<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 05/31/96
000 C000000 0000794615
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 PUTNAM PENNSYLVANIA TAX EXEMPT INCOME FUND
001 B000000 811-5802
001 C000000 6172921000
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-7974
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02109
011 A000001 PUTNAM MUTUAL FUNDS CORP.
011 B000001 8-5088
011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
011 C030001 02109
012 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTOR SERVICES
012 B000001 84-401299
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
013 A000001 PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B030001 02110
015 A000001 PUTNAM FIDUCIARY TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02109
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 98
019 C000000 PUTNAMFUND
020 A000001 RAND FINANCIAL SERVICES
020 B000001 36-3849442
020 C000001 8
020 A000002 PAINE WEBBER
020 B000002 13-2638166
020 C000002 1
020 A000003 BANK OF AMERICA
020 B000003 94-1687665
020 C000003 0
020 A000004 BANKER TRUST
020 B000004 13-4941247
020 C000004 0
020 A000005 BEAR STEARNS
020 B000005 13-4946705
020 C000005 0
020 A000006 CHEM BANK
020 B000006 13-4994650
020 C000006 0
020 A000007 COMMONWEALTH SECURITIES
020 C000007 0
020 A000008 DILLION, READ & CO., INC.
020 B000008 13-1939216
020 C000008 0
020 A000009 MOSS (E.A.) & CO., INC. INC
020 C000009 0
020 A000010 EVEREN SECURITIES
020 C000010 0
021 000000 9
022 A000001 MERRIL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
022 B000001 13-5674085
022 C000001 38857
022 D000001 31392
022 A000002 WILLIAM E SIMON & SONS, INC.
022 B000002 22-3017217
022 C000002 23812
022 D000002 19866
022 A000003 PAINE WEBBER
022 B000003 13-2638166
022 C000003 9531
022 D000003 5049
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 A000004 JOHNSON LANE
022 B000004 58-0306220
022 C000004 9692
022 D000004 3921
022 A000005 PNC SECURITIES
022 B000005 25-1471636
022 C000005 12540
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 MORGAN STANLEY
022 B000006 13-2655998
022 C000006 3024
022 D000006 8731
022 A000007 BEAR STEARNS
022 B000007 13-4946705
022 C000007 1460
022 D000007 7265
022 A000008 EVEREN SECURITIES
022 C000008 7584
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 WHEAT FIRST
022 B000009 54-0796506
022 C000009 7281
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 SMITH BARNEY HARRIS UPHAM
022 B000010 13-1912900
022 C000010 5924
022 D000010 1087
023 C000000 142952
023 D000000 94600
024 000000 N
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 Y
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 5195
028 A020000 590
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 1805
028 B010000 5472
028 B020000 648
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 3954
028 C010000 5968
028 C020000 580
028 C030000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 C040000 4504
028 D010000 10356
028 D020000 601
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 4672
028 E010000 6214
028 E020000 682
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 5709
028 F010000 6135
028 F020000 606
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 4907
028 G010000 39340
028 G020000 3707
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 25551
028 H000000 39340
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 821
030 B000000 4.75
030 C000000 3.25
031 A000000 52
031 B000000 0
032 000000 769
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 106
036 A000000 N
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 100
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 839
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 500000
048 A020000 0.600
048 B010000 500000
<PAGE> PAGE 5
048 B020000 0.500
048 C010000 500000
048 C020000 0.450
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 1500000
048 K020000 0.400
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 N
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 N
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 500
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 100.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 11.4
064 A000000 Y
064 B000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 Y
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 130235
071 B000000 94081
071 C000000 227255
071 D000000 41
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 15126
072 C000000 0
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 1426
072 G000000 8
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 123
072 J000000 -41
072 K000000 38
072 L000000 38
072 M000000 12
072 N000000 13
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 42
072 S000000 14
072 T000000 839
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 16
072 X000000 2528
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 12598
072AA000000 2786
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 7166
072DD010000 10001
072DD020000 2682
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.5096
073 A020000 0.4480
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 15
<PAGE> PAGE 8
074 B000000 0
074 C000000 0
074 D000000 254893
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 0
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 0
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 5669
074 M000000 0
074 N000000 260576
074 O000000 10518
074 P000000 492
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 443
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 249123
074 U010000 20169
074 U020000 7242
074 V010000 9.08
074 V020000 9.07
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 7755
074 Y000000 53
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 237726
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A000000 FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 50000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 97
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
SIGNATURE PAUL BUCUVALAS
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY
FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM Putnam Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income
Fund Class A AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> MAY-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST >251,455,690
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 254,892,603
<RECEIVABLES> 5,669,071
<ASSETS-OTHER> 14,825
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 260,576,499
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 10,518,188
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 935,300
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 11,453,488
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 243,928,156
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 20,169,134
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 19,101,804
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>13,925
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>1,709,647
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>3,471,283
<NET-ASSETS> 249,123,011
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 15,125,495
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,527,768
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 12,597,727
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 2,785,836
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>(7,165,681)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 8,217,882
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>(10,000,537)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 4,774,300
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>(4,579,112)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 620,989
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 26,086,334
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 90,838
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>(848,055)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,426,014
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,638,698
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>237,725,500
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.24
<PER-SHARE-NII> .51
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.16)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>(.51)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.08
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .98
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY
FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM Putnam Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income
Fund Class B AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> MAY-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST >251,455,690
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 254,892,603
<RECEIVABLES> 5,669,071
<ASSETS-OTHER> 14,825
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 260,576,499
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 10,518,188
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 935,300
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 11,453,488
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 243,928,156
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 7,242,332
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 4,086,943
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 13,925
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 1,709,647
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 3,471,283
<NET-ASSETS> 249,123,011
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 15,125,495
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,527,768
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 12,597,727
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 2,785,836
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (7,165,681)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 8,217,882
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (2,682,096)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 2,812,059
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (534,787)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 169,396
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 26,086,334
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 90,838
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (848,055)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,426,014
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,638,698
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 237,725,500
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.23
<PER-SHARE-NII> .44
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.15)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.45)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.07
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.62
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY
FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM Putnam Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income
Fund Class M AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> MAY-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST >251,455,690
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 254,892,603
<RECEIVABLES> 5,669,071
<ASSETS-OTHER> 14,825
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 260,576,499
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 10,518,188
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 935,300
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 11,453,488
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 243,928,156
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 37,089
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>13,925
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>1,709,647
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>3,471,283
<NET-ASSETS> 249,123,011
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 15,125,495
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,527,768
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 12,597,727
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 2,785,836
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>(7,165,681)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 8,217,882
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>(5,299)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 41,822
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (5,210)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>477
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>26,086,334
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 90,838
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>(848,055)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>1,426,014
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,638,698
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>237,725,500
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>9.10
<PER-SHARE-NII> .44
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.01)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>(.44)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>9.09
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.13
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
