ADN vs BSN: Pass Rates, Cost, and Pay Compared
Across 2,860 board-approved programs, the typical associate program’s first-time NCLEX pass rate was 89.2%, against 90% for the typical bachelor’s program. Bachelor’s graduates earn more a year out ($74,056 vs $68,634) and leave with more federal debt ($23,250 vs $14,625).
ADN and BSN Programs, Side by Side
Each figure is the median across the programs that report it — the typical program, not an average weighted by size. Pass rates are for 2025 first-time test takers, from each state board of nursing; earnings and debt are program-level federal data for that school’s nursing graduates.
| Typical program | Associate (ADN) | Bachelor’s (BSN) |
|---|---|---|
| Board-approved programs | 1,546 | 1,314 |
| Median first-time NCLEX pass rate | 89.2%1,324 programs | 90%1,073 programs |
| Graduate earnings, 1 year out | $68,634 650 schools | $74,056 623 schools |
| Graduate earnings, 4 years out | $79,637 695 schools | $84,028 608 schools |
| Federal loan debt at graduation | $14,625 557 schools | $23,250 598 schools |
Earnings lag the current graduating class: the Department of Education pools recent cohorts and matches them to tax records. Find any single program’s own numbers in the schools directory or put two side by side in compare schools.
What RNs Earn
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes one wage figure for all registered nurses. It does not split RN pay by degree, so there is no federal “ADN salary” or “BSN salary” — the program-level graduate earnings above are the closest real comparison.
| National, May 2025 | Registered Nurse |
|---|---|
| Median pay | $97,550 |
| Median hourly | $46.90 |
| 10th percentile | $68,940 |
| 90th percentile | $137,470 |
| Employed nationwide | 3,379,720 |
What It Takes
- Graduates of bachelor’s, associate, and hospital diploma programs all qualify for entry-level staff nurse jobs once licensed.
- Every route ends at the same gate: graduate from an approved program and pass the licensing exam (the NCLEX-RN) in the state where you will work.
- Employers — hospitals especially — may require a bachelor’s degree.
- A nurse with an associate degree or diploma can go back for the bachelor’s through an RN-to-BSN program.
Summarized from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (linked under Sources). Schools and state boards set their own admission and licensing rules — confirm with the program and the board before you commit.
Sources
- First-time NCLEX pass rates by programEach state board of nursing — the exact board documents are linked on every state page · Data: 2025 first-time test takers · Checked
- Program cost, completion, and graduate earningsU.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Checked
- National wages for nursing assistants, LPNs, RNs, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and nurse anesthetistsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · Data: May 2025 · Checked
- How to become a registered nurse: education, licensing, and advancementU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook · Checked
Frequently Asked Questions
Do ADN or BSN programs have higher NCLEX pass rates?
The median first-time pass rate was 89.2% across 1,324 Associate (ADN) programs and 90% across 1,073 Bachelor’s (BSN) programs (2025 first-time test takers). The spread between individual programs is far wider than the gap between the two degrees.
What do you need for this step?
Graduates of bachelor’s, associate, and hospital diploma programs all qualify for entry-level staff nurse jobs once licensed. Every route ends at the same gate: graduate from an approved program and pass the licensing exam (the NCLEX-RN) in the state where you will work. Employers — hospitals especially — may require a bachelor’s degree. A nurse with an associate degree or diploma can go back for the bachelor’s through an RN-to-BSN program. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Keep going
- GuideADN vs BSN: Which Nursing Program Should You Choose?Compare ADN and prelicensure BSN pathways by time, total cost, admission, clinical logistics, employer expectations, and bridge options—not prestige alone.
- GuideHow Much Does Nursing School Cost? ADN vs BSN vs Accelerated (2026)Real 2025-26 tuition averages for every path to RN — community college ADN, public and private BSN, accelerated programs — plus the nursing-specific fees and the hidden opportunity cost nobody budgets.
- Degree pathwayLPN to RNThe pay difference between a practical nurse and a registered nurse, and how practical-nursing and RN programs compare on pass rates, debt, and graduate earnings.
- FinderCheapest RN programs in the U.S.The lowest-cost RN programs nationally, with their NCLEX pass rates alongside.
- FinderCompare nursing schoolsPut any nursing programs side by side on pass rate, cost, and outcomes.
- CollectionNursing schools by stateEvery board-approved nursing program in the U.S. with its first-time NCLEX pass rate.