The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is a crucial step for all aspiring nurses to take before getting licensed to practice nursing in the United States and Canada. For nurses who want to work in these areas, passing this examination is mandatory. Before you can begin preparing for this test, however, it’s important that you understand the costs involved.
How much does the NCLEX cost?
The cost of the NCLEX generally varies depending on your location and other factors. As of 2021, both the NCLEX-RN (for registered nurses) and NCLEX-PN (for practical or vocational nurses) fees vary from one state or jurisdiction to another.
According to data from Pearson VUE – a computer-based testing company that administers various exams including the NCLEX – the price range for taking either exam across states is between $169-$200*. The higher end covers enhanced experiences such as ‘Quick Results’, which allow candidates access to their unofficial results within 48 hours followed by official results several days later via postal services. While some applications require additional fee payments ranging from $50-$2500*, every candidate must pay examination registration fees.
In calculating how much exactly your entire journey towards licensure will cumulatively cost depending on jurisdictions, here are some helpful tips:
Firstly note that application requirements differ especially because US jurisdictions are empowered by Article IV of US Constitution conferring autonomy with regards licensing over professions unto themselves.
Before doing anything else,
– Confirm any necessary ancillary documentation like fingerprinting/background clearance certificates required
– Determine eligibility based on education credentials; associate degree vs bachelor’s degree nursing qualification minimums have been updated since 2020 when NCSBN conducted extensive research findings advocating upgrade.
– Research which USA regulatory body governs license processing in chosen target state: Different state boards may interpret criteria such as timelines for fingerprint checks differently; choosing multiple ones may entail research and extra expenses.
General Cost Breakdown:
Fees for taking either exam may range from $69 to $200. The cost is subject to change, so check with your state board of nursing before you register.
For instance, South Carolina and New York charge the highest fees ($200 as at May 2021), while other states may charge within $90-$131*. Arizona and Delaware are some of the cheapest charging only $69.
Other expenses that could be incurred might come in forms of:
• Multiple attempts – additional application costs associated with multiple retakes especially where candidates who had previously failed will require review courses/ tutorials or proofreading textbooks
• Review materials which usually include textbooks, online nursing assessments ranging anywhere between a hundred dollars to thousands depending on chosen pricing models
• Traveling allowances around different testing cities if needs arise
Why does the NCLEX have such varying fees?
Although every copy of this examination assesses similar objectives/ themes regardless of future location; pricing differs from one jurisdiction to another due to certain reasons. For example,
(1) Fees might differ because each jurisdiction bears its respective operational costs incurred in running exams.
(2) Different governing entities translate their policy goals differently when setting fee standards for tests.
The National Council State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), meanwhile, tries where possible through statistical measurement data gathered over several years across jurisdictions it serves via surveys done quarterly by third party experts; These help them establish recommendations related to adjusting state/regional exams based largely on requirements needed against expected benefits achieved numerically compared from prior periods’ benchmarks.
Note : *NCLEX costs sources: Pearson VUE blog updates/secondary regulatory authorities official websites or portals
The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is a crucial step for all aspiring nurses to take before getting licensed to practice nursing in the United States and Canada. Passing this examination is mandatory for nurses who want to work in these areas, and it is important that candidates understand the costs involved before they begin preparing for the test.
As of 2021, both the NCLEX-RN (for registered nurses) and NCLEX-PN (for practical or vocational nurses) have different fees depending on your location and other factors. Pearson VUE, a computer-based testing company that administers various exams including the NCLEX states that the price range across states varies between $169-$200*. The higher end of this cost covers enhanced experiences such as ‘Quick Results’, allowing candidates access to their unofficial results within 48 hours followed by official results several days later via postal services. While some applications require additional fee payments ranging from $50-$2500*, every candidate must pay examination registration fees.
Calculating how much your entire journey towards licensure will cumulatively cost depends on jurisdictions. Before anything else, you need to confirm any necessary ancillary documentation required like fingerprinting/background clearance certificates meanwhile determining eligibility based on education credentials. The NCSBN has updated associate degree vs bachelor’s degree nursing qualification minimums since 2020 when research findings advocated upgrade; aspirants should ensure compliance with these regulations.
Additionally, researching which USA regulatory body governs license processing in chosen target state differentiates criteria interpretation such as timelines news agreement differently choosing multiple ones may entail extra expenses apart from registration fees.
Fees for taking either exam are subject to change hence checking them before applying vital especially where highest charges emanate from certain states like South Carolina ($200), New York ($200)* compared with cheaper options like Arizona ($69), Delaware ($69), etcetera having lesser charges below $100 but multiple attempts could also incur additional application costs.
Moreover, potentially incurred review materials expenses including textbooks, online nursing assessments ranging anywhere between a hundred dollars to thousands depending on chosen pricing models or traveling around different testing cities might add up to the overall cost of NCLEX.
Although every copy of this examination assesses similar objectives/ themes regardless of future location; pricing differs from one jurisdiction to another due to reasons as outlined above. In conclusion, it is important that aspiring nurses evaluate thoroughly how each fee factor affects their budgets before applying and not be deterred by charges associated since opportunities exist for financial aid and scholarships applicable across jurisdictions too.