Registered Nurses · Pennsylvania

Registered Nurses Salary in Pennsylvania

Registered Nurses in Pennsylvania earn a median annual wage of $96,430 —1.1% below the national median of $97,550. That ranks PA #20 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$96,430
Median hourly
$46.36
Entry level (P10)
$70,800
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$117,900
90th percentile
Employment
146,520
24.2 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-1.1%
U.S. $97,550

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$70,800
$80,610
$96,430
$104,730
$70,800$96,430$117,900
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $96,430.

Employment concentration (1.11×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for registered nurses

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Pennsylvania is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1California$140,270$67.44338,9400.86
2Hawaii$136,320$65.5412,9400.95
3Oregon$129,010$62.0239,7300.93
4Washington$124,200$59.7169,2600.90
5Alaska$109,480$52.647,5101.06
6New York$109,440$52.62205,8100.98
7New Jersey$106,500$51.2092,6800.99
8Massachusetts$104,550$50.2788,2001.12
9Nevada$103,670$49.8427,0700.80
10Connecticut$102,740$49.3940,1101.09

Related occupations in Pennsylvania

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Pennsylvania.

OccupationPennsylvania medianU.S. median
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,940$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$40,040$45,750
Physicians, All Other$217,310$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$51,680$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$130,140$132,300
Pharmacists$138,160$140,910

Frequently asked questions

How much do registered nurses make in Pennsylvania?

The median annual wage for registered nurses in Pennsylvania is $96,430, or $46.36 per hour. That is 1.1% below the national median of $97,550.

What is the entry-level registered nurses salary in Pennsylvania?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $70,800 per year ($34.04/hour). The 25th percentile is $80,610.

How many people work as registered nurses in Pennsylvania?

About 146,520 people work in this occupation in Pennsylvania, or 24.2 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Pennsylvania a good state for registered nurses?

Pennsylvania ranks #20 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (1.11x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays registered nurses the most?

California has the highest median wage at $140,270 per year, followed by Hawaii ($136,320) and Oregon ($129,010).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes