VTNE Pass Rate by School: How Programs Compare (Penn Foster, Ashworth & More)
Compare VTNE pass rate by school — Penn Foster, Ashworth, Purdue and more — plus where to find official three-year pass-rate statistics and why your prep matters most.
If you are choosing a veterinary technology program — or you already enrolled and want to know what you are walking into — one number tends to dominate the comparison: the VTNE pass rate by school. It feels like the cleanest way to judge a program. The truth is more useful than that, and this guide walks you through how per-school pass rates are calculated, where to find the official figures for Penn Foster, Ashworth College, Purdue and any other accredited program, what the numbers actually mean, and why your own preparation matters far more than the badge on your diploma.
Last verified: June 2026 against AAVSB (aavsb.org) and AVMA CVTEA guidance. VTNE pass-rate statistics are published on a rolling three-year cycle and revised annually, and the figures below describe ranges rather than fixed values. Always confirm the current number for any specific program on that school's own website or on aavsb.org before you rely on it.
Why VTNE Pass Rate by School Matters
A program's VTNE pass rate is the closest thing prospective vet techs have to an objective outcome measure. It tells you, in one figure, how often a school's graduates clear the licensing exam that stands between them and a credential (CVT, RVT, or LVT). Because the VTNE is the same national exam everywhere, comparing pass rates across schools is roughly apples to apples — unlike comparing GPAs or course names, which mean different things at different institutions.
It is also a quality signal accreditors take seriously. Programs accredited by the AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) must keep their first-time pass rate above a minimum threshold to stay in good standing, so a healthy pass rate partly signals that a program meets national education standards. That said, the number has real limits, which we cover below: a high pass rate is reassuring but does not guarantee that you will pass, and a middling one does not doom you.
How the Three-Year Pass Rate Is Calculated
The figure programs report is a first-time, three-year pass rate. Two details matter here. "First-time" means it counts only candidates taking the VTNE for the very first time — retakes are excluded, which keeps the measure comparable across schools. "Three-year" means it pools the most recent three testing years into a single rolling average, so one unusually strong or weak graduating class cannot swing the number wildly.
The math is straightforward: of all the program's eligible graduates who sat the VTNE for the first time over the past three years, what percentage passed. A program that had 60 first-time candidates over three years and 48 passes reports an 80% three-year pass rate. Because small programs have small candidate counts, a single result can move their percentage by several points — a reason not to read tiny differences between schools as meaningful.
Where to Find Official VTNE Pass-Rate Statistics
The most reliable per-school numbers come from two places: the schools themselves and the bodies that aggregate the data. Treat third-party "best vet tech program" rankings and study-site blogs as starting points only — they often quote figures from different years, which is exactly why the same school turns up with several different pass rates around the web.
AAVSB Program Reports and CVTEA-Accredited Program Data
The VTNE is owned and administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), which compiles VTNE performance data, including national pass rates and program-level statistics. The AAVSB is the primary source for the national first-time pass rate that every school is measured against.
For individual programs, the AVMA CVTEA — the body that accredits veterinary technology programs in the United States — has historically required each accredited program to publish its first-time three-year VTNE pass rate, along with the number of first-time candidates, on the program's website, updated annually. So the most current official number for any school is usually one click away on that program's own page.
One important caveat as of 2026: in June 2025 the AVMA temporarily suspended the portions of its accreditation standard that require programs to post VTNE pass rates publicly, with the suspension anticipated to lift in 2026. Programs still collect and use the data internally, but during this window some schools may not display a current figure online. If you cannot find a school's number, ask the program's admissions office directly and ask which years it covers.
You can also check your state veterinary board: several publish VTNE statistics, including national year-by-year pass percentages, in their candidate resources.
Penn Foster VTNE Pass Rate
Penn Foster College runs one of the largest online, AVMA-CVTEA-accredited veterinary technician associate degree programs in the country, so its pass rate draws a lot of searches. Penn Foster reports a first-time three-year VTNE pass rate in roughly the low-to-mid 70% range — recent reporting windows have landed in the neighborhood of the low 70s to mid 70s, which puts the program around the national average for first-time test takers.
You will see noticeably different Penn Foster figures quoted around the web, from the low 70s up into the 90s. Those gaps are not contradictions so much as different measurements: different three-year windows, marketing copy versus the official accreditation figure, and first-time-only data versus all-attempts data. Because Penn Foster's official number is updated periodically and the exact window shifts each cycle, do not anchor on a blog's percentage — pull the current first-time three-year figure from Penn Foster's own veterinary technician program page before you enroll.
Ashworth College VTNE Pass Rate
Ashworth College historically offered an online veterinary technician associate degree, and its reported first-time three-year VTNE pass rate sat in roughly the low 60% range — below the national average, though still above the accreditation floor. Importantly, Ashworth has stopped accepting new enrollments in its veterinary technician program and now refers prospective students to its partner school, Penn Foster, for an AVMA-CVTEA-accredited online program.
If you are weighing Ashworth because of older content you found online, that is the key thing to verify first: confirm whether the program is currently enrolling and accredited at all before you compare its historical pass rate to anyone else's. An old pass-rate number for a program that is no longer taking students is not a useful basis for a decision.
Purdue and Other Top Programs
Purdue University's veterinary nursing program — including its well-known distance-learning track — is frequently cited among the strongest performers, with reported first-time pass rates well above the national average, often in the 80% to low-90% range depending on the year and whether the figure is the campus or distance-learning cohort. Several established campus-based programs report similarly high numbers, and the CVTEA has noted that a handful of programs nationwide reach a perfect 100% three-year mean.
The lesson from the top performers is less "pick this exact school" and more "look for a program with a consistent record." A program that has stayed comfortably above the national average across several reporting cycles shows durable quality, which matters more than a single eye-catching year.
Comparison Table: VTNE Pass Rate by School
The table below summarizes the general landscape. The percentages are approximate ranges drawn from recent reporting and are meant for orientation, not for ranking schools by a fraction of a point. Confirm the exact current figure on each program's website before you rely on it.
| Program | Format | Approx. first-time 3-year VTNE pass rate | Where to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| National average (all programs) | All | ~70% | aavsb.org / state board statistics |
| Penn Foster College | Online | ~Low-to-mid 70s% | Penn Foster vet tech program page |
| Ashworth College | Online (no longer enrolling) | ~Low 60s% | Ashworth / refers to Penn Foster |
| Purdue University (Vet Nursing) | Campus and distance | ~80%-low 90s% | Purdue Vet Nursing VTNE scores page |
| Top campus programs | Campus | ~80%-100% | Each program's website |
Online vs. Campus Program Pass Rates
Do online programs pass at lower rates than campus ones? It varies by program more than by format. Some online programs sit near or below the national average, while campus programs span a wide band too — there are strong and weak examples of both. What separates higher-passing programs is the quality of hands-on clinical training, curriculum rigor, and how well the program prepares students for the test specifically, not whether lectures are delivered in a classroom or online. A strong online program with solid clinical placements can match or beat a mediocre campus one.
Does Your School's Pass Rate Predict Your Result?
Here is the most important section of this article. A school's VTNE pass rate is a property of the group, not a prediction about you. If a program passes 75% of first-timers, that does not mean you have a 75% chance — your own preparation, study consistency, and clinical experience move your personal odds far more than the school average does.
Plenty of graduates from average-pass-rate programs pass comfortably on the first try, and some graduates from elite programs fail because they coasted. The VTNE is a 170-scored-item exam built on nine official content domains — Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Surgical Nursing, Dentistry, Laboratory Procedures, Animal Nursing, Diagnostic Imaging, Anesthesia, Emergency and Critical Care, and Pain Management/Analgesia — and it rewards candidates who have practiced across all nine, regardless of where they studied. For more, see our guides to what the VTNE is, the VTNE pass rate and passing score, and how the VTNE is scored.
This is also why preparation is the great equalizer. If you are wondering whether you even need a traditional program, our guide on whether you can take the VTNE without vet tech school covers the eligibility rules. But for almost everyone, the practical takeaway is the same: choose an accredited program with a solid, consistent record, then control the variable that is actually yours to control — how you study.
That is exactly what our platform is built for. Our timed practice bank holds 2,757 VTNE-style questions with full answer rationales, paired with a 2,283-card flashcard deck, all organized into 12 study categories that cover the nine official exam domains plus Communication and Ethics, Exotic Animal, and Large Animal. You can drill weak domains, take scored mock exams under real time pressure, and watch your readiness climb — no matter which school's name is on your transcript.
Your school's pass rate describes its past graduates. Your practice scores describe you. Make the second number the one you act on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Penn Foster's VTNE pass rate?
Penn Foster reports a first-time three-year VTNE pass rate in roughly the low-to-mid 70% range, placing it around the national average for first-time test takers. You will find different figures quoted online because they cover different three-year windows and sometimes mix first-time-only and all-attempts data. Confirm the current official number on Penn Foster's veterinary technician program page before relying on it.
What is Ashworth College's VTNE pass rate?
Ashworth College historically reported a first-time three-year VTNE pass rate in roughly the low 60% range, below the national average. Note that Ashworth has stopped enrolling new students in its veterinary technician program and now refers prospective students to its partner, Penn Foster, so verify whether the program is currently accredited and enrolling before comparing it to other schools.
Where can I find VTNE pass rates by school?
The most reliable sources are the schools themselves and the bodies that aggregate the data. AVMA-CVTEA-accredited programs have historically been required to publish their first-time three-year VTNE pass rate on their own websites, and the AAVSB (aavsb.org) compiles national and program statistics. Some state veterinary boards also publish VTNE statistics. Note that the public-posting requirement was temporarily suspended in 2025, so if a school's figure is missing online, ask its admissions office directly.
Does my school's VTNE pass rate affect my chances?
Only loosely. A pass rate describes how a school's past graduates performed as a group; it is not a prediction about you. Your own study habits, clinical experience, and how thoroughly you practice across all nine exam domains influence your personal result far more. Choose an accredited program with a consistent record, then focus on disciplined, domain-by-domain practice.
What is the national VTNE pass rate?
The national first-time three-year VTNE pass rate is roughly 70%, though the exact figure shifts year to year and AAVSB publishes updated statistics on a rolling basis. CVTEA-accredited programs must keep their three-year mean first-time pass rate above a minimum threshold (historically 50%) to remain in good standing. Check aavsb.org or your state board for the most current national number.
Are online vet tech programs' pass rates lower than campus programs?
Not inherently. Pass rates vary more by individual program than by delivery format. Some online programs perform near or below the national average while others do well, and campus programs span a wide range too. Curriculum rigor, quality of hands-on clinical training, and test-specific preparation matter more than whether the program is online or in person.
Your prep matters more than your program. Wherever you studied, the candidates who pass are the ones who practiced. Start a free VTNE practice test, drill all nine domains with 2,757 questions and full rationales, and take scored mock exams until your readiness is not a guess. Start your free VTNE practice test today.