Workforce Preparation and Employment Outcomes
Nursing Exam Pass Rates: Massachusetts
What Is Measured?
National Council Licensure Exam in nursing pass rates
Who Is Counted?
Massachusetts Community College students who took the exam for the first time in 2008
What It Tells Us
Some 87 percent of Massachusetts Community College students who took the National Council Licensure Exam in nursing for the first time passed, a rate that was similar or identical to state and national pass rates.
Why It's Important
For many occupations, in particular those in health care and personal care, licensure is required to work in the field. Licensing standards vary by state and occupation, but they typically require a minimum level of education in a specified field and a passing score on a test of competence. Licensure exam pass rates indicate how well community colleges are preparing their students for future employment.