.2% | +3.49 pts |
| Harding University (Searcy) | BSN | 2026 | 85 | 88.2% | +1.49 pts |
| Southern Arkansas University Tech (Camden) | ADN | 2025 | 21 | 85.7% | -1.01 pts |
| Arkansas State University (Jonesboro) | BSN | 2026 | 128 | 82.8% | -3.91 pts |
Arkansas by City
Explore other Arkansas related topics
ADN or BSN? Picking Your Path to an Arkansas RN License
Every route below ends at the same place: the NCLEX-RN and the same Arkansas RN license. The differences are in cost, time, and how far the degree carries you after licensure. As a rule of thumb, choose the ADN for speed and lower cost, the BSN for long-term advancement, and RN-to-BSN as the bridge between them.
| Comparison Point | ADN | BSN | LPN-to-RN Bridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree awarded | Associate Degree in Nursing | Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Typically an associate degree, with credit for prior LPN training |
| Typical setting | Community and technical colleges | Public and private universities | Community and technical colleges, plus some universities |
| Licensing exam and credential | NCLEX-RN, leading to the RN license | NCLEX-RN, leading to the same RN license | NCLEX-RN, leading to the same RN license |
| Relative cost | Lowest overall | Highest, reflecting four years of university tuition | Lower, since prior LPN coursework shortens the program |
| Share of Arkansas nursing programs (2022) | 32% of programs | 21% of programs | Not reported separately by the Arkansas Center for Nursing |
| Hiring preference at Magnet and large hospital systems | Hired widely, with 90% of Arkansas acute-care facilities reporting RN demand exceeding supply in 2022, though some large systems favor BSN-prepared nurses | Strongly favored: 69.8% of U.S. employers strongly preferred BSN-prepared new hires in 2023 | Same standing as an ADN-prepared RN once licensed |
| Path to graduate study | Complete an RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN bridge first | Eligible to apply directly to MSN and DNP programs | Complete an RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN bridge after licensure |
Community College RN Programs From the Ozarks to the Delta
Arkansas RN education does not run through Little Rock and Fayetteville alone. The Arkansas State Board of Nursing approves associate degree nursing programs at community and technical colleges spread across every corner of the state, which means most students can train within driving distance of home.
Where the programs sit
- Northwest and west: Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, Arkansas Tech University-Ozark in Ozark, and the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.
- Central: Arkansas State University-Beebe and Arkansas State University-Three Rivers in Malvern.
- Northeast and Delta: Arkansas Northeastern College in Blytheville, ASU-Newport, Black River Technical College in Pocahontas, and Ozarka College in Melbourne.
- South and southwest: South Arkansas College in El Dorado, UA Community College-Hope/Texarkana, and UA Cossatot.
Rural access is the point
Several of these colleges run satellite teaching sites in addition to their main campus, and clinical rotations are arranged with the regional hospitals and clinics nearby. For a student in Blytheville or Melbourne, that can mean completing an entire degree without relocating.
Bridge tracks for working LPNs
With an LPN license, you likely will not start from zero. ASU-Newport offers a transitional LPN-RN option among LPN to RN programs[CITE:1], ASU-Beebe holds full board approval for an LPN/paramedic-to-RN associate degree, a paramedic to RN bridge program[CITE:2], and South Arkansas College runs a 12-month LPN/LVN-to-RN transition ending in an associate degree and NCLEX-RN eligibility.[CITE:3] Pathway structures vary by college, so confirm start dates and credit treatment directly with the nursing department.
How Long Is Nursing School in Arkansas?
Arkansas nursing programs range from about 12 months for LPN-to-RN and fast-track RN-to-BSN options to four years for a traditional BSN, which is the core time tradeoff in the ADN-versus-BSN comparison above. The hidden cost is prerequisites. At UA-Fort Smith, ADN prerequisites fill the first four semesters (62 credit hours) before nursing courses begin, and Arkansas State's accelerated BSN requires every prerequisite to be finished before you apply, so a "two-year" degree can take well over two years from your first college class.
Arkansas State Board of Nursing at a Glance
Other Arkansas Nursing Programs Worth a Look
The ranking above profiles the Arkansas programs with the strongest first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates. The directory below gathers additional nursing schools from across the state, grouped by region, with degree level, format, and net price noted where available. It is built for browsing rather than ranking.
Northeast Arkansas
- Associate Degree Nursing
- Registered Nursing Program
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Associate Degree in Nursing
North Central Arkansas
- Registered Nursing
- Associate of Applied Science in Registered Nursing
- Registered Nursing AAS
Northwest Arkansas
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- RN to B.S.N.
- L.P.N. to B.S.N.
- Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing
- Nursing, B.S.N.
Central Arkansas
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Associate of Applied Science in Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing (LPN/Paramedic to RN)
Southeast Arkansas
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- AAS in Nursing
Southwest Arkansas
- Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AAS-RN)
- Associate of Applied Science - Registered Nursing