Morgan State University Nursing Program Tops Maryland Rankings With Perfect Pass Rate
The Baltimore-based institution reported a 100% first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN)
Black News 
The Morgan State University nursing program has been named Maryland’s top nursing program for the 2025-2026 academic year. This comes after a time of strong student performance and successful licensure, according to the university’s website.
The Baltimore-based institution reported a first-time 100% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) among its 2025 Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates. This achievement helped secure its position as the state’s highest-performing program. The results were confirmed by the Maryland Board of Nursing and through program-level outcomes compiled for this academic cycle.
University officials believe this achievement reflects years of curriculum redesign, expanded clinical training partnerships, and increased funding for simulation-based learning. The program also stands out nationally, as only a small number of nursing schools have reported perfect licensure pass rates in the latest reporting period.
“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., the university’s Dean of the School of Community Health and Policy.
This ranking comes during a national nursing shortage driven by an aging population, workforce attrition, and growing healthcare demand. Morgan State’s performance is especially significant given Maryland’s healthcare workforce needs, with hospitals reporting significant staffing gaps and increasingly relying on new graduates to fill critical roles.
University officials say their goal moving forward is to ensure sustainability, not just focus on one milestone year.
“This moment represents both validation and responsibility. Our faculty and students have worked with focus and purpose to reach this level of performance, but we view it as a foundation—not a finish line. The goal is not only to sustain this success, but to build upon it in ways that further elevate our graduates and the profession,” said Maija Anderson, DNP, APRN, chair of the Department of Nursing at Morgan State.
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