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
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
BSN NCLEX-RN Licensure Examination Performance*
| Year | Simmons Students Licensure Examination Pass Rate | NCLEX National Average | NCLEX MA & Jurisdiction Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 95.09% | 90.29% | 92.00% |
| 2021 | 93.17% | 86.06% | 87.00% |
| 2022 | 90.15% | 82.32% | 82.00% |
*first time test takers only
Master of Science in Nursing - Direct Entry (DE) - Family Nurse Practitioner
DE NCLEX-RN Examination Performance*
| Year | Simmons Students Licensure Examination Pass Rate | NCLEX National Average | NCLEX MA & Jurisdiction Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 98.00% | 90.29% | 92.00% |
| 2021 | 97.14% | 86.06% | 87.00% |
| 2022 | 100.00% | 82.32% | 82.00% |
*first time test takers only
FNP Certification Exam First Time Pass Rate
Students take the ANCC or AANP certification exam.
Board Certification Pass Rates*
| Year | Simmons AANP Pass Rate | National Average | Simmons ANCC Pass Rate | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 94.00% | 85.00% | 97.83% | 89.00% |
| 2021 | 95.00% | 84.00% | 97.20% | 87.00% |
| 2022 | 89.00% | 74.00% | 98.00% | 87.00% |
*first time test takers only
School of Nursing Degree Conferral or Program Completion by Conferral Date
| Degree Conferral | Nursing Major - Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) | Master of Science in Nursing - Direct Entry - Family Nurse Practitioner* | RN to Master of Science in Nursing - Online - Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN) | Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN) | Master of Science in Nursing - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (MSN) | Master of Science in Nursing - Nursing Administration (MSN) | Master of Science in Nursing - Leadership Track (MSN) | Master of Science in Nursing - Educator Track with a Health Professions Educator Certificate (MSN) | Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) | Doctor of Nursing Practice - Health Systems Administration (DNP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/30/2021 | N/A | N/A | 2 | 53 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
| 8/31/2021 | 57 | N/A | 10 | 96 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
| 10/29/2021 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 31 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
| 1/31/2022 | 48 | 13 | 4 | 83 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | 9 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 |
| 3/31/2022 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 47 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
| 5/20/2022 | 59 | N/A | 19 | 95 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
| 7/29/2022 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 39 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
| 8/31/2022 | 25 | N/A | 9 | 69 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | 12 | N/A |
| 10/31/2022 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 27 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | 1 | N/A |
| 1/31/2023 | 48 | 21 | 6 | 108 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | 8 | 25 |
| 3/31/2023 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 37 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
| 5/19/2023 | 71 | N/A | 9 | 58 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | 29 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | 1 | N/A |
| 7/31/2023 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 25 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
| 8/31/2023 | 52 | N/A | 9 | 78 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | 7 | N/A |
| 10/31/2023 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 33 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
| 1/31/2024 | 36 | 33 | 6 | 74 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | 12 | N/A |
| 3/29/2024 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 21 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | Anticipated first degree conferral of 1/31/2025 | N/A | N/A |
*This data is reporting the students in the Direct Entry MSN program that completed their pre-licensure course work and are transitioning to their post-licensure course work