Registered nurses in Pennsylvania earn an average of $76,000 per year (or $36.54 per hour).
Pennsylvania
8% lower than the national average
$76,000
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Pennsylvania registered nurses earn 8% lower than the national average salary for RNs, at $82,750 (or $39.78 per hour).
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90th Percentile | $98,680 | $47 |
75th Percentile | $81,620 | $39 |
Median | $76,940 | $36 |
25th Percentile | $62,480 | $30 |
80% of Pennsylvania RNs earn between $59,640 and $98,680.
Cost-of-living adjusted registered nurse salary in Pennsylvania
Cost-Of-Living Adjusted
Pennsylvania
$77,868
Overall Average
Pennsylvania
$76,000
Adjusted for cost-of-living, Pennsylvania RNs earn about $77,868 per year. Cost-of-living in Pennsylvania is 2% lower than the national average, meaning they face lower prices for food, housing, and transportation compared to other states.
Highest paying cities in Pennsylvania for registered nurses
Philadelphia, PA | $81,860 per year |
Chambersburg, PA | $77,240 per year |
Allentown, PA | $76,210 per year |
Reading, PA | $75,260 per year |
Harrisburg, PA | $75,110 per year |
Pennsylvania nursing salaries vary from region to region across the state. The area where registered nurses are paid the highest is Philadelphia, where the average RNs salary is $81,860 and 73,510 registered nurses are currently employed. The Chambersburg area comes in second, with a $77,240 average RN salary and 1,250 registered nurses employed.
How much do similar professions get paid in Pennsylvania?
Nurse Anesthetist | $203,150 per year |
Nurse Practitioner | $117,260 per year |
Nurse Midwife | $111,980 per year |
Physical Therapist | $94,400 per year |
Dental Hygienist | $71,710 per year |
Licensed Practical Nurse | $51,090 per year |
Pharmacy Technician | $34,760 per year |
At a $76,000 average annual salary, RNs in Pennsylvania tend to earn less than nurse anesthetists ($203,150), nurse practitioners ($117,260), nurse midwives ($111,980), and physical therapists ($94,400). They tend to earn more than dental hygienists ($71,710), licensed practical nurses ($51,090), and pharmacy technicians ($34,760).
More about registered nurses
Registered nurses are licensed practitioners who help provide crucial care to patients in a wide variety of settings. Generally, they work under the supervision of a doctor or a nurse practitioner. Their day-to-day responsibilities depend on the specialty in which they choose to practice. Some of the most common specialties include ICU, pediatric, and medical-surgical nurses.
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Pennsylvania is one of the middle paying states for registered nurses. The registered nurse salary in Pennsylvania is $71,410 per year. This means that nurses in Pennsylvania earn an average of $34.33 per hour. On the other hand, the national average for registered nurses is $77,460 per year. This annual salary is approximately $37.24 per hour.
(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Use Salary Explorer to see which cities in Pennsylvania are paying registered nurses the most.
Highest Paying Cities in
Pennsylvania
For Travel Nurses
Highest Paying Cities For Travel Nurses
Average gross weekly nurse pay in the top cities/wider metro area
- Lebanon - $2,941
- Harrisburg - $2,554
- East Stroudsburg - $2,431
- Williamsport - $2,351
- Carlisle - $2,345
- Erie - $2,323
- Altoona - $2,319
- Allentown - $2,310
- Hazleton - $2,276
- Danville - $2,212
(Trusted Health Data)
Highest Paying Cities in
Pennsylvania
For Registered Nurses
Highest Paying Cities For Registered Nurses
Average annual nurse salary in the following cities/wider metro areas
- Philadelphia/Camden/Wilmington (PA-NJ-DE-MD) - $77,640
- Chambersburg/Waynesboro - $76,150
- Harrisburg/Carlisle - $73,760
- Lebanon - $72,410
- Reading - $71,000
- Gettysburg - $70,870
- Williamsport - $70,580
- Lancaster - $69,800
- York/Hanover - $69,010
- Bloomsburg/Berwick - $68,690
- Pittsburgh - $67,870
(Data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics)
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Full breakdown of pay data and cost of living in cities across the US
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Highest Paying Nurse Specialties in
Pennsylvania
Highest Paying Nurse Specialties
Average annual nurse salary for the following nurse specialties
- Med/Surg Nurse - $97,061 (Range of $87,809 - $108,129)
- Progressive Care Nurse - $86,533 (Range of $76,171 - $98,097)
- Operating Room Nurse - $78,708 (Range of $70,619 - $87,010)
- Emergency Nurse - $76,576 (Range of $68,381 - $85,053)
- ICU Nurse - $76,062 (Range of $68,533 - $82,660)
- Labor and Delivery Nurse - $73,900 (Range of $67,300 - $83,700)
- Pediatric Nurse - $72,300 (Range of $65,600 - $82,800)
(Data courtesy of Salary.com)
Cost of Living
Pennsylvania
Cost of Living
Although nurse salaries in Pennsylvania may be 8% lower than the national average, living in Pennsylvania costs about average. Pennsylvania ranks close to the national cost of living index. While your nursing salary may be lower, the cost of rent alone may make up for it. For more detailed cost of living by city, check out the nurse Salary Explorer.
(Data courtesy of
World Population Review)
Job Growth for Nurses in
Pennsylvania
Job Growth for Nurses
Pennsylvania is a popular destination for staff and travel nurses alike. In 2018, Pennsylvania was home to more than 151,750 nurses.
However, Pennsylvania has a strong job outlook, as the number of
nurses in Pennsylvania is expected to grow. Registered nurse jobs are forecasted to grow by more than 15% between 2018 and 2028, bringing the total number of working nurses in Pennsylvania to more than 170,720.
(Data courtesy of Projections Central)