At Big Bend Community College, a Washington community-college Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) can cost about $5,000 a year in tuition. A BSN at Gonzaga University runs more than $55,000, a nursing school cost comparison worth weighing. Both paths lead to the same licensing exam: the NCLEX-RN.
The question that matters is which programs get graduates through it on the first attempt. Community and technical colleges and university BSN programs both post strong results here, and even the top performers sit a few percentage points apart.
That margin counts. Employers hire against an active license, and every retake delays a first paycheck.
Top NCLEX-RN Outcomes: Washington's Best Nursing Schools for 2027
A passing NCLEX-RN score is the final gate between nursing school and a Washington RN license, and the programs below are the ones whose graduates have cleared it most consistently. They range from small associate degree cohorts in Moses Lake, Centralia, and Olympia to university BSN tracks in Spokane, College Place, and Pullman. Each entry notes the credential, the setting, and what the school reports about licensure and job outcomes.
How we ranked these
- Institutional graduation and retention rates
- First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates
- Accreditation status of the nursing program
- Program completion and job placement
- In-state tuition and net price
- 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
Big Bend Community College
#1Moses Lake, WA · $5,000 – $6,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 100% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Rural students wanting small cohorts
Big Bend Community College runs a single, tightly sized associate degree program in Moses Lake, with cohorts capped at roughly 24 to 28 students and one fall start each year. The college reports an 80% licensure pass rate and 90% job placement, and its DTA/MRP degree is built to transfer into Washington BSN programs. In-state tuition runs about $5,059 a year, and the school's overall graduation rate is 42%.
- ACEN accredited and approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing
- Two-year cohort format with a fall quarter start each year
- Cohort size limited to 24 to 28 students
- TEAS entrance exam required for admission
- Simulation lab supporting hands-on clinical learning
- DTA/MRP degree transfers into Washington BSN programs
- Reports an 80% licensure pass rate and 90% job placement
- Financial aid and scholarships available; apply by April 17, 2026
Gonzaga University
#2Spokane, WA · ~$35,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 97% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Service-minded students seeking a Jesuit BSN
Gonzaga University's BSN is a campus-based, pre-licensure program in Spokane grounded in the Jesuit tradition, pairing a liberal arts and health sciences foundation with clinical preparation for acute and chronic illness. Coursework emphasizes servant leadership, reflection, and social justice alongside professional nursing study. The private university's overall graduation rate is 86%, and students typically face a net price near $35,119.
- CCNE-accredited pre-licensure BSN grounded in Jesuit tradition
- Curriculum integrates liberal arts, ethics, and health sciences
- Emphasis on servant leadership, community, and social justice
- Prepares graduates for RN licensure and acute and chronic care roles
- Campus-based, full-time study in Spokane
Bellingham Technical College
#3Bellingham, WA · ~$6,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 96.6% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Working LPNs advancing to RN licensure
Bellingham Technical College, part of Washington's community and technical college system, offers both a traditional two-year ADN and a shorter LPN to RN option. The ADN spans 135 credit hours with three cohort starts a year, while the LPN to RN track packs 47 credits into a concept-based associate degree. The college reports a 96% licensure pass rate and 96% job placement, and its overall graduation rate is 42%.
- ACEN accredited and approved by the state nursing commission
- 135 total credit hours completed over two years
- $201 per credit, roughly $27,200 in total program tuition
- Three cohort start dates each year; full-time and part-time options
- Reports 96% licensure pass rate and 96% job placement rate
- 3.0 GPA minimum; prerequisite courses require a B or higher
- Criminal background check and drug screening required
- Seamless transfer to RN to BSN programs; largest program in the region
- 47 credit hours for licensed practical nurses advancing to RN
- $268 per credit, about $12,600 total program tuition
- Concept-based curriculum with capstone and preceptor-guided practice
- Clinical experiences at local acute care facilities
- In-person format, not online
- Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
- Prepares for NCLEX-RN; DTA/MRP degree transfers toward a BSN
- Financial aid and scholarships available
Centralia College
#4Centralia, WA · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 95.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Centralia College's associate degree in nursing is a small, campus-based program with cohorts of about 24 students and 72 credit hours of coursework. It reports a 97% licensure pass rate, 96% job placement, and 96% employment six months after graduation. The school's overall graduation rate is 42%, and the net price for in-state students sits near $9,862.
- Two-year ADN totaling 72 credit hours
- Reports a 97% licensure pass rate and 96% job placement rate
- Small cohort of about 24 students
- Clinical rotations at local healthcare facilities
- Prerequisite coursework required before entry
- 96% employment rate at six months after graduation
- Program lists NLN CNEA accreditation
Green River College
#5Auburn, WA · ~$14,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 95.2% (2-yr weighted avg)
Green River College in Auburn offers an LPN to BSN pathway for practicing practical nurses, delivered in a hybrid format with two in-person instruction days each week. Students can finish in two years full time or three years part time, and the cohort is capped at about 32. The program reports a 100% licensure pass rate, and the college's overall graduation rate is 39%.
- NLN CNEA-accredited LPN to BSN pathway
- Hybrid format with two in-person instruction days per week
- Full-time (2 years) or part-time (3 years) options
- Two start dates per year, fall and winter
- Selective admissions at roughly 45% acceptance; cohort of about 32
- Requires an active Washington PN license
- Reports a 100% licensure pass rate
- $28,000 total program tuition
Skagit Valley College
#6Mount Vernon, WA · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 95.9% (3-yr weighted avg)
Skagit Valley College offers a 135-credit associate degree in nursing across campuses in Mount Vernon and Oak Harbor, scheduled over six quarters with summers off. The DTA/MRP degree supports concurrent RN to BSN enrollment, and students train through classroom, lab, and clinical experiences. The college's overall graduation rate is 36%, and the net price for in-state students is about $6,064.
- ACEN accredited and approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing
- Six quarters of study with summers off
- 135 total credit hours
- Two campuses: Mount Vernon and Oak Harbor
- Concurrent RN to BSN enrollment available
- Classroom, lab, and clinical experiences
- Built on the NLN Core Components framework
- Financial aid available
Walla Walla University
#7College Place, WA · $20,000 – $25,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 94.2% (3-yr weighted avg)
Walla Walla University is a private campus in College Place whose CCNE-accredited BSN blends scientific coursework with holistic, competency-based clinical training. Students practice in modernized simulation labs across two campuses, and the program reports a 94.6% NCLEX pass rate with 97.8% job placement within a year of graduation. The school's overall graduation rate is 60%, with a net price around $23,329.
- CCNE-accredited BSN at a private university in College Place
- Reports a 94.6% NCLEX pass rate
- 97.8% job placement within 12 months of graduation
- Competency-based curriculum emphasizing holistic care
- Modernized simulation labs across two campus locations
- Covers nursing across the lifespan, from hospitals to home health
- Weekly community meal, Bread Night, builds cohort support
Whatcom Community College
#8Bellingham, WA · ~$12,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 94.9% (3-yr weighted avg)
Whatcom Community College in Bellingham awards an Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP degree, a transfer-friendly credential designed to move graduates into Washington BSN completion programs. Instruction is campus based. The college's overall graduation rate is 36%, and the net price for in-state students is about $11,795.
- Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP degree
- Statewide transfer degree format for BSN completion
- Campus-based delivery in Bellingham
Washington State University
#9Pullman, WA · ~$15,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 93.7% (3-yr weighted avg)
Washington State University offers a four-year, CCNE-accredited pre-licensure BSN in Pullman, combining two years of prerequisites with two years of nursing coursework. Clinical placements span sites up to 50 miles from campus, and the Rural Nursing Pathway, expanded through a partnership with Arbor Health in Morton, gives students community-based rural training. More than $200,000 in scholarships is awarded annually, and the school's overall graduation rate is 60% with an in-state net price near $14,971.
- CCNE-accredited four-year pre-licensure BSN
- Two years of prerequisites plus two years of nursing study
- 60 credit hours of nursing coursework
- TEAS entrance exam and 3.0 GPA minimum
- Rural Nursing Pathway with an Arbor Health partnership in Morton
- Clinical placements up to 50 miles from campus
- Over $200,000 in annual scholarship aid
- About 60% acceptance rate; 85% of admits from Washington
South Puget Sound Community College
#10Olympia, WA · $5,000 – $6,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 93.9% (3-yr weighted avg)
South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia offers an Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP degree for students who want a two-year, campus-based route to RN licensure with transfer options afterward. Small clinical cohorts keep instruction close, and the college's overall graduation rate is 44%. The net price for in-state students is about $9,132.
- Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP degree
- Campus-based program in Olympia
- Statewide transfer format for BSN completion
Behind the Scores: NCLEX Performance, Accreditation, and Completion
Choosing a nursing school often comes down to reputation versus results, and results are what get you licensed. The first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate carries the most weight here because it is the closest public signal of how well a program's NCLEX prep during nursing school prepares graduates for the exam that stands between them and an RN license.
Small programs can swing sharply from one year to the next, so the pass rates below reflect the most recent reported cohort rather than a three-year average. One rough cohort won't sink an otherwise strong school, and one lucky year won't inflate a weaker one.
When outcomes are close, accreditation and institution-wide completion and retention act as tie-breakers. Accreditation from ACEN or CCNE matters more than many students realize. ADN graduates planning an RN to BSN, and BSN graduates aiming for nurse practitioner programs in Washington state, often need a degree from an accredited program to transfer credits or gain admission.
There are limits worth knowing. Net price and graduation rates are institution-wide figures, not nursing-program results. Nursing often adds costs for labs, clinical placements, uniforms, and exam prep, so confirm program-specific costs directly with each school before you commit.
Washington Nursing School NCLEX Pass Rates Compared
Bellingham Technical College posted a 100.0% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate in the Washington State Board of Nursing's January 2025 school report covering 2024 outcomes, the most recent program-level release available. Use that data to read NCLEX-RN pass rate data when evaluating nursing schools and compare schools side by side rather than relying on reputation alone.
2024 First-Time Pass Rates at a Glance
- Walla Walla Community College (ADN): 91.00% (2024), 92.59% in 2023.
- Yakima Valley Community College (ADN): 94.34% (2024), 92.31% in 2023.
- Bellingham Technical College: 100.0% (2024).
- Green River College (LPN to BSN): 100.0% (2024).
- Gonzaga University (BSN): 98.9% (2024).
- Whatcom Community College: 97.2% (2024).
- Skagit Valley College: 96.8% (2024).
- Peninsula College: 96.7% (2024).
- Everett Community College: 96.3% (2024).
- Tacoma Community College: 95.9% (2024).
- Pacific Lutheran University (BSN): 93.5% (2024).
For context, the programs included in that release averaged 96.2%, though the most recent national first-time U.S.-educated rate is 86.7% for 2025, not the same year as WABON's 2024 program data. Treat the gap as directional, not exact. Washington nursing programs are required to achieve an 80% first-time pass rate.
What the Patterns Show
BSN and LPN-to-BSN pathways sit at or near the top here, but community college ADN programs are not far behind. Yakima Valley, Everett, and Tacoma all cleared 94%, and Walla Walla held above 90%. That matters if you are weighing a two-year ADN against a four-year BSN on cost and speed, an ADN vs BSN nursing school decision.
Small cohorts swing from year to year, so compare NCLEX pass rates by school across multiple years. Wenatchee Valley College moved from 79.25% in 2021 to 84.00% in 2022, for example, and its 2023 and 2024 entries were not visible in the available excerpt. One cohort of a few dozen test-takers can shift the rate sharply.
Before applying, check the board's latest report. Rates update annually, and the most recent cohort is the best predictor of what you can expect next year.
Washington by City
Explore other Washington related topics
Top 2-Year ADN Programs in Washington State
In Washington, a "2-year" ADN rarely means two calendar years from your first college class. Most programs run about 6 quarters of full-time nursing coursework, and that clock usually starts only after your prerequisites are complete.
How Long an ADN Really Takes
Traditional full-time nursing sequences last about 6 quarters at schools such as Pierce College and Bellevue College. Add prerequisites and the realistic planning range is roughly 8 to 12 quarters, depending on how many prerequisites you bring in, how admission cycles line up, and your course load. Colleges also describe length differently. Seattle Central College lists 9 quarters for full-time continuous study, while Olympic College and Columbia Basin College describe their ADNs as 2 years. Ask each school whether its published figure includes prerequisites.
Track Options Beyond the Traditional Day Program
- Evening/weekend: Pierce College runs an evening/weekend ADN over about 8 quarters.
- Part-time: Bellevue College offers a part-time ADN of about 10 quarters, compared with 6 full-time.
- Hybrid: Columbia Basin College delivers its ADN through hybrid ADN programs, though evening/weekend scheduling is not offered.
- LPN-to-RN bridge: Licensed practical nurses in an LPN-to-RN bridge program typically finish in 3 to 5 quarters. Pierce offers full-time (3 quarters) and part-time evening/weekend (5 quarters) versions, both requiring an active, unencumbered Washington LPN license. Olympic College's bridge runs about 4 quarters, Clover Park Technical College's evening/weekend, part-time bridge spans 5 quarters, and Lower Columbia College offers a hybrid bridge.
Where the Programs Are
If you're searching for nursing schools in Seattle, the Puget Sound corridor has the densest cluster: Seattle Central in the city, Bellevue on the Eastside, Pierce and Clover Park in the South Sound, and Olympic College in Bremerton. Outside the metro, Columbia Basin serves the Tri-Cities, Lower Columbia covers southwest Washington, and Whatcom Community College serves the north, with support for students planning a BSN transfer.
Keeping the BSN Door Open
Most Washington ADN graduates earn the Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP, a transfer degree designed to carry into RN-to-BSN programs in Washington at participating universities. Confirm that your college awards it, because that credential makes a later BSN far smoother.
Washington RN Pay at a Glance
Washington is one of the stronger pay markets for registered nurses.
What Does an ADN Really Cost at Tacoma Community College?
Tacoma Community College's 2026-2027 cost sheet puts its Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP at roughly $11,454 for a Washington resident, though the itemized parts add up to about $11,579. Tuition is the largest piece. Nursing course fees, books, testing and licensure ($350 in exam fees, a $92 Washington license, and the $200 NCLEX), and a background check add more than $3,900 on top of it. Uniforms, clinical equipment, drug screening, and immunizations are also required, but the college does not price them, and living expenses are excluded. These extras often surprise students, so budget for them early.
Registered Nurse Pay Across Washington Metro Areas
The Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 release does not yet provide metro-level registered nurse wages for this comparison, so the table below shows statewide figures. Washington RNs averaged $121,540 a year ($58.43 an hour), and the exact gap between the highest- and lowest-paying metros such as Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Spokane, Olympia, Bellingham, and the Tri-Cities cannot yet be confirmed from current federal data. Earlier third-party estimates placed the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area ahead of Olympia, but Seattle's higher housing costs can absorb much of that premium, so weigh cost of living alongside salary. Clinical rotations often lead to job offers, which makes choosing a school near the region where you plan to work one of the most practical pay decisions you can make.
| Occupation | Washington Employment | Mean Annual Wage | 25th Percentile | Median Annual Wage | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 69,260 | $121,540 | $103,100 | $124,200 | $134,240 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 6,700 | $152,180 | $129,670 | $156,100 | $169,500 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,300 | $92,500 | $69,340 | $81,630 | $104,300 |
Washington State Board of Nursing Licensure Snapshot
More Accredited Nursing Programs in Washington State
The programs below round out the picture of nursing education in Washington, from community college associate degrees to university BSN and RN-to-BSN tracks. Entries are grouped by region so you can see what is available near you, and each one notes the degree level, delivery format, and city.
Seattle Metro
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- RN to BSN
- Associate Degree in Nursing
- Registered Nursing, AAS
South Puget Sound
- Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Associate in Nursing
- Associate in Nursing (LPN to RN)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- RN to BSN
- LPN to BSN
Southwest Washington
- Associate Degree Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Associate in Nursing - Direct Transfer Agreement (AN-DTA/MRP)
Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- RN to BSN
- VL to BSN (Veterans and Licensed Practical Nurses)
- Associate Degree in Nursing (RN)
- Associate Degree in Nursing (LPN to RN)
- Associate Degree Nursing Program
Central Washington
- Associate in Nursing - Direct Transfer Agreement
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)
- Associate Degree in Nursing
Eastern Washington
- Associate in Nursing Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program - Nursing
- Associate in Nursing - DTA/MRP