Nursing in Pennsylvania: Requirements, Licensing, and Salary Outlook

Prospective nurses in PA can find salaries in the top 25% and the nation’s fifth-highest employment level of registered nurses (RNs), according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). U.S. News & World Report also ranks two nursing schools in PA among the country’s best for graduate degrees: University of Pennsylvania and University of Pittsburgh.

Keep reading for information about how to become a nurse in Pennsylvania, expected salaries, and projected employment growth rates.

Pennsylvania RNs complete nursing programs in PA to receive degrees in the field. Graduates are prepared to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs (NCLEX-RN) and qualify for state RN licensing. The steps below outline the process of becoming an RN in Pennsylvania, along with career advancement strategies.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing protects the health and safety of Pennsylvanians through regulation, licensure, approving nursing colleges in PA, and enforcing practice standards.

The board’s website offers a comprehensive guide to nursing licensure in the state. The website provides licensing information for new nurses and existing RNs from other states. The board also posts meeting minutes covering pending legislation such as enabling the state to join the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows nurses in compact states to practice under multistate licenses.

The Pennsylvania nursing board offers two options for becoming licensed RNs: licensure by examination for new nurses and licensure by endorsement for licensed out-of-state nurses. The board offers tips for aiding licensing applications, such as advising new RNs to apply while in nursing school to begin the criminal history check.

Professionals must renew PA nursing license every two years. Online applications typically open 30-60 days before the expiration date. Licensees submit renewal applications through the Pennsylvania Licensing System. The state requires a $122 fee for each two-year renewal period.

Each nurse renewing a PA nursing license must complete 30 continuing education hours from board-approved providers, such as professional nursing or accredited graduate nursing programs, accredited hospitals and healthcare facilities, and federal or state agencies. In addition, a renewal applicant must complete a board-approved child abuse recognition and reporting course for each two-year cycle.

The nursing board averages three days to issue renewal licenses after receiving completed applications.

The BLS ranks Pennsylvania RN salaries in the top 25% of U.S. states. RNs in PA make a mean salary of $74,170 as of May 2020. Statewide, RNs earn less than the national mean of $80,010. As the following table indicates, nurses working in the Reading metropolitan area make a little more than the national average, with a mean salary of $81,980. Philadelphia-based RNs fare better than the state average and earn $79,980.

Pennsylvania’s projected employment growth rate for 2018-2028 is 12.5%, according to Projections Central, exceeding the national projected growth rate of 7%.

U.S. News & World Report ranks hospitals based on two subcomponents: specialty rankings of patients with rare or life-threatening conditions and ratings for patients with more common ailments. The table below lists U.S. News’ top five Pennsylvania hospitals and provides a starting point for your job search.

To get a PA nursing license, you must earn an ADN or a BSN from a state board-approved, accredited nursing school and pass the NCLEX-RN exam and background checks. An RN licensed in another state can apply for PA licensure by endorsement with proof of licensure, RN training, and a criminal background check in their state.

RNs pay $122 for their renewal licenses every two years. Renewal requires 30 hours of continuing education from a state nursing board-approved provider and completion of a child abuse reporting course, which may carry additional costs.

No. Pennsylvania is not yet an NLC state, but the state introduced legislation to join the NLC in 2019. If passed, this will allow PA nurses to practice in other NLC states. This compact would also permit RNs from other NLC states to practice in PA under multistate licenses.

Currently, there are no restrictions on the number of times a candidate can take the NCLEX-RN. Examinees can apply to retake the exam at any time, but the time between examination dates spans about 46 days.