In order to ensure quality and validity, Archer Review systematically surveys its students.


Demographics


In the first half of 2025, 15,037 nursing students responded to Archer Review’s post-NCLEX outcome survey. This group included both RN and PN test takers. Of the 13,264 RN respondents:

  • 75.6% were U.S.-educated

  • 60.6% were first-time test takers

  • 77.9% met the “High × 4” readiness threshold, meaning they scored at least “High” on four consecutive readiness assessments before sitting for the NCLEX.


Results: U.S.-Educated First-Time RN Attempts

NCSBN data from July 2025 reports that the national passing rate for U.S.-educated first-time RN test takers is 88.4%.

Archer Review surveyed students who met the same criteria and who scored “High” on at least four straight readiness assessments. These students had a 100% self-reported pass rate, resulting in a +11.6 percentage point improvement over the national average.


Results: U.S.-Educated Repeat RN Attempts

According to the NCSBN, the 2025 passing rate for U.S.-educated repeat RN candidates is 49.5%.

The pass rate among Archer students who met the “High × 4” readiness benchmark was again 100%, reflecting a +50.5 percentage point improvement over the national repeat candidate average.


Results: Internationally Educated RN Candidates

For internationally educated RN test takers, the NCSBN reported the following 2025 pass rates:

  • First-time attempts: 46.4%

  • Repeat attempts: 30.0%

Archer Review’s “High × 4” students in these groups both reported 100% pass rates, yielding deltas of +53.6 percentage points and +70.0 percentage points, respectively.


Results: PN Candidates

The same methodology was applied to Archer’s 1,773 PN respondents. Among these:

  • 63.9% of U.S.-educated first-time PN test takers reached “High × 4” status

  • 100% of them passed, exceeding the NCSBN’s 86.9% benchmark by +13.1 percentage points

  • U.S.-educated PN repeaters (n=166) had a 51.2% readiness threshold completion rate and a 100% pass rate, compared to a 40.8% national average, a +59.2 point improvement

Internationally educated PN students also outperformed national averages by +44.7 (first-time) and +72.8 (repeat) percentage points.