Morgan State University’s nursing program is now the best in the state.
According to a press release, Morgan State University’s Department of Nursing achieved a 100% first-time pass rate for the NCLEX-RN nursing licensure examination for its 2025 bachelor’s in nursing graduates. A 2025–26 NCLEX-RN program report found that the entire cohort of test-takers passed on the first attempt and outperformed state and national averages. The Historically Black College and University’s (HBCU’s) nursing program last achieved a 100% pass rate in 2018, per the release.
“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., dean of the School of Community Health and Policy, in the press release. “A 100 percent pass rate is not simply a measure of academic success — it reflects the readiness of our graduates to enter the profession at a critical moment for health care.”
As a result of Morgan State University’s recent feat, the Maryland Board of Nursing has named it as a top-ranked nursing program in Maryland for the 2025-2026. The nursing program is further validated by data from Mountain Measurement, Inc., which states that the HBCU is in the 97th percentile for Maryland nursing programs, including 31 pre-licensure nursing programs, the press release states.
“This moment represents both validation and responsibility,” said Maija Anderson, DNP, APRN, chair of the Department of Nursing at Morgan, in the news release. “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.”
“Our graduates leave Morgan not only with the academic and clinical preparation required for practice, but with a clear understanding of the communities they will serve—bringing cultural awareness and patient-centered perspective to care that reflects the realities of diverse populations,” Dr. Anderson continued.
