Healthcare Jobs in Philadelphia, PA
Health systems and universities drive Philadelphia's job market, and Penn, CHOP, Jefferson and Temple all rank among the ten largest employers in the county. Pay runs from about $13 an hour for home care aides to six figures for experienced nurses. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get in.
Current healthcare Openings in Philadelphia, PA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Healthcare Work in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's healthcare jobs cluster in a few dense corridors. University City holds the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia VA Medical Center on Woodland Avenue. Center City has Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Pennsylvania Hospital. North Broad Street is Temple territory, with Jefferson Einstein nearby on Old York Road, and the Northeast has Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple's Jeanes campus and Jefferson's Frankford and Torresdale hospitals.
Beyond the hospitals, the state's list of the county's 50 largest employers is full of home care agencies, and community health centers such as Delaware Valley Community Health and Esperanza serve North Philadelphia neighborhoods like Fairhill and Hunting Park. The regional map also changed in 2025, when Crozer Health closed Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital in Delaware County and laid off more than 2,600 workers. Most roles here are reachable by SEPTA, from the Broad Street Line to Temple to the trolleys into University City.
Top Philadelphia Employers Hiring Healthcare Workers
These employers post healthcare openings on their own career sites, from nurses to medical assistants:
- Penn Medicine - the University of Pennsylvania Health System hires nurses, nursing assistants and medical assistants for HUP, Penn Presbyterian, Pennsylvania Hospital and its practices.
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - the pediatric hospital on Civic Center Boulevard hires clinical nurses, certified medical assistants and allied health staff.
- Jefferson Health - hires across Center City, Jefferson Methodist in South Philadelphia, Jefferson Einstein and its Northeast hospitals.
- Temple Health - hires for Temple University Hospital, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Chestnut Hill Hospital and Temple Physicians offices.
- Philadelphia VA Medical Center - the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center hires nurses, clinicians and support staff through USAJOBS.
- Delaware Valley Community Health - the community health center hires medical assistants and nurse practitioners for its Philadelphia and Norristown sites.
Healthcare Salaries in Philadelphia
- Entry level: about $13 to $21 an hour for home care aides, nursing assistants, medical assistants and pharmacy technicians.
- Licensed and technical: about $29 to $37 an hour for licensed practical nurses, and roughly $20 to $24 for phlebotomists and experienced assistants.
- Registered and advanced: about $39 to $53 an hour for registered nurses, and more than $50 an hour for nurse practitioners.
These are estimates from Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry wage data for the Philadelphia metro, cross-checked against posted rates such as $19 to $20 an hour for medical assistants at community health centers. A license moves pay the most, followed by shift, specialty and employer. Union contracts at Temple University Hospital set raises for nurses and allied staff, plus night and weekend differentials for nurses.
How to Start a Healthcare Career in Philadelphia
The fastest entry points need weeks or months, not years. Nurse aides complete a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved training program and pass the Credentia exam to join the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry, overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Medical assistants need no state license, though employers such as Penn Medicine require national certification within 90 days, and Community College of Philadelphia's Medical Assistant Proficiency Certificate takes about two semesters. Nurses are licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing: Orleans Technical College on Red Lion Road runs a 52-week LPN program, and CCP's Spring Garden Street campus offers an associate degree in nursing.
What the Job Involves
Healthcare work covers direct patient care, clinical support and the office work that keeps care moving. Nurses and aides assess, treat and help patients with daily needs, medical assistants room patients and draw blood, and technicians run labs, pharmacies and imaging. Hospital roles run around the clock in 8- or 12-hour shifts, while clinics and practices mostly keep weekday hours.
Skills Employers Look For
- The license or certification your role requires
- BLS certification from the American Heart Association
- Pennsylvania criminal, FBI and child abuse clearances
- Electronic health record experience, often Epic
- Clear, calm communication with patients and families
- Reliability across nights, weekends and holidays
Career Path and Advancement
Local programs make the ladder easy to climb while working. A common path runs from nursing assistant or medical assistant to LPN at Orleans Technical College, then to RN through CCP or a bachelor's program at Penn, Temple, Jefferson, Drexel, Holy Family or La Salle. Penn Medicine reports that more than 30 percent of its medical assistants advance into roles such as nurse or practice manager, and experienced RNs move on to charge, management or nurse practitioner roles.
Related Careers in Philadelphia
These Philadelphia healthcare guides go deeper on individual roles:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the biggest healthcare employers in Philadelphia?
The University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Jefferson and Temple are the largest, and all rank in the top ten employers in Philadelphia County on the state's list. Home care agencies fill many other spots on that list, and the federal government, which includes the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, ranks third.
Which Philadelphia healthcare jobs do not need a degree?
Nursing assistants, medical assistants and phlebotomists can start with short training programs or a certificate. Nurse aides need a state-approved training program and a passing exam, and medical assistants usually need a national certification.
How much do healthcare workers make in Philadelphia?
Pennsylvania wage data for the Philadelphia metro puts home care aides around $13 to $16 an hour, medical and nursing assistants around $19 to $24, LPNs around $29 to $37 and registered nurses around $39 to $53. Nurse practitioners average about $140,000 a year.
Can I use a nursing license from New Jersey in Philadelphia?
A multistate license, yes. Pennsylvania fully joined the Nurse Licensure Compact on July 7, 2025, so RNs and LPNs with a multistate license from New Jersey or another compact state can practice here.
Do Philadelphia hospitals require clearances?
Most do. Expect an FBI fingerprint check, a Pennsylvania State Police criminal record check and a Pennsylvania child abuse history clearance, especially for pediatric and training roles. Nursing programs such as the LPN program at Orleans Technical College require the same three at admission.
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