2027 Nursing Degree Persistence Report: Retention, Stop-Out Risk, and Re-Enrollment Patterns
Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist
Staying enrolled in nursing school is often as important as getting admitted. Nursing programs are academically demanding, financially significant, and tied to licensure timelines. The stakes are high: the BLS reports a $93,600 median annual wage for registered nurses, making completion valuable for many students. This guide is for prospective, current, and returning nursing students who want to understand retention, stop-out risk, re-enrollment, and program support. You will learn how to compare schools beyond tuition and choose a nursing pathway that fits your life, preparation, and career goals.
Key Things You Should Know
- The 2024 NCSBN national results show a 91.16% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for U.S.-educated candidates, so licensure outcomes are a useful but incomplete signal of nursing program quality.
- Stop-out risk is real across higher education: the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported 36.8 million U.S. adults under 65 with some college and no credential in its 2024 reporting, making re-enrollment planning important.
- The BLS projects 6% employment growth for registered nurses from 2023 to 2033, but students benefit most when they choose programs with strong advising, clinical placement support, financial aid guidance, and realistic scheduling.
- What Do Retention Rates Reveal About Student Success in Nursing Degree Programs?
- Which Students Are Most at Risk of Stopping Out of a Nursing Degree Program?
What Do Retention Rates Reveal About Student Success in Nursing Degree Programs?
Retention rate measures how many students continue from one academic period to the next, usually from the first year to the second year. In nursing, retention is especially important because students must complete sequenced prerequisites, clinical rotations, skills labs, and licensure preparation; falling out of sequence can delay graduation by a semester or more.
Retention is not the same as graduation rate. A program can keep many first-year students enrolled but still have delayed completion if students struggle with clinical availability, course sequencing, or NCLEX preparation. Persistence is the broader concept: it includes staying enrolled, returning after a break, transferring successfully, and continuing toward a credential.
The table below explains the most useful persistence metrics and what they can tell you when comparing nursing programs. Use these measures together rather than relying on one number.
| Metric | What it measures | What it can reveal | Important limitation |
| First-year retention rate | Students who return after the first year | Early academic fit, advising quality, and student support | It does not show whether students graduate on time |
| Program completion rate | Students who finish the nursing credential | Whether students progress through required nursing courses and clinicals | Definitions vary by school and reporting period |
| Graduation rate | Students who complete within a stated timeframe | Time-to-degree and program efficiency | May exclude transfer, part-time, or returning students |
| NCLEX pass rate | Graduates who pass the licensure exam | How well the curriculum prepares graduates for licensure | Only includes students who reached graduation and took the exam |
| Stop-out and re-entry rate | Students who leave temporarily and later return | How flexible the school is when life, work, or finances interrupt enrollment | Many schools do not publish this clearly |
A high retention rate usually suggests that students are getting through early barriers, but it should not be read as a guarantee. Ask whether retained students are progressing in the nursing major specifically, not just staying enrolled at the institution in another program.
Which Students Are Most at Risk of Stopping Out of a Nursing Degree Program?
Students are most likely to stop out when academic pressure, financial strain, work schedules, caregiving, or clinical placement demands collide. Nursing students can be especially vulnerable because required courses often build on each other, and missing one course can delay the next clinical sequence.
Stop-out risk does not mean a student is not capable. It means the student may need a different pace, stronger support, better funding, or a clearer plan before the program becomes overwhelming.
The table below summarizes common risk factors and why they matter for nursing persistence. These are not automatic predictors, but they are useful warning signs to discuss with advisors early.
| Risk factor | Why it affects persistence | What students should check before enrolling |
| Heavy work hours | Clinical schedules, labs, and exams may not fit around unpredictable shifts | Evening, weekend, part-time, or cohort options |
| Weak science preparation | Anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and pharmacology are common bottlenecks | Tutoring, remediation, prerequisite refreshers, and early testing support |
| Unstable finances | Tuition, transportation, uniforms, background checks, and exam fees add pressure | Total cost of attendance and emergency aid availability |
| Caregiving responsibilities | Clinical hours may begin early, run long, or change by site | Childcare resources, attendance policies, and clinical schedule flexibility |
| First-generation college status | Students may be less familiar with academic policies and hidden requirements | Proactive advising, mentoring, and student success coaching |
| Prior stop-out history | Credits, confidence, and aid eligibility may need review before returning | Readmission rules, credit expiration, and academic standing policies |
One common mistake is waiting until a course is already failing before asking for help. In nursing, early intervention matters because course repeats may be limited, clinical seats may be fixed, and failing a required course can interrupt the whole program sequence.
Academic challenges in nursing are often cumulative. A student who barely passes anatomy may later struggle with pathophysiology, pharmacology, dosage calculation, and patient care planning. Strong programs do not simply admit students; they identify academic gaps before those gaps become dismissal risks.
Financial pressure is equally important. College Board's 2024 Trends in College Pricing reported average published tuition and fees of $4,050 at public two-year colleges and $11,610 for in-state students at public four-year institutions for the 2024-2025 academic year. Nursing students should treat those figures as a starting point because program-specific fees, clinical travel, testing packages, immunizations, and equipment can increase the real cost of attendance.
Students comparing nursing with adjacent healthcare paths, including PharmD online programs, should compare not only tuition but also clinical requirements, licensure exams, time commitment, and whether the program structure supports persistence.
Before enrolling, students should pressure-test the program against the challenges most likely to interrupt progress. The following steps can reduce preventable stop-out risk.
- Request the full cost of attendance, including nursing fees, uniforms, supplies, background checks, drug screening, exam preparation, graduation fees, and licensure costs.
- Ask how many times a student may repeat a required science or nursing course before dismissal from the program.
- Review the weekly schedule for labs, simulations, clinical rotations, and study time, not just classroom hours.
- Confirm whether financial aid covers summer terms if nursing courses are required outside the traditional academic year.
- Ask whether tutoring is embedded in high-risk courses such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and medical-surgical nursing.
A red flag is a school that markets speed but cannot clearly explain remediation, clinical placement, licensure support, or what happens if a student needs to slow down. Faster is only better when the pace is realistic.
Nursing students return after stopping out in several ways: readmission to the same cohort, re-entry into a later cohort, transfer to another nursing program, completion of missing prerequisites, or a stepwise pathway through practical nursing, associate degree nursing, and then a BSN. The right path depends on academic standing, credit age, clinical course policies, and financial aid status.
Some students who need a shorter re-entry point consider a 6 month LPN program, but they should confirm state approval, clinical requirements, NCLEX-PN eligibility, and whether credits will later apply to an RN bridge program.
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center's 2024 reporting on 36.8 million adults under 65 with some college and no credential shows why re-enrollment planning matters. Leaving school is not rare, but returning is easier when students preserve transcripts, understand aid rules, and choose programs that evaluate prior credits fairly.
Students considering a temporary break should complete these steps before leaving. This sequence protects academic progress and reduces the chance that a short pause becomes a permanent stop-out.
- Meet with the nursing advisor, financial aid office, and registrar before withdrawing from any course.
- Ask whether the school offers a formal leave of absence and how long it protects your catalog year, cohort seat, or readmission status.
- Confirm whether nursing credits expire, especially science prerequisites and clinical courses.
- Request written information about readmission deadlines, required remediation, testing, and seat availability.
- Calculate the effect on financial aid, loan repayment, scholarships, employer tuition assistance, and satisfactory academic progress.
- Build a return date and course plan before the break begins.
Transferring can make sense when a program is not a fit, clinical access is poor, or support is insufficient. However, transferring can also delay graduation if nursing credits do not transfer, if the receiving school requires repeated clinical courses, or if admission to the nursing major is competitive.
The strongest nursing programs tend to make support proactive rather than optional. Students should not have to fail an exam before they hear from an advisor, tutor, or faculty mentor. Persistence improves when the school identifies risk early and gives students clear ways to recover.
The table below summarizes support services that are especially relevant to nursing students. When comparing programs, ask whether each service is available to nursing students specifically, not just to the general campus population.
| Support service | Why it matters for nursing persistence | Question to ask the school |
| Dedicated nursing advising | Nursing course sequences and clinical requirements are more rigid than many majors | Will I have an advisor who specializes in nursing progression? |
| Embedded tutoring | High-risk courses often require immediate academic support | Is tutoring built into anatomy, pharmacology, dosage calculation, and med-surg courses? |
| Simulation labs | Students can practice clinical judgment before patient care settings | How often do students use simulation before clinical rotations? |
| Clinical placement coordination | Reliable placements reduce scheduling uncertainty and graduation delays | Does the school arrange placements, or must students find their own? |
| Financial aid counseling | Unexpected fees can trigger stop-out decisions | Can someone help me plan aid across every required term? |
| NCLEX preparation | Licensure readiness affects confidence, completion, and employment timing | When does NCLEX preparation begin, and is it integrated into coursework? |
| Mental health and wellness support | Clinical stress, exams, and caregiving can accumulate quickly | Are counseling and wellness services accessible to nursing students with clinical schedules? |
Students should also ask how the program responds after a failed exam or course. A strong answer includes diagnostic feedback, a remediation plan, faculty access, and a clear path back into good standing. A weak answer focuses only on dismissal rules.
Persistence affects more than morale; it changes time-to-degree, borrowing, licensure timing, and entry into the workforce. A one-term delay can affect clinical sequencing, financial aid, housing, childcare, and employer tuition assistance. In nursing, delayed progression may also postpone eligibility for the NCLEX and the first registered nursing role.
The BLS reports a $93,600 median annual wage for registered nurses based on 2024 wage data. That figure does not promise an individual salary, but it helps explain why completion and licensure timing matter: delays can postpone access to roles that often require an active RN license.
Not every student who starts in nursing remains on a bedside nursing path. Some students move toward care coordination, informatics, public health, compliance, or administrative healthcare roles; those comparing non-bedside options may find a health information management job description and salary helpful when weighing alternatives.
The table below shows how enrollment patterns can affect completion planning. The exact timeline varies by school, transfer credit, prerequisites, clinical availability, and state licensure requirements.
| Pathway | Typical persistence concern | Possible effect on graduation timing | Decision point |
| Associate Degree in Nursing | Prerequisite completion and clinical sequencing | Delays may push students into the next cohort | Ask whether prerequisites can be completed before admission |
| Traditional BSN | Science progression and upper-division nursing admission | Changing majors or repeating courses can extend the timeline | Compare direct-entry and pre-nursing models |
| Accelerated BSN | High course intensity | A stop-out can significantly disrupt the cohort model | Confirm remediation and readmission policies before enrolling |
| RN-to-BSN | Work-school balance for licensed nurses | Part-time pacing may extend completion but improve sustainability | Choose a schedule that fits shift work and family responsibilities |
| LPN-to-RN bridge | Credit transfer and clinical placement | Missing prerequisites can delay admission or progression | Verify articulation agreements and credit acceptance |
Retention and graduation rates should matter in your decision, but they should not override personal fit. A program with strong outcomes may still be a poor choice if the schedule, commute, cost, or clinical expectations are unrealistic for your life.
Nursing programs with the strongest persistence outcomes usually combine academic selectivity with meaningful support. They are transparent about retention, graduation, NCLEX pass rates, clinical placement, course repeat rules, and student services. They also help students understand the workload before admission.
The 2024 NCSBN results show a 91.16% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for U.S.-educated candidates. When a program's pass rate is consistently far below state or national benchmarks, students should ask whether the issue is curriculum alignment, admission preparation, remediation quality, or exam readiness support.
The table below outlines program characteristics associated with stronger persistence. These are evaluation signals, not guarantees.
| Program characteristic | Why it supports persistence | What to verify |
| Accreditation and state board approval | Supports licensure eligibility and transfer credibility | Current approval status and any warnings or sanctions |
| Clear admissions standards | Helps students enter with the preparation needed for success | Required GPA, entrance exam, prerequisites, and science grade minimums |
| Published outcomes | Shows willingness to be transparent about student success | Retention, graduation, NCLEX, and job placement definitions |
| Structured remediation | Gives students a recovery path after weak exam performance | Whether remediation is required, individualized, and faculty-supported |
| Reliable clinical partnerships | Reduces placement delays and scheduling uncertainty | Clinical sites, travel distance, shift expectations, and placement responsibility |
| Flexible progression options | Helps students manage work, family, or academic setbacks | Part-time tracks, leave policies, re-entry rules, and bridge pathways |
Students should be cautious with programs that emphasize fast completion but provide little detail about attrition, repeat policies, or clinical placement. A strong program can explain not only who gets admitted, but also how students are helped when they struggle.
Nursing persistence is being shaped by several current trends: hybrid learning, simulation-based training, AI-supported advising, rising student costs, and greater attention to licensure readiness after the Next Generation NCLEX. These changes can help students, but they also make program comparison more complex.
Hybrid instruction is expanding because it gives students more flexibility for theory courses while preserving required in-person clinical learning. The persistence benefit depends on execution. Students need reliable technology, clear deadlines, accessible faculty, and well-coordinated clinical schedules.
AI and predictive analytics are also becoming more common in student success systems. Used responsibly, these tools can flag missed assignments, low exam scores, or attendance problems early. Students should still expect human advising, because an alert is only helpful if someone helps interpret it and build a recovery plan.
Several trends deserve close attention when evaluating nursing programs. They affect whether a program is merely convenient or truly designed for completion.
- Simulation is increasingly used to strengthen clinical judgment, but students should ask how simulation hours connect to state board rules and real clinical experiences.
- FAFSA processing changes and financial aid uncertainty have made early cost planning more important for students who cannot absorb unexpected gaps in aid.
- Employer expectations continue to emphasize licensure, clinical judgment, communication, documentation, and adaptability with healthcare technology.
- Working adults are looking for flexible pathways, but nursing students still need realistic plans for labs, clinical attendance, and exam preparation.
The best programs are adapting without lowering expectations. They use technology to improve access and early intervention while maintaining rigorous skills training, patient safety standards, and licensure preparation.
Students should evaluate nursing programs by asking one practical question: "Does this program give students like me a realistic path to stay enrolled, recover from setbacks, and graduate?" The answer depends on outcomes, support, cost, schedule, clinical access, and fit.
Use the following process when comparing programs. It is designed to uncover persistence risks before you commit time, money, and financial aid eligibility.
- Confirm accreditation, state board approval, and whether the credential qualifies graduates for the intended licensure pathway in your state.
- Ask for retention, graduation, NCLEX pass, and job placement data, including how each figure is defined.
- Compare total cost of attendance, not just tuition, and include fees, supplies, transportation, testing, and licensure expenses.
- Request a sample term schedule showing lectures, labs, simulations, clinical hours, commute expectations, and study time.
- Ask what happens after a failed course, failed skills check, or temporary withdrawal.
- Review whether the school offers part-time, bridge, transfer, or re-entry options if your circumstances change.
- Talk to current students or recent graduates about advising access, faculty responsiveness, clinical scheduling, and workload realism.
Retention should matter more than marketing claims, but graduation and licensure outcomes are just as important. A program that keeps students enrolled without moving them efficiently toward completion is not ideal. A program that graduates students quickly but offers little room for recovery may also be risky for students with work or family obligations.
The strongest choice is usually the program that balances rigor with transparency and support. If a school can explain its outcomes, costs, clinical structure, and re-enrollment policies clearly, you are in a better position to decide whether the program fits your life and career goals.
Learning format affects persistence because nursing is not a fully lecture-based field. Even when coursework is online, students usually need in-person labs, simulations, clinical rotations, competency checks, and proctored exams. A flexible format can help working adults persist, but only if the clinical requirements are predictable.
Compared with a fully online health-related degree such as an online bachelor's in kinesiology, nursing programs have more fixed hands-on requirements. That difference matters for students who live far from campus, work rotating shifts, or rely on childcare.
The table below compares common format and enrollment choices. The best option depends on schedule stability, finances, academic preparation, and how quickly you need to enter or advance in the nursing workforce.
| Option | Persistence advantage | Persistence risk | Best fit |
| Full-time campus program | Structured schedule, stronger peer connection, predictable cohort progress | Less flexibility for work and caregiving | Students who can prioritize school and attend daytime clinicals |
| Part-time nursing pathway | More manageable pace for working adults | Longer time-to-degree and possible financial aid complications | Students balancing employment, family, or academic rebuilding |
| Hybrid nursing program | Online theory courses with in-person skills training | Travel and clinical scheduling can still be demanding | Students with self-discipline and reliable access to clinical sites |
| Accelerated BSN | Fast pathway for students with a prior bachelor's degree | Intense workload and limited time for paid work | Students with strong academics and financial readiness |
| LPN-to-RN or RN-to-BSN bridge | Builds on existing nursing experience | Work-school balance can become difficult | Licensed nurses seeking advancement without starting over |
A common mistake is assuming online means self-paced. Many online or hybrid nursing courses still follow strict deadlines, synchronized exams, and required clinical schedules. Ask for a sample weekly calendar before deciding that a format is manageable.
Other Things You Should Know About Nursing
No. Retention shows whether students continue from one period to the next, while graduation rate shows whether they complete the credential. Use both, along with NCLEX pass rates and clinical placement information.
Not automatically. Lower tuition can be valuable, but students should also compare advising, tutoring, clinical placement, graduation outcomes, fees, and re-entry policies. A cheaper program that causes delays may cost more over time.
Often, yes, but rules vary by school. Before returning, check credit expiration, readmission deadlines, academic standing, financial aid eligibility, and whether clinical or nursing courses must be repeated.
Not necessarily. Online or hybrid programs may offer flexibility for lectures, but nursing still requires labs, simulations, clinical rotations, exams, and strict deadlines. Completion depends on structure, support, and schedule fit.
See What Experts Have To Say About Studying Nursing
Read our interview with Nursing experts
Lisa Grubb
Nursing Expert
Assistant Professor
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
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