St. Luke’s School of Nursing was recently ranked fifth out of 76 programs in Pennsylvania, according to the website RegisteredNursing.com.

The rankings are based on the performance of the school’s graduates on the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse board exam.

“This ranking is a validation of how St. Luke’s School of Nursing carries out its mission of providing quality nursing education to a diverse group of students that enables them to become leaders in providing compassionate, high quality health care to those they serve,” said school Director Sandra Mesics.

“For the past five years, we have exceeded the national average pass rate on boards,” Mesics said. “Our pass rate on this exam has ranged from 89 to 98 percent while the national average is 82 to 90 percent.”

The school’s pass rate for this ranking was 95.79 percent.

Established in 1884, St. Luke’s School of Nursing was the fourth nursing school in the United States. It remains the oldest, continuously operating school of nursing in the country. More than 4,000 have graduated since its founding.