Accreditation and Licensure
Simmons is accredited by the Commission for Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. All prelicensure Nursing Programs are approved by the Massachusetts Board of Nursing.
Nursing
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Simmons University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
The new Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program track has been approved by CCNE as part of our Master's degree program.
The baccalaureate degree in nursing and the pre-licensure Direct Entry program is fully approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing.
Nursing Licensure
Graduates of the School of Nursing programs routinely perform well on licensing/certification exams.
NCLEX-RN Licensure Exam First Time Pass Rate
| Exam Year | Simmons NCLEX Pass Rate (BSN) | Simmons NCLEX Pass Rate (DE) | NCLEX National Average | NCLEX MA & Jurisdiction Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 91% | 83% | 84% | |
| 2017 | 91% | 85% | 84% | |
| 2018 | 95% | 87% | 91% | |
| 2019 | 97% | 96% | 86% | 90% |
| 2020 | 97% | 98% | 88% | 92% |
| 2021 | 93% | 97% | 86% | 87% |
| 2022 | 90% | 100% | 82% | 82% |
FNP Certification Exam First Time Pass Rate
Students take the ANCC or AANP certification exam.
| Exam Year | Simmons AANP Pass Rate | AANP National Average | Simmons ANCC Pass Rate | ANCC National Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 84.00% | 81.60% | 95.70% | 82.30% |
| 2017 | 93.00% | 80.00% | 96.69% | 82.90% |
| 2018 | 96.00% | 85.00% | 95.80% | 86.00% |
| 2019 | 94.00% | 86.00% | 98.61% | 87.88% |
| 2020 | 94.00% | 85.00% | 97.83% | 89.29% |
| 2021 | 95.00% | 85.40% | 97.20% | 87.00% |
| 2022 | 90.00% | 96.05% |