How many select all that apply questions are on the NCLEX?
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 3 min read · Updated November 2026
Short answer
There is no set number. NCSBN states there is no predetermined percentage of item formats on the NCLEX; items are chosen by your ability and item difficulty, regardless of format. Two candidates can see very different SATA counts on exams of the same length, and the count says nothing about whether you passed.
What NCSBN fixes, and what it leaves open
Some numbers are fixed. Under the 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, in effect from April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2029, every candidate answers 85 to 150 items in five hours. A minimum-length exam holds 52 content items, 18 case study items in three sets, and 15 unscored pretest items. The PN test plan uses the same 85 to 150 range.
The format mix is not fixed. NCSBN's FAQ says there is no predetermined percentage of item formats. Every exam also carries 15 unscored pretest items, so some of the SATA questions you see may not count at all. Any number you read online for SATA per exam is an estimate, not an NCSBN figure.
Why a lot of SATA is not a good sign, or a bad one
The NCLEX picks each item so that you have about a 50 percent chance of answering it correctly, matched to the test plan content areas. NCSBN says formats play no part in that choice. A run of SATA questions tells you which formats happened to fit those needs, not where you stand against the passing standard.
The same goes for questions that seem to repeat a topic. The 2026 Candidate Bulletin says it is incorrect to assume a similar item appeared because you missed the first one. Treat each SATA item as a fresh question and do not try to read your result from the screen.
How SATA is scored now, with a worked example
SATA items use the plus/minus rule. NCSBN describes it this way: you earn points for correct options you select and have points deducted for incorrect ones. The maximum score corresponds to the number of correct options, and the minimum is zero.
NCSBN does not publish the exact point values, so this example assumes one point per option as a simple illustration. Take a SATA with six options, three of them correct. Choose two correct options and one wrong one and you score 2 minus 1, so 1 of 3 points. Choose all six and you score 3 minus 3, which is zero. Choose only the three correct options and you get full credit. Adding options you doubt can cost points you had already earned.
Items that say select two or select three use a different rule, zero/one. You earn points for correct choices and nothing is deducted for wrong ones, so deductions apply only when the item says select all that apply.
Spotting a SATA item and the one-answer case
NCSBN marks these items with the qualifier select all that apply in bold. When you see it, at least one option is correct. NCSBN says one or more options will be correct, so a SATA can have a single correct answer.
That makes the count of correct options the wrong thing to aim for. Judge each option on its own as true or false for the client in the stem, then submit the set you would defend. Our guides on SATA strategy and partial credit go deeper on method.
Sources
NCLEX.com, Frequently Asked Questions. No predetermined percentage of item formats; SATA marked in bold with one or more correct options; plus/minus and zero/one scoring definitions; item count does not reveal result.
NCSBN, 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan. 85 to 150 items, five hours, 52 content items, 18 case study items, 15 pretest items, partial credit scoring methods, effective dates.
NCSBN, 2026 NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin. Items targeted at about a 50 percent chance of a correct answer; similar items do not mean a missed item.
NCSBN, 2026 NCLEX-PN Test Plan. PN exam length of 85 to 150 items.
Common questions
What percent of the NCLEX is select all that apply?
NCSBN does not set one. Its FAQ says there is no predetermined percentage of item formats, because items are chosen by your ability and item difficulty, regardless of format. The share differs from candidate to candidate.
Is getting a lot of SATA questions a good sign on the NCLEX?
No. NCSBN says formats do not affect which items you get. Neither the number of SATA items nor the total number of items reveals a pass or fail.
Do you get partial credit on NCLEX SATA questions?
Yes. SATA uses plus/minus scoring: points are earned for correct options and deducted for incorrect ones, with a minimum of zero. Items that name a number of choices use zero/one scoring with no deduction.