Best cities for an operating room nurse
The best cities for operating room nurses are Fresno, CA, Urban Honolulu, HI, and Riverside, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for operating room nurses vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for operating room nurses in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an operating room nurse or considering a move, this list of the best cities for operating room nurses to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for operating room nurses. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an operating room nurse. While the absolute best city for operating room nurses is Fresno, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for operating room nurses in 2024.
If you're looking for an operating room nurse job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for operating room nurses in 2025
1. Fresno, CA
Operating room nurse jobs in FresnoTotal operating room nurse jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $101,935 Lowest 10 percent warn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $163,000 Location quotient: 1.19 2. Urban Honolulu, HI
Operating room nurse jobs in Urban HonoluluTotal operating room nurse jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $114,826 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location quotient: 0.75 3. Riverside, CA
Operating room nurse jobs in RiversideTotal operating room nurse jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $100,473 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $163,000 Location quotient: 0.89 4. Las Vegas, NV
Operating room nurse jobs in Las VegasTotal operating room nurse jobs: 77 Average annual salary: $77,486 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location quotient: 2.19 5. Stockton, CA
Operating room nurse jobs in StocktonTotal operating room nurse jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $101,287 Lowest 10 percent warn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $160,000 Location quotient: 0.75 6. Albuquerque, NM
Operating room nurse jobs in AlbuquerqueTotal operating room nurse jobs: 27 Average annual salary: $80,302 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location quotient: 1.35 7. Reno, NV
Operating room nurse jobs in RenoTotal operating room nurse jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $76,126 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location quotient: 1.78 8. Bakersfield, CA
Operating room nurse jobs in BakersfieldTotal operating room nurse jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $102,342 Lowest 10 percent warn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $165,000 Location quotient: 0.59 9. Cleveland, OH
Operating room nurse jobs in ClevelandTotal operating room nurse jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $67,138 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location quotient: 0.80 10. Omaha, NE
Operating room nurse jobs in OmahaTotal operating room nurse jobs: 27 Average annual salary: $74,439 Lowest 10 percent warn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000 Location quotient: 0.85
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Best cities for operating room nurses
- Fresno, CA
- Urban Honolulu, HI
- Riverside, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Stockton, CA
- Albuquerque, NM
- Reno, NV
- Bakersfield, CA
- Cleveland, OH
- Omaha, NE
Detailed list of the best cities for an operating room nurse
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresno, CA | $101,935 | $63,000 | 522,053 | 10 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $114,826 | $76,000 | 351,792 | 14 |
| 3 | Riverside, CA | $100,473 | $61,000 | 324,722 | 8 |
| 4 | Las Vegas, NV | $77,486 | $48,000 | 632,912 | 77 |
| 5 | Stockton, CA | $101,287 | $63,000 | 307,072 | 4 |
| 6 | Albuquerque, NM | $80,302 | $49,000 | 559,277 | 27 |
| 7 | Reno, NV | $76,126 | $49,000 | 245,255 | 20 |
| 8 | Bakersfield, CA | $102,342 | $63,000 | 376,380 | 4 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $67,138 | $34,000 | 385,809 | 19 |
| 10 | Omaha, NE | $74,439 | $47,000 | 446,970 | 27 |
| 11 | Irvine, CA | $100,534 | $61,000 | 266,122 | 23 |
| 12 | Milwaukee, WI | $78,268 | $45,000 | 595,047 | 18 |
| 13 | Detroit, MI | $77,697 | $41,000 | 672,795 | 18 |
| 14 | New Orleans, LA | $66,240 | $34,000 | 391,495 | 27 |
| 15 | Lexington, KY | $65,507 | $34,000 | 318,449 | 12 |
| 16 | Oklahoma City, OK | $68,036 | $39,000 | 638,367 | 25 |
| 17 | Los Angeles, CA | $101,221 | $62,000 | 3,976,322 | 62 |
| 18 | Sacramento, CA | $100,340 | $63,000 | 495,234 | 15 |
| 19 | Portland, OR | $76,726 | $53,000 | 639,863 | 36 |
| 20 | Wichita, KS | $66,568 | $40,000 | 389,902 | 17 |
| 21 | Indianapolis, IN | $70,382 | $38,000 | 855,164 | 33 |
| 22 | Corpus Christi, TX | $63,553 | $34,000 | 325,733 | 3 |
| 23 | El Paso, TX | $64,626 | $37,000 | 683,080 | 9 |
| 24 | Madison, WI | $78,501 | $46,000 | 252,551 | 10 |
| 25 | Philadelphia, PA | $73,519 | $33,000 | 1,567,872 | 32 |
| 26 | Long Beach, CA | $100,889 | $61,000 | 470,130 | 2 |
| 27 | Fort Wayne, IN | $70,301 | $38,000 | 264,488 | 4 |
| 28 | Tucson, AZ | $70,129 | $42,000 | 530,706 | 13 |
| 29 | Fremont, CA | $102,334 | $64,000 | 233,136 | 5 |
| 30 | Oakland, CA | $102,145 | $64,000 | 420,005 | 2 |
| 31 | San Jose, CA | $102,573 | $64,000 | 1,025,350 | 8 |
| 32 | Pittsburgh, PA | $73,999 | $36,000 | 303,625 | 15 |
| 33 | Anchorage, AK | $65,740 | $57,000 | 298,192 | 12 |
| 34 | Aurora, CO | $62,658 | $40,000 | 361,710 | 56 |
| 35 | San Francisco, CA | $102,260 | $64,000 | 870,887 | 7 |
| 36 | Gilbert, AZ | $70,861 | $43,000 | 237,133 | 2 |
| 37 | Columbus, OH | $68,326 | $35,000 | 860,090 | 27 |
| 38 | Louisville, KY | $65,974 | $35,000 | 597,337 | 12 |
| 39 | Hialeah, FL | $56,217 | $28,000 | 236,387 | 5 |
| 40 | Fort Worth, TX | $61,012 | $34,000 | 854,113 | 17 |
| 41 | Lincoln, NE | $74,615 | $47,000 | 280,364 | 5 |
| 42 | Arlington, TX | $60,880 | $34,000 | 392,772 | 5 |
| 43 | Winston-Salem, NC | $51,441 | $25,000 | 242,203 | 17 |
| 44 | Toledo, OH | $68,686 | $36,000 | 278,508 | 2 |
| 45 | Anaheim, CA | $100,760 | $61,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 46 | Denver, CO | $62,645 | $40,000 | 693,060 | 166 |
| 47 | Santa Ana, CA | $100,657 | $61,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 48 | Newark, NJ | $73,360 | $33,000 | 281,764 | 10 |
| 49 | San Diego, CA | $99,148 | $60,000 | 1,406,630 | 14 |
| 50 | Cincinnati, OH | $68,826 | $36,000 | 298,800 | 7 |
Highest paying cities for operating room nurses
| Rank | City | Avg. operating room nurse salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $114,826 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $102,260 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $80,998 |
| 4 | Medford, OR | $80,074 |
| 5 | Milwaukee, WI | $78,268 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $77,486 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $74,282 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $73,519 |
| 9 | Jersey City, NJ | $73,421 |
| 10 | Aurora, IL | $73,220 |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $72,516 |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $71,488 |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $70,406 |
| 14 | Indianapolis, IN | $70,382 |
| 15 | Tucson, AZ | $70,129 |
| 16 | Oklahoma City, OK | $68,036 |
| 17 | Wichita, KS | $66,568 |
| 18 | New Orleans, LA | $66,240 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $66,082 |
| 20 | Richmond, KY | $65,271 |
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Updated January 8, 2025