Nursing Schools in Pennsylvania (2026)

159 accredited nursing programs found

159

Nursing Schools

54 / 105

Public / Private

$9,862

Avg Public Tuition

60.6%

Avg Grad Rate

Pennsylvania has 159 nursing-relevant schools in this directory, 54 public and 105 private — a private-heavy mix unusual among large states. Average in-state tuition is $27,827, the highest in this five-state group, and the public/private gap is notable: $9,862 at public schools versus $33,454 at private. The 25th-to-75th-percentile tuition range runs from $12,512 to $39,570, so the typical Pennsylvania program is meaningfully more expensive than its California or Florida equivalent. The cheapest tracked program is Community College of Philadelphia at $4,632 per year, and the largest by undergraduate enrollment is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus at about 41,862.

Across these programs the average graduation rate is 60.6 percent and the average retention rate is 73.2 percent. Reported median post-graduation earnings average $51,655 — the highest of the top-five states by school count — and median federal debt at graduation averages $19,046, also the highest in this group. The combination of a strong tradition of bachelor's-prepared nursing, several large academic medical centers in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and a private-dominated school landscape produces a higher cost basis with higher returns.

Registered Nurse Market in Pennsylvania

BLS wage and employment data for registered nurses

+5% projected growth

10th Percentile

$58,730

Median

$78,560

90th Percentile

$106,220

Employment

137,730

Openings

193,100

Registered Nurse Salary in Pennsylvania

Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024

Median Salary

$78,560

Mean Salary

$81,370

Entry Level (10th %)

$58,730

Experienced (90th %)

$106,220

RNs Employed: 137,730

vs National Median: -16% (below $93,600)

Job Growth (2023-2033): +5%

Average Tuition

$27,827

Matches the Pennsylvania average of $27,827.

Graduation Rate

60.6%

0.0%

Matches the Pennsylvania average of 60.6%.

Median Earnings

$51,655

Matches the Pennsylvania median of $51,655.

Tuition Overview

Avg Public Tuition	$9,862
Lowest Tuition	$4,632
Highest Tuition	$68,380
Avg Private Tuition	$33,454

Student Outcomes

Avg Graduation Rate	60.6%
Avg Earnings After Grad	$53,124
Avg Student Debt	$19,046
Total Enrollment	366,887

Most Affordable Nursing Schools in Pennsylvania

#1 Lowest

Community College of Philadelphia

$4,632

#2 Lowest

Community College of Allegheny County

$4,842

#3 Lowest

Bucks County Community College

$5,021

#4 Lowest

Lehigh Carbon Community College

$5,215

#5 Lowest

Northampton County Area Community College

$5,310

Highest Graduation Rates in Pennsylvania

Greene County Career and Technology Center

100.0%

#3 Grad Rate

University of Pennsylvania

96.8%

#4 Grad Rate

Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center

96.7%

#5 Grad Rate

YTI Career Institute-Altoona

95.0%

All Nursing Schools in Pennsylvania

Institution	City	Type	Tuition (In-State)	Grad Rate	Earnings After	Enrollment
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	University Park	Public	$20,234	85.7%	$63,435	41,862
Temple University	Philadelphia	Public	$22,082	74.7%	$63,727	21,249
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus	Pittsburgh	Public	$21,524	84.3%	$66,125	20,189
West Chester University of Pennsylvania	West Chester	Public	$10,687	69.8%	$61,258	14,067
Drexel University	Philadelphia	Private	$60,663	77.1%	$84,648	13,509
Community College of Philadelphia	Philadelphia	Public	$4,632	19.7%	$40,852	11,312
University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	Private	$66,104	96.8%	$111,371	10,768
Harrisburg Area Community College	Harrisburg	Public	$7,373	20.5%	$42,007	9,802
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania	Bloomsburg	Public	$11,046	53.0%	$52,416	9,309
Community College of Allegheny County	Pittsburgh	Public	$4,842	23.4%	$39,449	9,305
Pennsylvania Western University	California	Public	$11,388	51.0%	$47,295	8,134
Northampton County Area Community College	Bethlehem	Public	$5,310	21.2%	$41,566	7,512
Montgomery County Community College	Blue Bell	Public	$6,270	23.3%	$46,108	7,181
Delaware County Community College	Media	Public	$6,660	20.5%	$45,391	7,065
Villanova University	Villanova	Private	$64,701	92.4%	$100,423	7,005
Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus	Indiana	Public	$11,380	52.4%	$51,019	6,893
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	Slippery Rock	Public	$10,507	65.9%	$53,032	6,728
Lehigh University	Bethlehem	Private	$62,180	89.2%	$105,584	5,803
Millersville University of Pennsylvania	Millersville	Public	$12,262	54.4%	$55,246	5,610
Duquesne University	Pittsburgh	Private	$47,146	75.5%	$74,742	5,216
Bucks County Community College	Newtown	Public	$5,021	28.4%	$47,324	5,199
Saint Joseph's University	Philadelphia	Private	$51,340	79.8%	$86,881	4,742
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania	East Stroudsburg	Public	$11,036	43.8%	$56,148	4,611
Lehigh Carbon Community College	Schnecksville	Public	$5,215	28.3%	$42,436	4,465
Pennsylvania College of Technology	Williamsport	Public	$17,940	50.4%	$52,567	4,254
Thomas Jefferson University	Philadelphia	Private	$45,683	68.2%	$77,449	3,708
University of Scranton	Scranton	Private	$52,309	80.8%	$74,652	3,589
Reading Area Community College	Reading	Public	$6,270	25.6%	$39,082	3,338
Luzerne County Community College	Nanticoke	Public	$6,450	21.4%	$40,437	3,241
York College of Pennsylvania	York	Private	$24,606	59.7%	$61,012	3,187
Robert Morris University	Moon Township	Private	$34,940	65.5%	$62,105	2,866
Widener University	Chester	Private	$53,638	63.5%	$70,920	2,765
Westmoreland County Community College	Youngwood	Public	$5,880	25.4%	$37,439	2,628
Gannon University	Erie	Private	$37,951	69.5%	$58,845	2,467
Messiah University	Mechanicsburg	Private	$40,640	78.5%	$54,064	2,318
Holy Family University	Philadelphia	Private	$33,968	60.4%	$62,235	2,298
Grove City College	Grove City	Private	$20,890	79.7%	N/A	2,221
Mercyhurst University	Erie	Private	$44,510	58.7%	$47,452	2,217
DeSales University	Center Valley	Private	$44,800	71.0%	$61,295	2,113
Alvernia University	Reading	Private	$42,810	58.5%	$55,055	2,042
Eastern University	Saint Davids	Private	$37,420	56.0%	$51,655	1,978
Moravian University	Bethlehem	Private	$52,000	71.1%	$61,860	1,970
La Salle University	Philadelphia	Private	$35,570	57.9%	$67,416	1,966
Franklin and Marshall College	Lancaster	Private	$68,380	86.0%	$76,124	1,904
Wilkes University	Wilkes-Barre	Private	$42,286	60.3%	$63,454	1,893
Butler County Community College	Butler	Public	$5,610	31.2%	$38,891	1,882
Lackawanna College	Scranton	Private	$17,950	37.7%	$41,000	1,837
Marywood University	Scranton	Private	$39,570	72.5%	$55,817	1,821
Elizabethtown College	Elizabethtown	Private	$36,842	77.1%	$62,399	1,815
Arcadia University	Glenside	Private	$48,290	64.0%	$58,336	1,799
Muhlenberg College	Allentown	Private	$60,240	80.3%	$69,107	1,777
Lincoln University	Lincoln University	Public	$12,512	52.1%	$43,167	1,712
Lebanon Valley College	Annville	Private	$50,320	72.5%	$62,621	1,670
Misericordia University	Dallas	Private	$38,370	69.2%	$64,313	1,632
Seton Hill University	Greensburg	Private	$41,414	71.0%	$51,748	1,581
Neumann University	Aston	Private	$37,300	46.1%	$57,817	1,574
Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences	Lancaster	Private	$31,866	67.0%	$69,731	1,548
Saint Francis University	Loretto	Private	$41,720	72.8%	$62,101	1,525
King's College	Wilkes-Barre	Private	$42,600	60.1%	$59,498	1,519
Lancaster Bible College	Lancaster	Private	$29,990	71.4%	$44,096	1,511
Carlow University	Pittsburgh	Private	$34,502	55.2%	$51,051	1,336
Immaculata University	Immaculata	Private	$28,550	64.5%	$75,701	1,265
Saint Vincent College	Latrobe	Private	$41,100	72.2%	$59,982	1,264
Chatham University	Pittsburgh	Private	$43,810	66.2%	$52,410	1,252
Allegheny College	Meadville	Private	$54,960	66.5%	$62,069	1,209
Juniata College	Huntingdon	Private	$56,402	68.9%	$56,918	1,175
Gwynedd Mercy University	Gwynedd Valley	Private	$38,310	58.5%	$67,145	1,141
Mount Aloysius College	Cresson	Private	$26,156	55.6%	$46,165	1,123
Community College of Beaver County	Monaca	Public	$7,290	21.1%	$45,090	1,092
Waynesburg University	Waynesburg	Private	$29,460	60.5%	$58,537	1,081
Westminster College	New Wilmington	Private	$39,470	65.9%	$53,861	1,051
Geneva College	Beaver Falls	Private	$33,610	61.5%	$50,004	1,000
Chestnut Hill College	Philadelphia	Private	$39,410	56.1%	$52,015	931
Harcum College	Bryn Mawr	Private	$29,900	38.8%	$46,827	904
Keystone College	La Plume	Private	$17,850	41.2%	$44,976	870
Institute of Medical Careers	Pittsburgh	For-Profit	N/A	85.8%	N/A	866
Cedar Crest College	Allentown	Private	$44,934	58.2%	$59,460	857
All-State Career School	Essington	For-Profit	N/A	45.5%	$38,495	831
Pittsburgh Technical College	Oakdale	Private	$18,980	53.1%	$40,770	822
Peirce College	Philadelphia	Private	$15,060	5.3%	$50,660	789
La Roche University	Pittsburgh	Private	$33,120	57.7%	$52,341	786
Cairn University-Langhorne	Langhorne	Private	$32,625	65.2%	$44,172	782
Thiel College	Greenville	Private	$36,864	43.5%	$49,714	773
Wilson College	Chambersburg	Private	$27,000	51.8%	$43,326	745
Central Penn College	Summerdale	For-Profit	$19,404	38.9%	$45,370	721
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College	Johnstown	Public	$6,990	40.9%	$38,752	719
Pennsylvania Institute of Technology	Media	Private	$14,445	32.6%	$35,703	661
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology	Harrisburg	Private	$23,900	43.4%	$52,374	650
Cabrini University	Radnor	Private	$35,815	50.5%	$59,038	645
Pennco Tech-Bristol	Bristol	For-Profit	N/A	78.0%	$43,493	603
UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing	Pittsburgh	Private	$16,190	42.9%	$68,801	594
Johnson College	Scranton	Private	$20,733	47.1%	$55,194	549
YTI Career Institute-York	York	For-Profit	N/A	40.8%	$40,672	497
Philadelphia Technician Training	Philadelphia	Private	N/A	50.0%	N/A	492
Manor College	Jenkintown	Private	$19,964	24.4%	$46,825	462
Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia	Philadelphia	For-Profit	N/A	41.2%	$32,473	406
Lancaster School of Cosmetology & Therapeutic Bodywork	Lancaster	For-Profit	N/A	85.7%	$29,738	393
Laurel Business Institute	Uniontown	For-Profit	$11,470	79.4%	$30,819	390
St Lukes Hospital School of Nursing	Bethlehem	Private	N/A	N/A	$80,244	340
UPMC Jameson School of Nursing	New Castle	Private	$15,498	57.1%	$70,472	332
Clarks Summit University	Clarks Summit	Private	$32,400	54.2%	$38,818	331
CDE Career Institute	Tannersville	For-Profit	N/A	55.7%	$30,894	308
UPMC Mercy School of Nursing	Pittsburgh	Private	$16,190	80.0%	$68,337	305
Great Lakes Institute of Technology	Erie	For-Profit	N/A	57.1%	$28,704	303
York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education	York	Public	N/A	89.1%	$54,322	288
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences	Reading	Private	$11,915	27.6%	$74,572	270
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center	Willow Street	Public	N/A	75.0%	$44,566	250
South Hills School of Business & Technology	State College	For-Profit	$19,208	60.5%	$35,539	241
Penn Commercial Business/Technical School	Washington	For-Profit	$13,654	72.7%	$31,736	223
Fortis Institute-Scranton	Scranton	For-Profit	$14,444	46.8%	$30,224	205
Douglas Education Center	Monessen	For-Profit	$18,950	81.7%	$30,814	200
Falcon Institute of Health and Science	Bethlehem	For-Profit	$27,140	64.3%	N/A	186
Erie Institute of Technology Inc	Erie	For-Profit	$15,768	84.2%	$41,951	183
Eastern Center for Arts and Technology	Willow Grove	Public	N/A	83.3%	$56,446	181
Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center	Altoona	Public	N/A	74.4%	$38,008	174
Laurel Technical Institute	Hermitage	For-Profit	$11,470	74.2%	$28,311	160
Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing	Pittsburgh	Private	$12,886	68.4%	$56,487	145
Roxborough Memorial Hospital School of Nursing	Philadelphia	For-Profit	N/A	N/A	$79,323	144
Cortiva Institute	King of Prussia	For-Profit	N/A	73.3%	$32,094	137
Commonwealth Technical Institute	Johnstown	Private	$7,714	74.4%	$21,632	132
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology	Pleasant Gap	Public	N/A	89.3%	$41,677	126
Citizens School of Nursing	Tarentum	Private	N/A	83.3%	$69,939	115
PITC Institute	Wyncote	For-Profit	N/A	33.1%	$58,389	113
YTI Career Institute-Altoona	Altoona	For-Profit	N/A	95.0%	$30,188	112
DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center	Johnstown	For-Profit	N/A	36.4%	$65,740	108
Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center Practical Nursing	Wilkes Barre	Public	N/A	37.0%	$48,705	102
Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center	Johnstown	Public	N/A	73.6%	$48,881	102
UPMC St. Margaret School of Nursing	Pittsburgh	Private	$16,190	50.0%	$67,327	91
Indiana County Technology Center	Indiana	Public	N/A	71.4%	$34,858	90
Lansdale School of Business	North Wales	For-Profit	$11,850	69.6%	$37,442	87
Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit LPN Career	Milton	Public	N/A	76.1%	$49,686	87
Chester County Intermediate Unit	Downingtown	Public	N/A	71.4%	$60,347	85
Valley Forge Military College	Wayne	Private	$32,176	94.3%	$50,798	83
Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County	Scranton	Public	N/A	N/A	$45,555	76
Schuylkill Technology Center	Frackville	Public	N/A	57.5%	$49,148	74
Lenape Technical School Practical Nursing Program	Ford City	Public	N/A	81.2%	$46,756	71
Fayette County Career & Technical Institute Practical Nursing Program	Uniontown	Public	N/A	71.1%	$49,229	69
Lebanon County Area Vocational Technical School	Lebanon	Public	N/A	48.3%	$56,364	64
Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center	Springville	Public	N/A	96.7%	N/A	59
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School	Oil City	Public	N/A	52.2%	$38,161	57
Joseph F McCloskey School of Nursing	Pottsville	Private	N/A	N/A	$86,138	55
Heritage Valley Health System School of Nursing	McKees Rocks	Private	$22,100	45.5%	$79,831	52
Franklin County Career and Technology Center	Chambersburg	Public	N/A	40.0%	$54,747	51
The Rapha School	Home	For-Profit	N/A	100.0%	N/A	51
Somerset County Technology Center	Somerset	Public	N/A	91.3%	$37,558	50
Delaware County Technical School-Practical Nursing Program	Broomall	Public	N/A	76.5%	$55,120	42
Washington Health System School of Nursing	Washington	Private	N/A	N/A	$63,504	39
Western Area Career & Technology Center	Canonsburg	Public	N/A	N/A	$43,189	39
Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology	Lewistown	Public	N/A	88.0%	$47,765	38
Sharon Regional School of Nursing	Sharon	For-Profit	N/A	46.2%	$74,189	37
Northern Tier Career Center	Towanda	Public	N/A	54.5%	$38,737	37
Clearfield County Career and Technology Center	Clearfield	Public	N/A	82.1%	$41,559	37
Jefferson County Dubois Area Vocational Technical Practical Nursing Program	Reynoldsville	Public	N/A	57.1%	$36,531	25
Crawford County Career and Technical Center Practical Nursing Program	Meadville	Public	N/A	83.3%	$46,611	25
European Medical School of Massage	Sinking Spring	For-Profit	N/A	84.6%	N/A	23
Greene County Career and Technology Center	Waynesburg	Public	N/A	100.0%	$34,231	19
ASPIRA City College	Philadelphia	Private	$12,147	0.0%	$34,857	12
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine	Erie	Private	N/A	N/A	N/A	10
Hazleton Area Career Center	Hazle TWP.	Public	N/A	N/A	$49,311	7

Nursing Schools by City in Pennsylvania

Nursing Guides & Resources

How to Become an RN RN Salary by State Most Affordable Programs Financial Aid & Scholarships BSN vs ADN Comparison Types of Nursing Degrees NCLEX Pass Rates Guide Compare Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

How many nursing schools are in Pennsylvania?

There are 159 nursing schools in Pennsylvania, including 54 public and 105 private institutions.

What is the average nursing school tuition in Pennsylvania?

Average in-state tuition across nursing schools in Pennsylvania is $27,827. Tuition ranges from $4,632 to $68,380 where data is available.

What is the average graduation rate for nursing schools in Pennsylvania?

The average graduation rate is 60.6%, with Greene County Career and Technology Center reporting the highest rate at 100.0%.

What is the average retention rate in Pennsylvania?

The average retention rate across nursing schools in Pennsylvania is 73.2%.

What do graduates from nursing schools in Pennsylvania earn?

The median schoolwide earnings figure among these institutions is $51,655 10 years after entry. This is institution-level outcomes data rather than nursing-only wage data.

What is the average student debt at nursing schools in Pennsylvania?

Average median debt among nursing schools in Pennsylvania is $19,046.

How much do registered nurses earn in Pennsylvania?

Registered nurses earn a median annual salary of $78,560, with the 10th percentile at $58,730 and the 90th percentile at $106,220.

What is the RN job outlook for Pennsylvania?

The RN occupation shows projected growth of 5% in this state, with 137,730 registered nurses employed in the latest BLS wage data.

Pennsylvania Nursing Market Context

BLS data for Pennsylvania shows an RN median annual wage of $78,560 and a mean of $81,370. The 10th to 90th percentile range runs from $58,730 to $106,220. Statewide RN employment is approximately 137,730 and the projected growth rate is 5 percent.

Median program debt of $19,046 against a $78,560 RN median wage is the tightest payback profile in this top-five group: each dollar of additional debt requires roughly the same monthly contribution to retire on the standard 10-year schedule, and Pennsylvania's BSN-heavy pipeline means more graduates carry that debt load than in community-college-dominated states. Graduates of the lower-cost public and community-college programs (well below the state average tuition) can substantially improve the equation. The state's mature healthcare-employer landscape — UPMC, Penn Medicine, Geisinger, and others — supports stable employment with measurable shift-differential and specialty-pay paths above the state median, and the 90th-percentile figure of $106,220 reflects what experienced specialty nurses in those systems can earn.

Nursing Programs in Other States

California 286 New York 193 Florida 184 Texas 159 Ohio 145 Illinois 119 North Carolina 101 Missouri 79 Georgia 78 Michigan 77