Travel nursing in Pennsylvania
Stipend ceilings by area, compact license status, and every hospital guide in the state. Real numbers, with sources.
Housing stipend ceilings in Pennsylvania
The most an agency can pay tax-free for housing is the GSA lodging rate × 7 nights. Cheapest: $791/wk (standard rate, every county not listed below, 86 hospitals). Most expensive: Philadelphia at $1,356/wk on average, $1,589/wk at peak.
| Area (county) | Housing /wk | Meals /wk | Hosp. |
|---|---|---|---|
Philadelphia Philadelphia | $1,356 $1,218–$1,589 · peaks Oct, Nov, Sep | $644 | 14 |
Hershey Hershey | $1,155 $1,057–$1,449 · peaks Jun, Jul, Aug | $560 | 1 |
Pittsburgh Allegheny | $1,008 flat all year | $560 | 19 |
State College Centre | $924 flat all year | $518 | 2 |
Malvern / Frazer / Berwyn Chester | $924 flat all year | $560 | 3 |
Harrisburg Dauphin County excluding Hershey | $903 flat all year | $518 | 1 |
Montgomery Montgomery | $903 flat all year | $560 | 14 |
Chester / Radnor / Essington Delaware | $903 flat all year | $560 | 3 |
Lancaster Lancaster | $875 flat all year | $518 | 4 |
Reading Berks | $854 flat all year | $518 | 4 |
Bucks Bucks | $847 flat all year | $560 | 7 |
Gettysburg Adams | $840 flat all year | $476 | 2 |
Everywhere else Standard CONUS rate | $791 | $476 | 86 |
Got an offer? Decode it against the ceiling for your work ZIP and dates →
Pennsylvania nursing license
Pennsylvania is a compact state. If your primary state of residence is another compact state and you hold a multistate license, you can work here without a new license. If you live in Pennsylvania, your multistate license comes from the Pennsylvania board.
If you don't have a multistate license: typical endorsement steps
- Apply for licensure by endorsement on the Pennsylvania board of nursing's site.
- Verify your current license through Nursys (or your original board if it doesn't use Nursys).
- Complete the criminal background check and fingerprints if the board requires them.
- Ask whether a temporary license is available while the full application processes, and how long processing takes now.
Requirements and timelines vary. Pennsylvania board contact details (NCSBN) →
Where can your license take you?
Source: NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact map, checked 2026-10-11. Covers RN/LPN compact licensure for the 50 states and DC. Confirm with the state board before you accept an assignment.
Charting systems in Pennsylvania
Certified EHR reported to CMS by 139 of 160 hospitals (21 not reported, including VA hospitals). Know the system before day one.
- Epic72 · 52%
- Oracle Health37 · 27%
- MEDITECH18 · 13%
- Altera6 · 4%
- TruBridge6 · 4%
Top travel-nurse markets in Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Allegheny General Hospital · Epic$1,008/wk
- Magee Womens Hospital Of Upmc Health System · Oracle Health (Cerner)$1,008/wk
- St Clair Hospital · Altera Sunrise$1,008/wk
- Upmc Passavant · Oracle Health (Cerner)$1,008/wk
- Upmc Presbyterian Shadyside · Oracle Health (Cerner)$1,008/wk
- Upmc St Margaret · Oracle Health (Cerner)$1,008/wk
- West Penn Hospital · Epic$1,008/wk
- Philadelphia, PA
- Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia$1,356/wk
- Hospital Of Univ Of Pennsylvania · Epic$1,356/wk
- Nazareth Hospital · Epic$1,356/wk
- Penn Presbyterian Medical Center · Epic$1,356/wk
- Pennsylvania Hospital · Epic$1,356/wk
- Roxborough Memorial Hospital · Epic$903/wk
- St Christopher'S Hospital For Children$1,356/wk
- Temple Health - Chestnut Hill Hospital · Epic$903/wk
- Temple University Hospital · Epic$1,356/wk
- Thomas Jefferson University Hospital · Epic$1,356/wk
Questions
- What is the maximum tax-free housing stipend in Pennsylvania?
- Under GSA FY2027 rates it ranges from $791/week (the standard rate for counties not listed) to $1,589/week in Philadelphia at peak season. The meals and incidentals ceiling is $476/week or more depending on the area.
- Is Pennsylvania a compact nursing license state?
- Compact state (Enacted NLC), per the NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact map checked 2026-10-11.
- How many hospitals are in Pennsylvania?
- CMS lists 160 acute care, critical access, children's and VA/DoD hospitals in Pennsylvania. TravelNurseMap has living guides for 17 of them in the top travel-nurse markets.
- What EHR do hospitals in Pennsylvania use?
- Of the 139 Pennsylvania hospitals that reported a certified EHR to CMS for 2023–2024, 52% use Epic, 27% use Oracle Health, 13% use MEDITECH. Each hospital guide shows its own system.