Information gathered as part of the Occupational Employment Statistics survey for May 2007, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows that there were 126,370 registered nurses practicing in Pennsylvania nursing jobs at that time. The average annual wage for nurses in Pennsylvania in May 2007 was $59,280, or $28.50 per hour. This is over $20,000 higher than the average pay across industries in Pennsylvania at that time, which was $38,960, or $18.73 per hour. This shows that those who choose Pennsylvania nursing careers enjoy a considerably higher than average standard of living in this state, while providing much needed services to the community every day.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-2009 Edition clearly states that registered nurses are currently enjoying an explosion of employment opportunities, which is expected to culminate in 587,000 new jobs by 2016, which would mean a 23% growth rate over employment levels in 2006, the beginning date of the report’s projections. This increase in demand is a result of the increasing health care needs of a growing and aging population, as well as the trend in the health care industry of using nurses for the provision or more patient services in an effort to keep health care costs down. Because of this anticipated growth, this is an exciting time for students considering Pennsylvania nursing programs and nursing careers.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also notes that registered nurses with at least a bachelor’s degree will have better and more abundant employment opportunities and opportunities for career advancement. Therefore, people looking at going into the field of nursing in Pennsylvania should keep this mind as they choose Pennsylvania nursing programs.