Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal includes a $5 million Nurse Shortage Assistance Program, his office announced last week.

The program will provide funding to hospitals that partner with nursing schools to cover tuition costs for students who commit to a three-year work placement at Pennsylvania hospitals after graduation, the press release said.

“We need to take action now to address Pennsylvania’s nursing shortage, and my budget makes strategic investments to do just that,” Shapiro said. “By expanding education programs, providing tuition assistance, and strengthening workforce pipelines, we can ensure hospitals have the skilled professionals they need to deliver high-quality patient care. We know this model of tuition assistance works, and for the first time ever, we are proposing to help nursing students with an investment of state dollars that not only gives them peace of mind but creates a pipeline of new, highly trained nurses for our communities.”

Pennsylvania hospitals reported that an average of 14 percent of their nursing positions are unfilled and the situation is projected to worsen. The state is expected to face a shortage of 20,000 nurses by 2026.

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