Nursing Assistants Salary in Pennsylvania
The median for nursing assistants in Pennsylvania is $44,590 a year, somewhat above the national $42,260 (+6%); the state ranks 22nd of 51 states by median. That is 10% less than the median across all occupations in Pennsylvania ($49,690). Among neighbouring states, New York and New Jersey pay more (up to $48,590 in New York) and Maryland, Delaware, Ohio and West Virginia pay less (down to $36,720 in West Virginia). Pennsylvania employs 67,740 nursing assistants, 11.2 per 1,000 jobs, the 6th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.20 means the occupation is more concentrated in Pennsylvania than nationally.
Pennsylvania vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $18.16 | $18.88 | $21.44 | $22.52 | $23.73 | $21.14 | 67,740 | 11.17 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $37,760 | $39,270 | $44,590 | $46,850 | $49,360 | $43,960 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.32 | $17.91 | $20.32 | $22.70 | $24.99 | $20.53 | 1,448,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $33,940 | $37,260 | $42,260 | $47,220 | $51,980 | $42,700 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 22nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 6th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.20
- Jobs per 1,000
- 11.17
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Pennsylvania's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania
16 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Pennsylvania publish a row for nursing assistants, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $22.22 | $46,220 | $38,600 | $49,860 | 30,680 | 10.59 | 1.14 |
| Reading, PA | $21.89 | $45,530 | $38,560 | $51,680 | 1,830 | 10.50 | 1.13 |
| Lebanon, PA | $21.80 | $45,340 | $37,850 | $53,350 | 730 | 13.58 | 1.46 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $21.76 | $45,260 | $37,970 | $53,680 | 540 | 9.00 | 0.97 |
| Lancaster, PA | $21.58 | $44,890 | $38,690 | $49,060 | 3,380 | 13.40 | 1.44 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $21.41 | $44,530 | $38,440 | $47,600 | 1,890 | 10.28 | 1.10 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $21.33 | $44,360 | $38,020 | $48,080 | 4,970 | 13.18 | 1.41 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $21.14 | $43,980 | $37,640 | $46,420 | 3,080 | 12.07 | 1.30 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $21.12 | $43,940 | $37,610 | $46,540 | 4,490 | 13.42 | 1.44 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $20.71 | $43,080 | $37,990 | $47,620 | 12,140 | 10.90 | 1.17 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $20.44 | $42,520 | $37,900 | $48,300 | 370 | 11.58 | 1.24 |
| Williamsport, PA | $19.15 | $39,830 | $37,350 | $45,290 | 730 | 14.73 | 1.58 |
| State College, PA | $18.96 | $39,440 | $37,340 | $44,570 | 540 | 7.91 | 0.85 |
| Erie, PA | $18.96 | $39,430 | $37,240 | $45,320 | 1,800 | 14.90 | 1.60 |
| Altoona, PA | $18.69 | $38,870 | $36,750 | $46,780 | 820 | 13.96 | 1.50 |
| Johnstown, PA | $18.64 | $38,760 | $34,550 | $42,820 | 440 | 9.27 | 1.00 |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $18.89 | $39,290 | $36,750 | $45,530 | 1,140 | 8.81 | 0.95 |
| Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $18.77 | $39,040 | $35,450 | $44,960 | 2,870 | 15.31 | 1.64 |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $18.54 | $38,570 | $36,210 | $45,560 | 1,860 | 12.50 | 1.34 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $18.50 | $38,480 | $36,160 | $45,480 | 1,290 | 9.16 | 0.98 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $21.44 | $44,590 | 67,740 | 1.20 |
| Delaware | $20.21 | $42,030 | 5,530 | 1.22 |
| Maryland | $20.79 | $43,240 | 27,720 | 1.08 |
| New Jersey | $22.52 | $46,830 | 32,400 | 0.81 |
| New York | $23.36 | $48,590 | 87,990 | 0.97 |
| Ohio | $18.76 | $39,010 | 63,280 | 1.22 |
| West Virginia | $17.66 | $36,720 | 9,390 | 1.44 |
See the national page for Nursing Assistants (every state ranked) and the Pennsylvania wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Pennsylvania estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.