Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Pennsylvania make a median of $96,430 a year, or about $46.36 an hour. The range runs from $71K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $101,537 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 21.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $96K get you in Pennsylvania?
About registered nurses
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Registered nurses pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $96K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $71K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $101K | +5% | 10,860 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $101K | +5% | 73,790 |
| Reading | $98K | +2% | 3,430 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $97K | +0% | 9,210 |
| Lebanon | $96K | -0% | 1,300 |
| York-Hanover | $96K | -0% | 3,680 |
| Williamsport | $94K | -2% | 1,230 |
| Lancaster | $90K | -7% | 5,640 |
| Gettysburg | $88K | -8% | 480 |
| Chambersburg | $85K | -12% | 1,030 |
| Johnstown | $84K | -12% | 1,190 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $83K | -14% | 5,400 |
| Altoona | $82K | -15% | 1,390 |
| Pittsburgh | $82K | -15% | 29,360 |
| State College | $81K | -16% | 1,310 |
| Erie | $80K | -17% | 3,060 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $71K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,248/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $96K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Pennsylvania pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $96,430 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $70,800, and experienced registered nurses can clear $117,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,105/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 22.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a registered nurses salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median registered nurses salary is worth about $101,537 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do registered nurses get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.