First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates among Idaho nursing schools span from 76.74 percent at Carrington College to 100 percent at College of Southern Idaho in the latest available results, a spread that matters more to hiring managers than any brochure. The order below uses those rates rather than reputation.
That gap frames a practical choice in how nursing school works: community college ADN programs in Twin Falls, Nampa, and Coeur d'Alene often outperform some traditional BSN programs, while accelerated BSN and university routes carry higher costs, tighter admissions, and different licensure timelines. From Boise and the Treasure Valley to North Idaho and Eastern Idaho, students should prepare for nursing school by weighing pass rates, true cost, and local RN pay before committing.
Idaho Nursing Schools With the Strongest NCLEX-RN Outcomes in 2027
NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates are the closest thing Idaho has to a public report card on nursing programs, and they carry extra weight in a state where most graduates stay and practice near where they trained. The schools below are ordered with those results front and center, from small associate degree cohorts in Twin Falls and Coeur d'Alene to the large Boise State BSN. Read the numbers alongside cohort size and the fit notes for each campus: a program that trains 40 students a year is telling you something different than one that graduates several hundred.
How we ranked these
- Institution-wide graduation rates
- Student retention and completion
- NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates
- Program accreditation and affordability
- Clinical access and delivery format
- 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
College of Southern Idaho
#1Twin Falls, ID · ~$6,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 98.2% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Southern Idaho students staying close to home
Southern Idaho's largest nursing pipeline runs out of Twin Falls, where the College of Southern Idaho pairs a hybrid associate degree with clinical placements around the Magic Valley. Admission requires a current CNA certification, or an active LPN license for the bridge track, so cohorts arrive with bedside experience already in hand. Two start dates a year and the strongest reported first-time NCLEX-RN results in the state make it a practical fit for southern Idaho students who want to stay close to home and finish in about two years.
- ACEN accredited, with two start dates each year (fall and spring)
- Hybrid delivery with simulation labs and off-campus clinical placements
- Traditional applicants must hold a current, unencumbered CNA certification
- LPN-to-RN bridge track for nurses holding an active LPN license
- LPN-to-RN summer cohort application deadline: February 1
- District residents pay $155 per credit for 2026-27
- Core certification earned at graduation; pathway into BSN completion
- Prepares graduates for NCLEX-RN and hospital or clinic roles
Eagle Gate College-Boise
#2Boise, ID · $30,000/yr (est. net price) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96.3% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Boise career changers entering nursing
A private Boise campus built around a three-year bachelor's pathway, with online coursework and hands-on labs at the Boise site. The program leans on small classes, virtual reality simulation, and wrap-around support such as wellness coaching and tutoring, and its graduates post consistently strong NCLEX-RN results, though on much smaller cohorts than the public colleges. Costs sit well above Idaho's public options, so it suits students who want a fixed bachelor's track and are prepared to pay for it.
- Three-year BSN pathway with online coursework and Boise campus labs
- Entrance exam required; rolling start dates
- Simulation and virtual reality scenarios in skills and skills labs
- Small class sizes with wellness coaching and tutoring support
- Free parking and public transit access at the Boise campus
- Clinical placements at regional facilities, including St. Luke's Medical Center
- Graduates eligible for NCLEX-RN and Idaho RN licensure
College of Western Idaho
#3Nampa, ID · ~$9,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Cost-conscious Treasure Valley commuters
A Nampa-based associate degree program that has become one of the Treasure Valley's most affordable on-ramps to RN licensure. Coursework is campus-based with substantial simulation lab time, and the college partners with Saint Alphonsus and St. Luke's for clinicals and hiring pipelines. Admission is competitive and requires the Kaplan nursing admissions exam plus prerequisites, so the application calendar deserves early attention. It is a natural fit for Boise-area commuters who want a low-cost, locally rooted path to the bedside.
- ACEN accredited; $16,612 total published program tuition
- Three-year ADN with two start dates per year (spring and fall)
- Campus-based training in simulation labs plus hospital clinicals
- Kaplan Nursing Admissions Exam and prerequisite courses required
- Clinical partners include Saint Alphonsus and St. Luke's
- Degree completion partnerships with Idaho universities for BSN progression
- Next application deadline listed as October 31, 2026
- Student Nurses Association chapter on campus
Brigham Young University-Idaho
#4Rexburg, ID · ~$8,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96.1% (3-yr weighted avg)
BYU-Idaho runs a four-semester, campus-based BSN in Rexburg with three start dates a year and, as of 2026, no entrance exam requirement. The curriculum is deliberately broad, pairing a liberal arts base with clinical reasoning and leadership, and students rotate through inpatient and outpatient settings across the region. Published tuition is among the lowest of any four-year nursing option in Idaho, and the school's overall graduation rate is high by national standards. It suits students who want a structured, values-centered campus experience and can relocate to Rexburg.
- Four-semester, campus-based BSN with three start dates a year
- No entrance exam required as of 2026
- Liberal arts foundation with clinical reasoning and leadership coursework
- Clinical rotations across inpatient and outpatient settings
- CCNE accredited
- Among the lowest published tuition of Idaho four-year BSN programs
- Structured course sequence with immunization tracking and application guidance
Lewis-Clark State College
#5Lewiston, ID · $16,000/yr (est. net price) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston takes a practice-first approach, with clinical practicums in acute care and community settings plus a leadership immersion before a final practice synthesis course. Alongside the pre-licensure BSN, the college runs an RN-to-BSN track fully online and an LPN-to-BSN hybrid, with practicums arranged near students' home communities. That makes it one of the few Idaho options serving both first-time students and working nurses advancing a credential. Applicants across northern Idaho who cannot relocate will find the online tracks especially useful.
- Pre-licensure BSN with practicums in acute care and community settings
- Final leadership immersion and practice synthesis before graduation
- RN-to-BSN track offered fully online
- LPN-to-BSN hybrid combines campus and online study
- Practicum placements arranged near students' home communities
- Four concentration options; 2.5 GPA minimum with prerequisites
- CCNE accredited, with a stated pathway to graduate nursing study
North Idaho College
#6Coeur d'Alene, ID · ~$11,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96% (3-yr weighted avg)
North Idaho College's associate degree program is the main pre-licensure route in the Coeur d'Alene area, with two starts a year and pass rates that have tracked above national averages. Entry is competitive: a 3.0 GPA, prerequisite coursework, and the TEAS exam, with advanced placement for licensed practical nurses. The degree transfers cleanly into Idaho RN-to-BSN programs, and a developing University of Idaho partnership is expected to bring upper-division nursing coursework to Coeur d'Alene in the coming years.
- ACEN accredited and approved by the Idaho Board of Nursing
- Two start dates per year (January and August)
- 3.0 GPA minimum, prerequisites, and TEAS entrance exam
- LPN to RN advanced placement available
- Transfer degree satisfying core requirements for Idaho RN-to-BSN programs
- Reported pass rates consistently exceed national averages
- Adult-learning-focused faculty and collaborative cohorts
College of Eastern Idaho
#7Idaho Falls, ID · ~$9,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 95.3% (3-yr weighted avg)
The College of Eastern Idaho serves the Idaho Falls region with a 72-credit associate degree that offers day and evening classes plus full- and part-time options, a rarity among Idaho ADN programs. Prerequisites require a C+ or better and a 3.0 GPA, and the college's own estimate for books, uniforms, and fees lands near $7,000. An LPN-to-RN bridge is available for working nurses. It suits eastern Idaho students who need to build a schedule around a job or family.
- 72-credit associate degree; ACEN accredited
- Full-time and part-time options with day and evening classes
- Prerequisite courses require a C+ or better and a 3.0 GPA
- State-of-the-art simulation labs and hands-on clinical placements
- LPN to RN bridge available for working nurses
- Published estimate of about $7,000 for books, uniforms, and fees
- Financial aid eligible
Boise State University
#8Boise, ID · $20,000 – $25,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 87.8% (3-yr weighted avg)
Boise State's pre-licensure BSN is the state's most selective nursing program by volume, admitting about 100 students each fall and spring from a pool of roughly 220 applicants. Admission runs through a two-step review of GPA and interviews, with preference for Idaho residents and current Boise State students, and applicants need a cumulative GPA above 2.5 plus a 3.0 in key prerequisites. The university also holds agreements with every Idaho community college that let ADN students dual-enroll in its online RN-to-BS track, which makes it a common destination for graduates of the two-year programs above, and its overall graduation rate is among the strongest of the public options here.
- Admits 100 students each fall and spring from about 220 applicants
- Two-step admission: GPA review plus interview
- Cumulative GPA above 2.5 and 3.0 in chemistry, nutrition, anatomy, statistics
- Preference given to Idaho residents and current Boise State students
- 1:10 faculty-student ratio in clinicals; cohort-based structure
- Dual-enrollment agreements with all Idaho community colleges for online RN-to-BS
- More than $1.6 million in scholarships awarded recently
- Spring application window runs July 15 to August 20
Northwest Nazarene University
#9Nampa, ID · $25,000 – $30,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 86.9% (3-yr weighted avg)
Northwest Nazarene University pairs a liberal arts core with a Christian, whole-person approach to care at its Nampa campus. The nursing sequence spans five semesters inside a traditional four-year degree, with 45 to 90 or more clinical hours each term and simulation labs in the Thomas Family Health and Science Center. Rolling admissions and small cohorts give students more individualized faculty attention, and a confirmed clinical relationship with the Boise VA Medical Center adds federal-setting experience. The university's overall graduation rate is among the highest in the state, and the program suits students who want a faith-based, small-class environment and are comfortable with private-college tuition.
- Five-semester nursing sequence inside a traditional four-year degree
- Rolling admissions; prerequisite coursework required
- 45 to 90 or more clinical hours each semester across Boise Valley sites
- Simulation labs in the Thomas Family Health and Science Center
- Small class sizes and an active Student Nursing Association chapter
- Christian-based curriculum with international medical mission opportunities
- Clinical relationship with the Boise VA Medical Center
- CCNE accredited
Idaho State University
#10Pocatello, ID · ~$12,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 82.3% (3-yr weighted avg)
Idaho State University operates the widest nursing network in the state, with a hybrid traditional BSN based in Pocatello and clinical partnerships reaching Coeur d'Alene, Twin Falls, and Idaho Falls, plus a Meridian campus. The university enrolls roughly 90 traditional and 100 accelerated students a year and offers a one-year accelerated route for people who already hold a bachelor's degree, which matters for career changers. A separate associate degree track provides another entry point, and more than $100,000 in annual scholarships helps offset cost. With 13 prerequisites and an advisor meeting required before applying, early planning is essential.
- Hybrid delivery from the Pocatello campus with online coursework
- Two application periods a year; advisor meeting required before applying
- 13 prerequisite courses spanning microbiology, anatomy, physiology, psychology
- Clinicals in simulation labs and community healthcare settings
- More than $100,000 in scholarships awarded annually
- CCNE accredited
- One-year accelerated option for students who already hold a bachelor's degree
Idaho State University
#11Pocatello, ID · ~$12,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 82.3% (3-yr weighted avg)
ISU's associate degree track is the shorter, hybrid entry point into the same university nursing network, combining online coursework with on-campus labs and clinical rotations. One start date a year and a competitive admission process mean applicants should line up prerequisites and test scores well in advance. A bridge option lets licensed practical nurses move up without starting over. It fits students who want university resources and a two-year path to licensure.
- Hybrid online and on-campus ADN; ACEN accredited
- Two-year program with one start date per year
- Entrance exams: SAT or ACT; 2.5 GPA minimum
- Bridge option for licensed practical nurses
- Clinical rotations in hospitals and clinics
- Application window runs August to October
- Reported 99% job placement rate
Inside Our NCLEX-First Scoring Method
Nursing school marketing keeps getting louder, yet the numbers behind the claims are often the hardest thing for applicants to find. Here is how the order of the schools on this page was set.
What Drives the Order
About three-quarters of each program's score comes from first-time NCLEX pass rates across the state board's latest three years of reporting. Results are weighted by cohort size, so a cohort of 20 students cannot swing a program's standing the way a cohort of 120 would. Nursing school accreditation adds weight on top of that. Completion and retention figures act only as tie-breakers when two programs land close together.
What Is Shown but Not Scored
Net price, graduation rate, and earnings appear on each card for context. They help you compare affordability and outcomes, but they do not change the order.
Limits Worth Knowing
- Institution-wide figures: Graduation rates and net price describe the whole school, so they may not match what students in the nursing program experience.
- Year-to-year movement: Pass rates can shift between cohorts, so a single strong or weak year deserves a look at the trend.
Competitor ranking pages rarely publish a methodology at all. This one you can check yourself: compare the order here against the NCLEX results published by the Idaho Board of Nursing.
Program-by-Program NCLEX-RN First-Time Pass Rates in Idaho
The table below shows the Idaho Board of Nursing's 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates, with 2024 results for trend context and a comparison against the 86.6% national first-time rate for U.S.-educated candidates reported by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. College of Southern Idaho's figures come from the college's own program outcomes report and cover 2024, so they are compared against that year's 86.3% national rate. Lewis-Clark State College and BYU-Idaho clear the national mark comfortably, Boise State, Northwest Nazarene, and Idaho State fall just under it but stay above the 80% benchmark many boards use, and Carrington College slipped below 80% in 2025 (Idaho State sat below it in 2024 before rebounding). Small graduating cohorts can swing several points on just a few test takers, so weigh the two-year trend more heavily than any single result.
| School | Program (ADN/BSN) | Latest First-Time NCLEX-RN Pass Rate | Prior Year Pass Rate | Above/Below National Rate | Meets 80% Benchmark (Latest Year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis-Clark State College | BSN | 96.43% (2025) | 96.55% (2024) | Above (9.8 points over 86.6%) | Yes |
| Brigham Young University-Idaho | BSN | 94.80% (2025) | 98.08% (2024) | Above (8.2 points over 86.6%) | Yes |
| Boise State University | BSN | 85.53% (2025) | 92.11% (2024) | Below (1.1 points under 86.6%) | Yes |
| Northwest Nazarene University | BSN | 85.45% (2025) | 86.36% (2024) | Below (1.2 points under 86.6%) | Yes |
| Idaho State University | BSN | 83.87% (2025) | 78.57% (2024) | Below (2.7 points under 86.6%) | Yes |
| Carrington College | ADN | 76.74% (2025) | 84.93% (2024) | Below (9.9 points under 86.6%) | No |
| College of Southern Idaho | N/A | 100% (2024) | 97.4% (2023) | Above (13.7 points over 86.3% for 2024) | Yes |
Accredited Nursing Programs in Idaho: Board Approval vs. ACEN and CCNE
Board approval gets you to the exam, while national accreditation decides where your credential can take you afterward. You cannot take the NCLEX in Idaho without approval from the Idaho Board of Nursing. ACEN (for ADN programs) and CCNE or ACEN (for BSN programs) are voluntary peer-review accreditations.
Why Accreditation Matters
It affects whether your credits transfer, whether you can enter RN to BSN Programs in Idaho and MSN Programs in Idaho, your eligibility for federal aid, and some employer tuition benefits.
Current ACEN Status
- College of Eastern Idaho (Associate Nursing): Accredited, latest action September 3, 2026. Next visit: Spring 2034.1
- North Idaho College (Associate Nursing): Accredited, latest action April 6, 2023. Next visit: Fall 2030.2
- College of Western Idaho (Practical Nursing): Accredited, latest action August 28, 2025. Next visit: Spring 2030.3
- North Idaho College (Practical Nursing): Candidate status since August 29, 2025, with an initial site visit set for March 2 to 4, 2027.4 Candidacy is not full accreditation, so ask the school about its timeline.
None of these entries shows conditional or warning status. For BSN programs and other schools, check CCNE and ACEN directly.
Verify It Yourself
1. Search the school and degree level in the ACEN directory, or the CCNE accredited programs directory for bachelor's programs. 2. Confirm the status, most recent action, and next review date, then compare them with what the school's website claims before you apply.
Idaho Board of Nursing at a Glance
ADN Programs in Idaho: Community College Routes to RN Licensure
For most future RNs in Idaho, the ADN decision is less about prestige and more about practicality: the campus you can reach, a schedule that fits around work, and a deadline you can realistically meet.
Matching a Program to Your Region
- College of Western Idaho: The natural choice for Boise and Treasure Valley commuters. Current admission details were not confirmed for this update, so verify nursing school requirements and deadlines directly with CWI.
- North Idaho College: Serves North Idaho. The 2026 deadline was January 22, and an LPN transition pathway is available.
- College of Southern Idaho: Covers the Magic Valley with fall (June 1) and spring (October 1) entry, plus a part-time LPN-to-RN option due May 15.1
- College of Eastern Idaho: Offers full-time, alternative schedule, and LPN-to-RN bridge tracks. Fall and bridge applications are due March 1; spring and alternative schedule applications are due October 1. There is no waiting list, so applicants who aren't admitted must reapply.
Clinical rotations can take you to facilities well beyond your home campus, so build drive time into your weekly plan before committing.
What Are the Prerequisites for the NIC Nursing Program?
NIC requires ENGL 101, a GEM 3 math course, BIOL 227, PSYC 101, and COMM 101, each completed with a C or better, plus a 3.0 cumulative GPA on applicable general education courses. You also need at least 58.7% (adjusted individual score) on the ATI TEAS, which you can take only once per application cycle through the NIC Testing Center. CSI uses the same TEAS minimum but allows up to three attempts within six months.2
Planning Beyond the ADN
An associate degree qualifies you for the NCLEX-RN and gets you into practice faster. Many Idaho nurses later complete RN to BSN programs while working, and licensed LPNs can shorten the entire path through LPN to RN programs.
Idaho by City
Explore other Idaho related topics
Boise State Nursing Program Requirements and Competitive Entry
Boise State's BSN uses a two-step GPA screening followed by interviews. Applicants must first be admitted to Boise State, and the program gives preference to current Boise State students and Idaho residents.
- Prerequisite coursesBIOL 227 and 228, CHEM 101/101L or 111/111L, HLTH 207, MATH 153 or 254, ENGL 101 and 102, PSYC 101, BIOL 205, and HLTH 300, each with a C or better. Some may still be in progress when you apply.
- Minimum GPA2.5 cumulative, plus a 3.0 in the designated chemistry, nutrition, anatomy and physiology, and statistics group. No exceptions are made for either.
- Entrance examAvailable program materials do not list the TEAS, HESI, or another entrance exam as a requirement.
- Start terms and deadlinesFall and spring starts. For fall, coursework is due February 20 and final transcripts June 15. The Spring 2027 window is reported as July 15 to August 20. Confirm current dates with the school, and budget for the $20 application fee.
- How hard is it to get in?Each term admits about 100 students. No acceptance rate is published, but the GPA cutoffs are firm.
- Idaho State competitive entryRequires the ATI TEAS with a score of at least 60%. Accelerated BSN applicants are scored 65% on Set A prerequisite GPA and 35% on the TEAS. Meeting the minimums does not guarantee a seat.
- Lewis-Clark State competitive entryRequires a 2.5 cumulative GPA, a 2.75 science GPA, and CNA certification or an LC State-approved equivalent. Seats are limited each semester.
What Registered Nurses Earn in Idaho
Idaho's roughly 16,880 employed registered nurses earn a median salary in the low $90,000s, a useful benchmark for weighing tuition against earning potential.
RN Pay Across Boise, Coeur D'alene, Idaho Falls, and Other Idaho Metros
Federal wage data puts Idaho's registered nurse workforce at 16,880, with a statewide median of $92,460, and the Boise City metro holds the state's largest concentration of RN jobs. Published metro-level RN figures for Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Falls, and other North and Eastern Idaho markets are not available in the data reviewed here, so check local employer postings before you commit to a region. The figures below come from different sources and years, so treat them as a range to compare rather than a single matched dataset.
| Area | Measure | Annual Figure | Source (Data Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho statewide | Total RN employment | 16,880 RNs | BLS OEWS state estimates |
| Idaho statewide | 10th percentile (estimate) | $37,450 | CalcFi, based on BLS OEWS (2023) |
| Idaho statewide | 25th percentile | $80,900 | BLS OEWS state estimates |
| Idaho statewide | Median | $92,460 | BLS OEWS state estimates |
| Idaho statewide | Mean | $92,710 | BLS OEWS state estimates |
| Idaho statewide | 75th percentile | $102,320 | BLS OEWS state estimates |
| Idaho statewide | 90th percentile (estimate) | $137,710 | CalcFi, based on BLS OEWS (2023) |
| Boise City metro | Estimated RN jobs | 6,570 | BLS OEWS (May 2023) |
| Boise City metro | Mean pay | $86,980 ($41.82 per hour) | BLS OEWS (May 2023) |
| Boise City metro | 10th percentile base pay (estimate) | $62,000 | BetterComp, BLS data plus job postings (2026) |
| Boise City metro | 25th percentile base pay (estimate) | $68,000 | BetterComp, BLS data plus job postings (2026) |
| Boise City metro | Median base pay (estimate) | $78,000 | BetterComp, BLS data plus job postings (2026) |
| Boise City metro | 75th percentile base pay (estimate) | $88,000 | BetterComp, BLS data plus job postings (2026) |
| Boise City metro | 90th percentile base pay (estimate) | $100,000 | BetterComp, BLS data plus job postings (2026) |
How Long Does It Take to Become an RN in Idaho, Step by Step?
So how long does it take to become an RN in Idaho? Plan on roughly 2-3 years through an ADN once you count about 1-2 semesters of prerequisites, about 4 years through a traditional BSN, or about 12-16 months through an accelerated BSN if you already hold a bachelor's degree in another field. Whichever route you choose, the final stretch is the same: you apply to the Idaho Board of Nursing, sit for the NCLEX-RN, and receive your license, so start the board application early and treat exam prep as part of your program rather than something that begins after graduation.
