What does a Registered Nurses salary really buy you in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania is 3.8% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Pennsylvania's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 96.2, meaning prices are 3.8% lower the national average. A Registered Nurses earning $82,780 in Pennsylvania has the equivalent purchasing power of $86,049 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $64,820 | $67,380 | +$2,560 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $76,320 | $79,334 | +$3,014 |
| Median (P50) | $82,780 | $86,049 | +$3,269 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $100,620 | $104,594 | +$3,974 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $109,740 | $114,074 | +$4,334 |
A Registered Nurses in Pennsylvania earns $82,780 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 4% further — like earning $86,049 in an average-cost state. This makes Pennsylvania one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Registered Nurses salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Pennsylvania ranks #29 out of 51 states for Registered Nurses after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Registered Nurses take-home pay in Pennsylvania after taxes →
A Registered Nurses in Pennsylvania earns a median salary of $82,780 per year. After adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (RPP=96.2), the real purchasing power is $86,049 — a +4.0% difference.
Pennsylvania's cost of living is 3.8% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Pennsylvania is 96.2 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Registered Nurses in Pennsylvania: $82,780 x (100 / 96.2) = $86,049. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Registered Nurses in Pennsylvania enjoys 4.0% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.