There’s a critical nursing shortage now, with no indication that it will end soon. Completing any accredited nursing program and passing the NCLEX-RN will probably satisfy most employers.
I haven’t lived in PA in years, but through this board I’ve come to realize that there’s a big difference between the PASSHE colleges and Pitt, Penn State, and Temple when it comes to tuition and state funding. It looks like many of the PASSHE schools offer nursing (specifically 4-year BSN programs which I assume is what your son is looking for), so they could be public options to consider if you haven’t looked at them already. It looks like tuition and fees at these schools would be under $9K per year without considering any merit of need-based aid.