Last Updated: May 2026
Philadelphia RN Salary 2026: What Nurses Actually Earn in the City of Brotherly Love
Quick Answer: Philadelphia RNs earn an average of $84,200/year ($40.48/hr) in 2026 — about $5,200 above the Pennsylvania average but $25,000 below NYC. Penn Medicine and CHOP top the local market at $90,000–$118,000 for experienced nurses. Philadelphia's 3.79% city wage tax cuts take-home by ~$3,200/year versus a suburban commuter — a real financial consideration when choosing where to live.
Philadelphia sits at the intersection of some of the most prestigious academic medicine in the country — Penn Medicine, CHOP, Jefferson, and Temple all operate here — and a cost-of-living that, while rising, still undercuts NYC and DC by a meaningful margin. For nurses, that combination creates a market where $84,200/year goes further than it sounds, especially for those who live in surrounding suburbs and sidestep the city's 3.79% wage tax.
The key variable in Philadelphia nursing compensation isn't just the base rate — it's whether you're covered by a PASNAP union contract. Nurses at Penn Medicine and CHOP who reach the top of a union step scale can clear $115,000–$118,000/year, which puts them within range of NYC-market nurses despite a substantially lower cost of living.
Philadelphia RN Salary by Experience (2026)
Experience is the single biggest driver of compensation in the Philadelphia market, especially at union hospitals where step increases are contractually guaranteed. A nurse who joins Penn Medicine as a new grad and stays 15 years can nearly double their starting salary through step increases alone.
Philadelphia RN salary by years of experience, 2026. BLS OEWS Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington MSA data.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| New Grad (0–1 yr) | $64,800/yr | $31.15/hr |
| 2–3 Years | $72,400/yr | $34.81/hr |
| 5 Years | $84,200/yr | $40.48/hr (market avg) |
| 10 Years | $97,600/yr | $46.92/hr |
| 15+ Years (union top step) | $118,000/yr | $56.73/hr (PASNAP max) |
RN Salary by Hospital in Philadelphia (2026)
Philadelphia's hospital market is dominated by academic medical centers — which is good news for nurses who want the highest pay. Magnet designation, union contracts, and trauma-center designation all push wages up. Penn Medicine leads the market; community hospitals in the suburbs can pay 15–20% less for the same role.
Philadelphia-area hospital RN salary ranges, 2026.
| Hospital / System | RN Salary Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Penn Medicine / HUP | $90,000–$118,000 | Magnet, PASNAP union, Level I trauma |
| Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) | $85,000–$112,000 | Magnet, peds specialty premium |
| Jefferson Health | $78,000–$96,000 | Multi-campus, growing system |
| Temple University Hospital | $72,000–$90,000 | PASNAP union, Level I trauma |
| Main Line Health | $76,000–$95,000 | Suburban flagship, competitive |
| Einstein Medical Center | $74,000–$88,000 | Safety-net hospital, Level I trauma |
| Doylestown Health | $72,000–$86,000 | North suburban, community hospital |
| Virtua Health (South Jersey) | $70,000–$85,000 | NJ market, no NJ city wage tax |
PASNAP note: The Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals represents nurses at Penn Medicine, Temple University Hospital, and several other Philadelphia facilities. PASNAP contracts include negotiated step increases, differential pay schedules, and mandatory nurse-to-patient ratio language. Being at a PASNAP hospital adds an average of $8,000–$14,000/year versus comparable non-union systems in the region.
Philadelphia RN Salary by Specialty (2026)
CHOP's level IV NICU creates one of the strongest pediatric specialty premiums in the country — NICU nurses there consistently earn at the top of the range below. For adult critical care and OR nursing, Penn Medicine's Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) is the regional benchmark.
Philadelphia RN specialty salary ranges, 2026.
| Specialty | Salary Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CRNA | $198,000–$228,000 | Highest-paid — Penn, CHOP, Jefferson |
| NICU | $90,000–$110,000 | CHOP premium for level IV NICU |
| ICU / Critical Care | $88,000–$108,000 | HUP MICU/SICU top payers |
| OR / Surgical | $85,000–$105,000 | Robotic surgery premium at HUP |
| Labor & Delivery | $82,000–$100,000 | High-volume L&D at HUP, Jefferson |
| Emergency / ED | $80,000–$98,000 | Level I trauma centers pay more |
| Oncology | $82,000–$100,000 | Penn Cancer, CHOP oncology premium |
| Med-Surg | $70,000–$84,000 | Baseline — entry point for most floors |
Philadelphia City Wage Tax: What Your Take-Home Actually Looks Like
Philadelphia is one of the few U.S. cities with a municipal wage tax — currently 3.79% for residents and 3.44% for non-residents (commuters). On an $84,200 salary, that's an additional $3,191/year coming out of your paycheck that nurses in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, or DC don't pay.
Estimated take-home for a Philadelphia RN earning $84,200/year, 2026. Individual circumstances vary — consult a tax professional.
| Deduction | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $84,200 | Philadelphia MSA avg |
| Federal Income Tax (22% bracket) | −$13,940 | Estimated after standard deduction |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | −$6,441 | 7.65% of gross |
| Pennsylvania State Tax (3.07%) | −$2,585 | Flat rate — no brackets |
| Philadelphia City Wage Tax (3.79%) | −$3,191 | Residents only — suburbs avoid this |
| Estimated Net Take-Home | ~$58,043/yr | ~$4,837/month |
The practical implication: many Philadelphia nurses choose to live in Montgomery County, Bucks County, or South Jersey (Camden or Cherry Hill areas) and commute in. Non-residents pay the lower 3.44% wage tax rate only on days worked in the city, and some suburban municipalities have no local income tax at all. The savings can reach $3,000–$4,500/year depending on your situation — effectively a small raise without changing jobs.
Use our nurse salary calculator to model your specific take-home based on salary, tax filing status, and pre-tax deductions like 403(b) contributions and health insurance.
Philadelphia vs. Nearby Markets: Is the Grass Greener?
Philadelphia competes for nurses with NYC, Baltimore, and DC — all within driving or Amtrak distance. Here's how the markets compare on gross salary and estimated net after taxes:
Philadelphia RN salary vs. comparable metro markets, 2026. BLS OEWS data.
| Market | Avg RN Salary | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $84,200/yr | After city tax: ~$58,043 net |
| Pittsburgh | $72,800/yr | Lower cost of living |
| New York City | $109,860/yr | Highest nominal — but highest taxes too |
| Baltimore | $81,400/yr | Similar COL to Philadelphia |
| Washington DC | $97,200/yr | Strong fed + academic market |
| Pennsylvania Average | $79,000/yr | Philadelphia adds ~$5,200 premium |
| National Average (BLS) | $89,010/yr | Philadelphia is 5.4% below national avg |
The Philadelphia-to-NYC gap looks large in gross terms ($84,200 vs. $109,860), but NYC nurses face their own high tax burden — New York City residents pay a city income tax of up to 3.876% on top of New York State's rates. After taxes and cost-of-living adjustment, the effective earnings advantage of NYC over Philadelphia narrows considerably. For nurses who can leverage PASNAP step increases at Penn Medicine or CHOP, Philadelphia's top-of-scale pay ($118,000) is fully competitive with mid-range NYC pay when adjusted for cost of living.
See the full comparison: NYC RN salary 2026 · New York state data · Pennsylvania RN salary
Travel Nurse Pay in Philadelphia (2026)
Philadelphia's density of Level I trauma centers, academic medical centers, and specialty hospitals makes it a consistently active travel nursing market. Penn Medicine, Jefferson, and Temple regularly post travel contracts, particularly for ICU, OR, and L&D specialties.
- ICU / Critical Care travel: $3,400–$4,200/week all-in (taxable base + housing + meals)
- OR / Surgical travel: $3,200–$4,000/week
- L&D travel: $3,000–$3,800/week
- Med-Surg / PCU travel: $2,600–$3,200/week
- NICU travel (CHOP-adjacent facilities): $3,500–$4,200/week
Travel nurses working in Philadelphia on 13-week contracts who maintain a tax home outside the area qualify for tax-free housing and meal stipends — which can add $800–$1,200/week in non-taxable income on top of the taxable base. That non-taxable stipend adds meaningful take-home value per contract — but is not directly comparable to staff annual salary, as travelers fund their own benefits and tax-home costs.
Compare agency offerings: Best travel nurse agencies 2026 · Travel nurse salary guide
How to Maximize Your Philadelphia RN Salary
Three levers move the needle most in the Philadelphia market:
- Target PASNAP hospitals: Penn Medicine and CHOP's union contracts provide automatic step increases every 1–2 years. A nurse who stays 10–15 years at either system will reach a salary level that's competitive with any non-union hospital in the country.
- Choose your specialty deliberately: The gap between a Med-Surg nurse ($70,000–$84,000) and a NICU nurse at CHOP ($90,000–$110,000) is $20,000+/year for the same experience level. Investing in a specialty certification — CCRN for critical care, RNC-NIC for NICU — unlocks higher pay bands and preferential hiring at the top systems.
- Model the tax math before accepting an offer: If two hospitals are within $5,000/year of each other and one is in the city while the other is in the suburbs, the suburban offer may net more after the city wage tax differential. Use the shift differential guide to model night/weekend premiums into your total comp.
Sources & Methodology: Salary ranges based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, 2024 data (published 2025). Hospital-level ranges sourced from Glassdoor, Indeed, and PASNAP public contract schedules. Take-home estimates use 2026 federal tax brackets (22% marginal), Pennsylvania flat 3.07% state rate, and Philadelphia city wage tax of 3.79% for residents. Individual results will vary based on filing status, deductions, and benefit elections. Consult a tax professional for personalized guidance.
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📊 Data Methodology
Salary figures on this page are 2026 estimates derived from the most recent available U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data, based on the May 2024 survey and published in March 2025. Estimated ranges may also incorporate publicly available 2025 job postings, hospital pay schedules, regional market conditions, and reported compensation trends.
Official 2026 OEWS wage data has not yet been released. All salary figures on this page should be treated as informational estimates rather than official government statistics or guaranteed compensation rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
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