SOC 29-1141 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Registered Nurses — Altoona
Altoona, PA · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Altoona, PA is $82,410 a year, trailing the national median of $97,550 by 15.5%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.9%
- Openings per year
- 189,100
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Altoona, PA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Altoona, PA is $82,410 a year, trailing the national median of $97,550 by 15.5%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $73,050 and $101,380. The lowest tenth earn under $63,880, while the highest tenth earn more than $102,360.
The area has 1,390 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 23.6 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, Allentown records the highest median at $101,440. Of the 241 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 36th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $63,880 | −34.5% |
| 25th | $73,050 | −25.1% |
| Median (50th) | $82,410 | −15.5% |
| 75th | $101,380 | +3.9% |
| 90th | $102,360 | +4.9% |
| Mean | $86,610 | −11.2% |
Other metro areas in Pennsylvania
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allentown | $101,440 | 10,860 | |
| 2 | Philadelphia | $101,180 | 73,790 | |
| 3 | Reading | $98,470 | 3,430 | |
| 4 | Harrisburg | $96,770 | 9,210 | |
| 5 | Lebanon | $96,270 | 1,300 | |
| 6 | York | $96,210 | 3,680 | |
| 7 | Williamsport | $94,300 | 1,230 | |
| 8 | Lancaster | $89,620 | 5,640 | |
| 9 | Gettysburg | $88,260 | 480 | |
| 10 | Chambersburg | $85,270 | 1,030 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Altoona run 10.5% below the national average, so the median of $82,410 goes as far as $92,078 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 5.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$82,410as reported by BLSLocal price level
89.5US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$92,078US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $82,410 a year, 15.5% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $63,880 to $102,360 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,390 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Allentown, at $101,440.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Registered Nurses in Altoona, PA?
The median annual wage is $82,410, or $39.62 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $97,550, so pay in Altoona, PA is 15.5% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Altoona, PA earns more than $102,360 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $63,880 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Allentown, at $101,440 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,390 jobs in this occupation in Altoona, PA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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