What is NCLEX?

The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is a nursing exam developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). The purpose of the NCLEX is to test the skills and knowledge necessary for an entry-level nurse. The exam is designed to be taken by candidates who have already completed an accredited program for nursing. There are two variations of the NCLEX:

  • NCLEX RN is for individuals who have completed a registered nursing program.
  • NCLEX PN is for individuals who have completed a practical or vocational nursing program. The NCLEX PN is only valid for US licensure.

What is on the NCLEX exam?

The NCLEX exam measures a nursing candidate’s entry-level ability to meet client needs across all settings. The categories of client need are similar on the NCLEX RN and NCLEX PN exams, with some variation in specific content. Each category of client need encompasses numerous topics. The percentage of each exam that assesses specific client needs is given in the following chart.

Client needs Percentage of exam – NCLEX RN Percentage of exam – NCLEX PN
Safe and Effective Care Environment:
Management of Care (RN)
Coordinated Care (PN)
 7-23% 18-24%
Safe and Effective Care Environment: Safety and Infection Control 9-15% 10-16%
Health Promotion and Maintenance 6-12% 6-12%
Psychosocial Integrity 6-12% 9-15%
Physiological Integrity: Basic Care and Comfort 6-12% 7-13%
Physiological Integrity: Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies (RN) Pharmacological Therapies (PN) 12-18% 10-16%
Physiological Integrity: Reduction of Risk Potential 9-15% 9-15%
Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation 11-17% 7-13%

How many NCLEX questions are on the exam?

As of October 2020, there are between 60 and 130 exam questions on the NCLEX exams. The test uses computer-adaptive testing, so a candidate’s pattern of correct and incorrect answers will determine the number of questions they receive on the exam. The test also contains 15 pre-test questions, which are used to calibrate the computer-adaptive testing process.

At the end of the test, some testing candidates will be given the option to participate in answering research questions for the Next Generation NCLEX project. These questions are piloting new question types for a future version of the exam. These questions will be in addition to the pretest and regular exam questions and will not count toward the exam score.