Online ABSN for Pennsylvania Residents
Pennsylvania is the place to become a Registered Nurse.
Jobs for Registered Nurses (RNs) are expected to increase 12.5 percent in Pennsylvania by 2028, with an average of 10,510 openings each year. Pennsylvania also holds the nation’s fifth highest employment level of RNs, offering an annual mean wage of $71,410 according to the BLS.
Around Pennsylvania, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area is the number one, top metropolitan area with the highest employment of RNs in the county, and the Bloomsburg-Berwich area has the highest concentration of RN jobs.
There’s a lot to love about Pennsylvania, including all the possibilities for your career. Engage next-level education, create new opportunities, improve patient outcomes as an RN in Pennsylvania.
Ready to make a change? Let’s find the online ABSN program that’s right for you.
Get Started on Your Pennsylvania Nursing Career Sooner
An Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program can be completed in under two years.
Nurses with a BSN are becoming the industry standard, with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing strongly encouraging nurses to obtain bachelor’s degrees. Employers are also seeking to fulfill the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation of an 80 percent bachelor-holding workforce.
Universities nationwide are offering a host of accredited, online ABSN programs with various specializations open to residents of Pennsylvania. More than ever before, you can choose a career path that best suits your interests, background, and career goals.
12.5%
increase in Pennsylvania nursing jobs by 2028
10,510
nursing job openings per year
$71,410
average salary for a nurse in Pennsylvania
How to Get Your Nursing License in Pennsylvania
According to the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing, the state’s nursing licensure requirements are*:
- Graduation and transcripts from an approved ADN or BSN program
- Passing score on the NCLEX exam
- Application and application fee of $95 (if educated in-state) or $115 (if educated in another state)
- Three hours of training on recognizing child abuse from an approved provider
Pennsylvania is not a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state. Nurses with an NLC license can practice in their home state and any other Compact state or US territory that honors the Compact.
* The information in this resource is up to date as of March 2024. Remember that state-specific requirements for licensure change often, so you should also check the official nursing board website for your state to verify the current standards.
Find Your Passion and Your Specialty as a Nurse in Pennsylvania
Specializing gives nurses the opportunity to focus on a specific area of care and hone their clinical skills. Nurses who specialize can also choose from a wide variety of work environments.
Here are just a few examples of available nursing specialties:
- Clinical Development Specialist
- Geriatrics Specialist
- Hospice Nurse
- Home Health Care
- Infection Control
- Labor and Delivery Nurse
- Nurse Educator
With nearly 3 million nurses nationwide, those who pursue a specialty are in prime position to receive top pay in their field—especially as experience is gained.
Holy Family University Online ABSN Program
Holy Family University is a private Catholic institution that embraces diversity and inclusion, ensuring a welcoming and accessible learning community for everyone. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, their core values encourage students to pursue a holistic path that emphasizes family, respect, integrity, service and responsibility, learning, and vision. Holy Family's mission is to immerse students in the tradition of service so they can lead with purpose.
Admission requirements for Holy Family's second-degree hybrid ABSN program are as follows:
- Bachelor’s degree in any field
- 3.0 cumulative GPA
- (2.75 GPA in math and science prerequisite courses)
- Personal statement
- 1 letter of recommendation from a supervisor or academic professor
Benefits of Holy Family's Second Degree Distance Hybrid ABSN program include the following:
- 100% online coursework – Flexible learning with Synchronous and Asynchronous sessions make it easier to balance school responsibilities with life responsibilities.
- 1 on-campus residency – Build hands-on clinical skills in Holy Family's high-tech simulation lab help students translate theory into practice during the one on-campus residency visit.
- 14-month program – The degree can be completed in just 14 months, which is faster than many hybrid ABSN programs.
- Exam preparation – Holy Family's NCLEX-RN pass rates are above the national average.
Wilkes University Online ABSN Program
Wilkes University is a privately owned college in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Students looking to earn their BSN in a short amount of time can enroll in Wilkes’ online ABSN program, so long as they meet the school’s admission requirements, which include:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 GPA
- A written statement of nursing career goals
- Two letters of recommendation
- Five pre-requisite courses
Advantages of this program include:
- A Legacy of Nursing Excellence – Wilkes University offered one of the earliest online ABSN programs and credits its many graduates with helping to continuously refine and improve the program.
- Competitive tuition – Your total cost of tuition at Wilkes University will fall between $60,000 and $70,000, a competitive rate for a private university with such a rigorous program.
- Excellent NCLEX pass rates – Wilkes University consistently garners above-average passing rates for graduates of their ABSN program. The online coursework prepares you well by covering a large number of topics, including foundations of nursing, evidence-based care, leadership skills, and cultural and economic diversity among patients.
- Clinical placement assistance – Members of Wilkes’ Placement Team are trained to help all students find clinical placement sites within their community, ensuring graduation requirements are met and enough practice is done to prepare students for a career in healthcare.
