Skip to content
SEAPHECalifornia nursing program data Subscribe
SchoolsData as of Oct 7, 2026

San Francisco State UniversityEntry-level master’s (ELM): NCLEX pass rates & data

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

  • NCLEX pass rate, 2024–2573.9% (-16.3 vs. state · 23 testers)
  • Five-year pass rate82.2% of 163
  • Listed cost, before aid$40,220
  • Approved new students per year20
Compare ELM programsProgram website
NCLEX pass rate
73.9%2024–25
Blue: this program · dashed: California
’20–21’21–22’22–23’23–24’24–25100%70%
First-time testers
232024–25
Graduates sitting the NCLEX for the first time
35’20–2143’21–2240’22–2322’23–2423’24–25
On-time completion
100%2023–24
Self-reported to the BRN
’19–20’20–21’21–22’22–23’23–24100%0%
Attrition
0%2023–24
Share of students who left the program
50%’19–200%’20–215%’21–220%’22–230%’23–24

Key facts

Last updated

NCLEX pass rates

In 2024–25, 73.9% of 23 first-time testers passed the NCLEX-RN, 16.3 points below the California average of 90.2%. Over five years, 82.2% of 163 testers passed.1

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

San Francisco State University (ELM)California, all programs
70%80%90%100%2020–212021–222022–232023–242024–2591.4%86.0%77.5%77.3%73.9%CaliforniaELM program
70%80%90%100%’20–21’21–22’22–23’23–24’24–2591.4%86.0%77.5%77.3%73.9%
Data source: CA BRN NCLEX-RN pass-rate tables (listed as “San Francisco State University - MSN”); California average is a SEAPHE tester-weighted calculation.Download CSV
Embed this chart

Free to republish with the credit line and link to SEAPHE. The iframe updates when our data does; the image is a fixed snapshot.

Download PNGPreview embed

Year (Jul–Jun)TestersPass rateCaliforniavs. state
2020–213591.4%89.2%+2.2
2021–224386.0%85.9%+0.1
2022–234077.5%85.7%-8.2
2023–242277.3%94.0%-16.7
2024–252373.9%90.2%-16.3

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
2019–200.0%50.0%
2020–21100.0%0.0%
2021–2295.0%5.0%
2022–23100.0%0.0%
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 ELM programs, 33.6% of 3,322 qualified applications were accepted in 2024–25.4 This program is approved for 20 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 →

Cost

The BRN lists a cost of $40,220 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
InstitutionACCJC/WASC-JC
Nursing programCCNE
DegreeELM
StateCalifornia
CitySan Francisco
SectorPublic
AdmitsGeneric pre-licensure
Phone(415) 338-1801
WebsiteVisit
SourceBRN program list

What ACEN, CCNE and CNEA mean →

Similar programs

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

ProgramTesters2024–255-year
University of the PacificSacramento4197.6%97.4%
California Baptist UniversityRiverside4095.0%88.3%
Western University of Health SciencesPomona7293.1%90.8%
UC DavisSacramento4689.1%88.9%
Charles Drew UniversityLos Angeles4586.7%84.9%
UC Los AngelesLos Angeles6785.1%88.0%

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). San Francisco State University (ELM): NCLEX-RN pass rates and program data [Data set]. Compiled from California Board of Registered Nursing public records. https://seaphe.org/schools/san-francisco-state-university-elm/ (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.

Download CSVDownload JSON