Morgan State University’s nursing program achieved a 100% NCLEX-RN pass rate for its 2025 Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates—positioning itself as Maryland’s top program during a time of unprecedented nurse shortages.
According to the Maryland Board of Nursing’s 2026 fiscal year reporting cycle, every Morgan State University BSN graduate who tested during the current academic reporting period passed the NCLEX-RN on their first attempt. Statewide and national pass rates during the same period were approximately 87% and 86%, respectively.
This tremendous milestone marks Morgan’s first perfect annual NCLEX-RN pass rate since 2018, earning the university distinguished recognition as one of the highest-performing nursing programs in the country.
Morgan State University’s nursing graduates celebrated a remarkable achievement: a 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, outperforming state and national averages amid a period of growing workforce shortages.
Maryland Program Ranked Among Nation’s Top Performers
The university was ranked in the 97th percentile among Maryland nursing programs for the 2025-2026 academic year by Mountain Measurement, Inc., which analyzes NCLEX-RN and nursing education data. The ranking included 31 pre-licensure nursing programs across the state.
School leaders said the results reflect years of program development and increased emphasis on graduate readiness.
“This achievement affirms the strength, discipline, and intentionality of a program that has steadily built toward this level of excellence,” said Kim Dobson Sydnor, Ph.D., dean of Morgan State University’s School of Community Health and Policy. “A 100 percent pass rate is not simply a measure of academic success—it reflects the readiness of our graduates to enter the profession at a critical moment for healthcare.”
The university also reported that graduates exceeded state and national averages on clinical competency measures assessing readiness for practice in complex healthcare environments.
Morgan cited a median overall competency estimate of 0.44 logits, a measurement used in nursing education analytics to evaluate graduate preparedness and clinical reasoning skills.
Nursing Workforce Pressures Continue Across Maryland and the U.S.
Healthcare organizations continue to face staffing shortages and high turnover.
Morgan State noted projections of a U.S. shortage exceeding 263,000 registered nurses by 2026, along with retention challenges, with over one in five new nurses leaving within their first year.
In Maryland, hospital RN vacancy rates have reached approximately 16%, according to data cited by the university. The state is projected to need an additional 13,800 nurses by 2035.
The university also emphasized the importance of preparing nurses equipped to serve increasingly diverse patient populations, particularly in urban communities such as Baltimore.
“Our graduates leave Morgan not only with the academic and clinical preparation required for practice, but with a clear understanding of the communities they will serve—bringing cultural awareness and patient-centered perspective to care that reflects the realities of diverse populations,” added Dr. Anderson.
Research has consistently linked workforce diversity in healthcare to improved patient outcomes and reduced disparities, particularly in underserved communities.
Program Expansion and Advanced Degree Pathways
Morgan State University’s Department of Nursing offers a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education-accredited baccalaureate nursing program, along with master’s and Ph.D. nursing degrees.
The university also offers an online accelerated RN-to-BSN-to-MPH “1+2” pathway designed for registered nurses with associate degrees seeking to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Public Health consecutively.
University officials celebrated the latest NCLEX results as a testament to Morgan’s powerful role in strengthening the nursing workforce pipeline while healthcare systems continue to face growing demand for qualified nurses.
