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SchoolsData as of Oct 7, 2026

CSU San MarcosBachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): NCLEX pass rates & data

San Marcos, CA · Public · BRN-approved · CCNE-accredited

  • NCLEX pass rate, 2024–2595.2% (+5.0 vs. state · 188 testers)
  • Five-year pass rate93.4% of 992
  • Rank among open BSN programs, 2024–256 of 42 (30+ testers)
  • Listed cost, before aid$35,488 (Plus 1st Year RN Prgm Costs = $2,000)
  • Approved new students per year80
Compare BSN programsProgram website
NCLEX pass rate
95.2%2024–25
Blue: this program · dashed: California
’20–21’21–22’22–23’23–24’24–25100%80%
First-time testers
1882024–25
Graduates sitting the NCLEX for the first time
155’20–21209’21–22235’22–23205’23–24188’24–25
On-time completion
100%2023–24
Self-reported to the BRN
’19–20’20–21’21–22’22–23’23–24100%60%
Attrition
0%2023–24
Share of students who left the program
2.7%’19–205%’20–219%’21–228%’22–230%’23–24

Key facts

Last updated

NCLEX pass rates

In 2024–25, 95.2% of 188 first-time testers passed the NCLEX-RN, 5.0 points above the California average of 90.2%. Over five years, 93.4% of 992 testers passed.1

First-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, by reporting year

CSU San Marcos (BSN)California, all programs
80%85%90%95%100%2020–212021–222022–232023–242024–2596.1%91.9%89.8%95.6%95.2%CSU San MarcosCalifornia
80%85%90%95%100%’20–21’21–22’22–23’23–24’24–2596.1%91.9%89.8%95.6%95.2%
Data source: CA BRN NCLEX-RN pass-rate tables; California average is a SEAPHE tester-weighted calculation.Download CSV
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Year (Jul–Jun)TestersPass rateCaliforniavs. state
2020–2115596.1%89.2%+6.9
2021–2220991.9%85.9%+6.0
2022–2323589.8%85.7%+4.1
2023–2420595.6%94.0%+1.6
2024–2518895.2%90.2%+5.0

Completion and attrition

In 2023–24, the program reported 100% on-time completion and 0% attrition to the BRN.3

Year (Aug–Jul)On-time completionAttrition
2019–2096.9%2.7%
2020–2193.0%5.0%
2021–2289.0%9.0%
2022–2389.0%8.0%
2023–24100.0%0.0%

Self-reported by the program to UCSF for the BRN Annual School Survey.

Admissions

The BRN does not publish acceptance rates for individual schools. Across California’s BSN programs, 29.9% of 37,452 qualified applications were accepted in 2024–25.4 This program is approved for 80 new students a year.2 Ask the school for last cycle’s qualified applicants and seats.

Applied here? Share your results in our 2-minute anonymous survey. It helps future applicants see real admissions odds.

California nursing school acceptance rates →

Admissions requirements

Here is what CSU San Marcos publishes about applying to its BSN program, taken from the school’s own website, catalog or application documents. Each row links to the page we used and shows the date we checked it. Requirements change from cycle to cycle, so confirm with the school before you apply.

RequirementWhat the school publishesSource
Entrance examTEASSourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Minimum overall score71%SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Section minimumsNot published by the schoolSourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Minimum GPA, overallNo separate minimum stated (0 points below 2.75)SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Minimum GPA, prerequisites or science2.75 Pre-Nursing Core GPASourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Selection methodPoints (ranked)ranked (68-point system)SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Application opensCal State Apply Oct 1, 2026SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Application closesNov 30, 2026; supplemental steps by Feb 15, 2027 and Mar 15, 2027SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Published applicant and admit countsNot published by the schoolSourceChecked Oct 9, 2026

How we label selection: SEAPHE sorts each school’s stated method into one of five groups: lottery, points (ranked), points and lottery (hybrid), holistic review or eligibility-based. The school’s own wording appears under the label.

Prerequisite courses

CourseRequirementsSource
Oral CommunicationCommunication
Units
Not published by the school
Lab
Not published by the school
Minimum grade
C (C- not accepted in any separate course incl. labs; max two science courses at B- or less; C- or below repeatable once, grades averaged; A-F only)
Recency limit
Not published by the school
When to complete
Completed no later than end of Spring semester prior to enrollment; in-progress Spring courses not counted in core GPA
SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
English CompositionEnglish
Units
Not published by the school
Lab
Not published by the school
Minimum grade
C (C- not accepted in any separate course incl. labs; max two science courses at B- or less; C- or below repeatable once, grades averaged; A-F only)
Recency limit
Not published by the school
When to complete
Completed no later than end of Spring semester prior to enrollment; in-progress Spring courses not counted in core GPA
SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Critical ThinkingOther
Units
Not published by the school
Lab
Not published by the school
Minimum grade
C (C- not accepted in any separate course incl. labs; max two science courses at B- or less; C- or below repeatable once, grades averaged; A-F only)
Recency limit
Not published by the school
When to complete
Completed no later than end of Spring semester prior to enrollment; in-progress Spring courses not counted in core GPA
SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Math (Statistics)Statistics
Units
Not published by the school
Lab
Not published by the school
Minimum grade
C (C- not accepted in any separate course incl. labs; max two science courses at B- or less; C- or below repeatable once, grades averaged; A-F only)
Recency limit
Not published by the school
When to complete
Completed no later than end of Spring semester prior to enrollment; in-progress Spring courses not counted in core GPA
SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Anatomy or Anatomy/Physiology IAnatomy
Units
4-5 (semester)
Lab
Yes
Minimum grade
C (C- not accepted in any separate course incl. labs; max two science courses at B- or less; C- or below repeatable once, grades averaged; A-F only)
Recency limit
Not published by the school
When to complete
Completed no later than end of Spring semester prior to enrollment; in-progress Spring courses not counted in core GPA
SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Physiology or Anatomy/Physiology IIPhysiology
Units
4-5 (semester)
Lab
Yes
Minimum grade
C (C- not accepted in any separate course incl. labs; max two science courses at B- or less; C- or below repeatable once, grades averaged; A-F only)
Recency limit
Not published by the school
When to complete
Completed no later than end of Spring semester prior to enrollment; in-progress Spring courses not counted in core GPA
SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
MicrobiologyMicrobiology
Units
4-5 (semester)
Lab
Yes
Minimum grade
C (C- not accepted in any separate course incl. labs; max two science courses at B- or less; C- or below repeatable once, grades averaged; A-F only)
Recency limit
Not published by the school
When to complete
Completed no later than end of Spring semester prior to enrollment; in-progress Spring courses not counted in core GPA
SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026
Inorganic, Organic and Biochemistry (general, inorganic, organic or integrated; intro chem not accepted)Chemistry
Units
Not published by the school
Lab
Lab if required at institution where taken
Minimum grade
C (C- not accepted in any separate course incl. labs; max two science courses at B- or less; C- or below repeatable once, grades averaged; A-F only)
Recency limit
Not published by the school
When to complete
Completed no later than end of Spring semester prior to enrollment; in-progress Spring courses not counted in core GPA
SourceChecked Oct 9, 2026

SEAPHE collected these details from official school pages. “Not published by the school” means we couldn’t find the detail on the school’s public pages when we checked; we don’t estimate missing values. “Could not be retrieved from the school’s website” means the page was blocked or wouldn’t load. Spot an error? See our corrections policy.

Cost

The BRN lists a cost of $35,488 (Plus 1st Year RN Prgm Costs = $2,000) before financial aid (Tuition + Books).2 That figure comes from the school’s report to the Board and may not include housing, transport or exam fees. Check the program’s current cost of attendance.

Accreditation and program facts

State approvalCalifornia BRN
InstitutionWSCUC
Nursing programCCNE
DegreeBSN
StateCalifornia
CitySan Marcos
SectorPublic
AdmitsGeneric pre-licensure
Phone(760) 750-7550
WebsiteVisit
SourceBRN program list

What ACEN, CCNE and CNEA mean →

Get this badge

Based on its 2024–25 first-time NCLEX-RN results from the BRN, this program qualifies for a SEAPHE badge. Schools are welcome to display it on their website. How badges are awarded.

CSU San Marcos: First-time NCLEX-RN pass rate above the California average in 2024–25 (95.2% vs. 90.2%). SEAPHE. Independent; not affiliated with the California BRN.

Independent; not affiliated with the California BRN. Each badge links back to this page so readers can check the numbers.

Similar programs

Open public BSN programs with 30+ first-time testers in 2024–25, by pass rate.

ProgramTesters2024–255-year
CSU Long BeachLong Beach16998.8%98.5%
CSU SacramentoSacramento14896.6%96.1%
CSU Los AngelesLos Angeles10396.1%95.7%
CSU FullertonFullerton7894.9%97.2%
CSU FresnoFresno11494.7%93.0%
CSU San BernardinoSan Bernardino11894.1%94.1%

Sources

  1. California BRN, NCLEX-RN Pass Rates, First Time CA Educated Exam Testers, 2020–21 to 2024–25. Retrieved Oct 7, 2026.
  2. California BRN, Approved Pre-Licensure RN Programs (cost, enrollment, sector). Retrieved Oct 7, 2026.
  3. California BRN, Accreditation, Attrition and On Time Completion Rates. Retrieved Oct 7, 2026.
  4. California BRN, 2024–25 Annual School Report: Data Summary, Table 3, p. 3.

SEAPHE Editorial Team · Reviewed by a practicing registered nurse (RN, BSN). Data updated Oct 7, 2026. Spot an error? See our corrections policy.

How to cite this data

Last updated . Please cite SEAPHE and the original public source.

Suggested citation: SEAPHE. (2026). CSU San Marcos (BSN): NCLEX-RN pass rates and program data [Data set]. Compiled from California Board of Registered Nursing public records. https://seaphe.org/schools/csu-san-marcos-bsn/ (updated Oct 7, 2026).

Original source: California BRN, NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: First Time CA Educated Exam Testers; California BRN, Approved Pre-Licensure RN Programs.

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