Belmont University uses licensure passage rates, graduation rates and job placements rates as measures of student success for professional programs. Belmont uses a standard set of measures where possible for these programs, however, because of the variability in programs and guidelines from external accrediting bodies for some programs, some measures are customized for the specific program. To view a specific program, click on the accordion menus below, or for a complete view of all the professional programs, you can view our Professional Student Outcomes Fall 2022 PDF.
Licensure Passage Rates
Professional programs track and monitor the performance of Belmont students on state and national licensure examinations or other testing appropriate for the program. These standardized licensure exams measure our students' knowledge and readiness to enter into their chosen profession and as such are an appropriate measure of student success. In most cases either state or national passage rates are available for comparison providing a solid measure of the effectiveness of Belmont's professional programs and to ensure that our goals are acceptable and appropriate. In addition, minimum performance goals are set by accrediting agencies and ensure that our goals as acceptable and appropriate.
Graduation Rates
Belmont University professional programs, with the exception of the College of Law, track and monitor the graduation/completion rates of enrolled students as a measure of student success. Because peer data is not easily available at the graduate and professional level, Belmont has established a set of goals and thresholds for each program. Unless defined by an external accrediting body, Belmont uses a standard methodology of measuring the percentage of students who graduate within 150% of the standard program length.
First Destination rates/Job Placement Rates
Belmont University seeks to equip our students to pursue lives of meaning and purpose and prepare them to pursue their chosen paths upon completing their degree. The First Destination Rate helps quantify how many graduates were working, continuing education, volunteering, or enlisted in the military within six months of graduations. Unless specifically defined by an external accrediting body for a program, Belmont follows the methodology used nationally by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). For programs without external accrediting requirements, Belmont University has set an aspirational goal of 90% and a minimum threshold to meet or exceed the national first destination rate of 86% for graduates.
Licensure Passage Rates
Licensure passage rates are compared to the national average for The North American Pharmacist
Licensure Examination® (NAPLEX) for graduates of the College of Pharmacy. For the class of 2021,
Belmont University’s NAPLEX passage rate for first-time attempts was 82.4%.
NAPLEX First Time Pass Rates
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 94.03% | 88.6% | 82.4% |
| National | 88.34% | 86.5% | 83.6% |
| Difference | +7.11 | +2.1 | -1.2 |
In addition, licensure passage rates are compared to the national average for the Multistate Pharmacy
Jurisprudence Examination® (MPJE). For the class of 2021, Belmont University’s MPJE passage rate for
all attempts was 80%. This is higher than the national average for this examination.
MPJE First Time Pass Rates
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 92.11% | 76.47% | 80% |
| National | 83.58% | 84.59% | 78.3% |
| Difference | +8.53 | -8.12 | +1.7 |
Graduation Rates
The College of Pharmacy is accredited by Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (AACP). On-time graduation is defined by AACP as students graduating within 4 years of matriculation. Total attrition, including delayed graduation, academic dismissal, or withdrawal from the program for any reason must be below 24%. Therefore, on-time graduation must be > 76%. The College of Pharmacy has a goal of 90% for on time graduation with the AACP required 76% as a minimum threshold.
Graduation Rates
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Belmont | 82% | 88% | 80% | 81% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 76% | 76% | 76% | 76% |
Job Placement Rates
2021 graduates of the College of Pharmacy were employed at a rate of 95% which is above the goal of 90%.
Job Placement Rates
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 77% | 92% | 95% | 95% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 86% | 86% | 86% | 86% |
Licensure Passage Rates
The College of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association. ABA Standard 316 states that “At least
75 percent of a law school’s graduates in a calendar year who sat for a bar examination must have
passed a bar examination administered within two years of their date of graduation.” Therefore, the
College of Law uses the ABA requirement as their goal for licensure passage rates. The class of 2021,
Belmont University’s bar passage rate in the state of Tennessee was 89%.
Bar Passage Rate
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 97.18% | 82.76% | 89% |
| Goal | 75% | 75% | 75% |
Job Placement Rates
Graduates of the College of Law were employed at a rate of 90% which matched the stated goal.
Job Placement Rates
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 95% | 90% | 90% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 86% | 86% | 86% |
Licensure Passage Rates
NCLEX RN Passage Rates
Belmont University School of Nursing graduates’ first-time passage rates on the NCLEX RN exam
developed by The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) are compared to the state
average.
NCLEX RN First Time Pass Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 91% | 93% | 89% | 84% |
| National | 87.1% | 88.2% | 86.5% | 82.5% |
| Difference | +3.9 | +4.8 | +2.5 | +1.5 |
FNP Certification Passage Rates
FNP Certification first time passage rates are used to measure student achievement for graduates of
Belmont’s MSN and DNP programs. National comparisons are not available. The School of Nursing has
set a goal of 90% with a threshold of 80% as required by AACN. Belmont students have achieved a 100%
first time pass rate on the FNP exam for every year since 2004.
FNP Certification Pass Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
Graduation Rates
National data for graduations rates are not available. The school of nursing has a graduation rate goal of 90% with a minimum threshold of 70% as required by AACN.
BSN: Graduation rates for BSN students have remained above the threshold of 70% for each of the past three years and was above the departmental goal of 90% in 2019. Data are reported by cohort year.
BSN Graduation Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | |
| Belmont | 83% | 82% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 70% | 70% |
MSN: MSN graduation rates have remained above the goal of 90% in 2017 and 2018, while a dip in 2019 remained above the threshold.
MSN Graduation Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 77% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 70% | 70% |
DNP: DNP graduation rate for the 2018 cohort is above the threshold.
DNP Graduation Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | |
| Belmont | 80% | 86% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 70% | 70% |
Job Placement Rates
The Nursing program at Belmont has established a First Destination Rate goal of 80% with a minimum threshold of 70%.
BSN: 2021 graduates of Belmont’s BSN program were employed at a rate of 96% exceeding the 80% goal set by the program.
BSN Job Placement Rates
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 98% | 99% | 96% | 97% |
| Goal | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| Threshold | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% |
MSN: 2021 graduates of Belmont’s MSN program were employed at a rate of 100% exceeding the 80% goal set by the program.
MSN Job Placement Rates
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 93% | 93% | 78% | 100% |
| Goal | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| Threshold | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% |
DNP: 2021 graduates of Belmont’s DNP program were employed at a rate of 93% exceeding the goal set by the program.
DNP Job Placement Rates
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 83% | 71% | 100% | 93% |
| Goal | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| Threshold | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% |
Licensure Passage Rates
Master of Occupational Therapy
The percentage of graduates from the Belmont University Master of Occupational Therapy program
completing the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is 100%. The most recent average
passing rate for other schools in Tennessee is 99.6%.
NBCOT Pass Rate
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 97% | 97% | 100% |
| State | 97.6% | 97.25% | 99.6% |
| Difference | -.6 | -.25 | +.4 |
Doctor of Occupational Therapy
The percentage of graduates from the Belmont University Doctor of Occupational Therapy program
completing the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is 100% in 2021. The average passing
rate for other schools in Tennessee is 100%.
NBCOT Pass Rate
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| State | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Difference | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Graduation Rates
MSOT: The 2021 graduation rate for the Belmont University Master of Occupational Therapy program was 100%, which is above the threshold.
MSOT Graduation Rate
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 97% | 100% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 80% | 80% | 80% |
*Number who graduate within 150% of the published length of the program in a given calendar year
DOT: The 2022 graduation rate for the Belmont University Doctor of Occupational Therapy program was 100%, which is above the threshold.
DOT Graduation Rate
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
*Number who graduate within 150% of the published length of the program in a given calendar
Job Placement Rates
MSOT: Master of Occupational Therapy graduates were placed at a rate of 93% in 2021. This exceeds the threshold of 90% established by the program.
MSOT First Destination Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 83% | 86% | 79% | 93% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 85% | 85% | 85% | 85% |
Data is collected using the First Destination Survey methodology.
DOT: Doctor of Occupational Therapy graduates were placed at a rate of 100% in 2021. This exceeds the threshold set by the program.
DOT First Destination Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 84% | 80% | 71% | 100% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 85% | 85% | 85% | 85% |
Data is collected using the First Destination Survey methodology.
Licensure Passage Rates
Licensure passage rates for National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) are compared to the two-year
average of the six DPT Programs in the State of Tennessee (Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy).
The most recent passage rate for the Belmont University DPT program is 100%.
NPTE Passage Rate
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| State* | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Difference | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*Two-year average of the six DPT Programs in the State of Tennessee
Graduation Rates
The DPT program evaluates the percentage of students who graduate on time as an annual graduation rate, and as a two-year average as required by CAPTE, compared to the national average. Belmont has selected the annual graduation rate as our primary student achievement measure with a goal of 90% and a threshold of 80%.
DPT Graduation Rate
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 98% | 98% | 95.8% |
| State* | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Difference | 80% | 80% | 80% |
Job Placement Rates
Data is gathered from both the First Destination Survey (administered by the University) and the Alumni Survey and Employer Surveys (administered by the DPT Program). CAPTE defines employment as graduates who secured professional full-time or part-time employment, enrolled in graduate school, or enlisted in military service within one year of graduation. National employment rates are 99% for each of the past three years (Aggregate Program Data – CAPTE).
First Destination Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 100% | 96% | 90% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 86% | 86% | 86% | 86% |
Licensure Passage Rates
National comparative data is not available for the National Counseling Exam (NCE) for graduates of the
College of Theology & Christian Ministry, Mental Health Counseling Program examinations. Belmont has
established a goal of 75% with a minimum threshold of 65% for this new program on the NCE.
For the class of 2022, Belmont University’s NCE passage rate for first-time attempts was 100%. This is
higher than the established goal for this examination. *Note that scores are based on student report
since NCE would not release scores to the program.
NCE First Time Pass Rates
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Goal | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% |
| Threshold | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% |
National comparative data is not available for the National Exam for Marital and Family Therapy
(NEMFT) for graduates of the College of Theology & Christian Ministry, Mental Health Counseling
Program examinations. Belmont has established a goal of 70% with a minimum threshold of 65% on the
NEMFT for this new program.
For the class of 2022, Belmont University’s NEMFT passage rate for first-time attempts was 100%. This is
higher than the established goal for this examination. *Note that scores are based on student report
since NEMFT would not release scores to the program.
NEMFT First Time Pass Rates
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Belmont | 75% | No Students | 100% | 100% |
| Goal | 70% | 70% | 70% | |
| Threshold | 65% | 65% | 65% |
Mental Health Counseling students who wish to attain licensure as professional counselors (LPC) also
take the Tennessee state Jurisprudence Examination. Although state of Tennessee comparative data is
not available for the Jurisprudence Exam, Belmont has established a goal of 75% as a benchmark on the
Jurisprudence LPC exam for this new program.
For the class of 2021, Belmont University’s Jurisprudence Examination/LPC passage rate for first-time
attempts was 100%. This is higher than the established goal for this examination. *Note that scores are
based on student report since the Tennessee board of counselors does not release data to programs.
TSJE/LPC First Time Pass Rates
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 100% | 100% | No Students |
| Goal | 75% | 75% | 75% | |
| Threshold | 65% | 65% | 65% |
Mental Health Counseling students who wish to attain licensure as marriage and family therapists (MFT)
also take the Tennessee state Jurisprudence Examination. Although state of Tennessee comparative
data is not available for the Jurisprudence Exam, Belmont has established a goal of 75% as a benchmark
on the Jurisprudence Exam MFT for this new program.
For the class of 2021, Belmont University’s Jurisprudence Examination/MFT passage rate for first-time
attempts was 100%. This is higher than the established goal for this examination. *Note that scores are
based on student report since the Tennessee board of counselors does not release data to programs.
TSJE/MFT First Time Pass Rates
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Belmont | 100% | No Students | 100% | No Students |
| Goal | 75% | 75% | ||
| Threshold | 65% | 65% |
Graduation Rates
National comparative data are not available for The Mental Health Counseling program. The program has established a goal of 90% with a minimum threshold of 80%. Data reported by cohort year.
Graduation Rate
| 2017 | 2018 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Belmont | 67% | 79% | 100% | 94% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
Note: 2018 is the first year that Belmont awarded the M.A. in Mental Health Counseling degree.
Job Placement Rates
Job Placement Rates: 100% of graduates in 2022 are employed which exceeds the stated goal of 90%.
Job Placement Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 100% | 94% | 100% | 100% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
Note: 2018 is the first year that Belmont awarded the M.A. in Mental Health Counseling degree.
Licensure Passage Rates
The School of Education measures the percentage of BU teacher education program completers who
pass required teacher licensure assessments (all Praxis and edTPA assessments). The program has set a
goal of 90% with a minimum threshold of 85%. The Teacher Licensure Assessment pass rate in 2021 for
Belmont students was 100%, which is above the program’s goal of 90%.
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 93% | 95% | 100% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 85% | 85% | 85% |
Graduation Rates
Graduation rates are based on 150% of normal times based on program length and are shown by cohort year. Programs with the same program length are grouped together as most cohort sizes are small. The College of Education has established a goal of 90% with a minimum threshold of 80%. The most recent graduation rates for programs in the College of Education are above the threshold.
MAT Graduate Education and MED Reading Specialist
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Belmont | 79% | 76% | 88% | 86% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
MED Learning & Org. Change; MED Organizational Leader & Comm; MM Music Education
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Belmont | 67% | 50% | 91% | 63% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
MED Graduate Education; MED Non Profit Leadership
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | |
| Belmont | 45% | 100% | 80% | 100% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
Job Placement Rates
Job placement rates for students in the Graduate Education program were 100% in 2021 which exceeds the stated goal of 90%.
First Destination Rate
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Belmont | 86% | 95% | 100% | 100% |
| Goal | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Threshold | 86% | 86% | 86% | 86% |
Data is collected using the First Destination Survey methodology.
The Bachelor of Architecture program began accepting students in the fall 2020 semester. This 5-year
program will produce its first graduates in the spring of 2025. Belmont licensure rates for this program
will be compared to the national average.
*Accreditation pending through National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).