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Best states for an operating room nurse
Quoted expert
Vilma Davis
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for operating room nurses? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for operating room nurse jobs.Although there are abundant operating room nurse jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. New Mexico is the best state in the country for operating room nurse jobs.
We figured that the best places for operating room nurse jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.New Mexico is the best state, and Waipahu is the city with the highest pay for operating room nurses.
10 best states for operating room nurses in 2026
1. New Mexico
Total operating room nurse jobs: 827 Average annual salary: $80,111 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
2. Hawaii
Total operating room nurse jobs: 208 Average annual salary: $114,707 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location Quotient: 0.71
3. Michigan
Total operating room nurse jobs: 2,734 Average annual salary: $78,113 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
4. Pennsylvania
Total operating room nurse jobs: 5,116 Average annual salary: $73,292 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
5. California
Total operating room nurse jobs: 6,969 Average annual salary: $101,078 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location Quotient: 0.68
6. Nevada
Total operating room nurse jobs: 772 Average annual salary: $77,182 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
7. Wyoming
Total operating room nurse jobs: 241 Average annual salary: $73,913 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
8. Indiana
Total operating room nurse jobs: 2,824 Average annual salary: $70,479 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
9. New York
Total operating room nurse jobs: 4,632 Average annual salary: $80,020 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
10. Wisconsin
Total operating room nurse jobs: 1,537 Average annual salary: $78,239 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 0.8
Operating room nurse jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an operating room nurse
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an operating room nurse
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $80,111 | $49,000 | 2,088,070 | 827 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $114,707 | $77,000 | 1,427,538 | 208 |
| 3 | Michigan | $78,113 | $42,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,734 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $73,292 | $36,000 | 12,805,537 | 5,116 |
| 5 | California | $101,078 | $63,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,969 |
| 6 | Nevada | $77,182 | $48,000 | 2,998,039 | 772 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $73,913 | $50,000 | 579,315 | 241 |
| 8 | Indiana | $70,479 | $39,000 | 6,666,818 | 2,824 |
| 9 | New York | $80,020 | $40,000 | 19,849,399 | 4,632 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $78,239 | $46,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,537 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $74,498 | $47,000 | 1,920,076 | 746 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $72,846 | $35,000 | 6,859,819 | 4,015 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $65,931 | $44,000 | 869,666 | 548 |
| 14 | Oregon | $77,197 | $53,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,397 |
| 15 | Delaware | $73,563 | $36,000 | 961,939 | 441 |
| 16 | Ohio | $68,054 | $36,000 | 11,658,609 | 3,587 |
| 17 | Arizona | $70,928 | $43,000 | 7,016,270 | 2,167 |
| 18 | Montana | $66,768 | $47,000 | 1,050,493 | 596 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $66,746 | $36,000 | 4,684,333 | 1,342 |
| 20 | Iowa | $67,608 | $41,000 | 3,145,711 | 1,247 |
| 21 | Idaho | $73,698 | $50,000 | 1,716,943 | 488 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $67,863 | $40,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,048 |
| 23 | Illinois | $73,174 | $42,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,529 |
| 24 | Washington | $70,377 | $50,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,768 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $73,698 | $36,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,391 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $72,735 | $46,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,685 |
| 27 | Alaska | $65,878 | $57,000 | 739,795 | 317 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $60,018 | $30,000 | 1,815,857 | 586 |
| 29 | Maine | $58,244 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 708 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $65,929 | $36,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,066 |
| 31 | Kansas | $66,399 | $40,000 | 2,913,123 | 969 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $64,218 | $32,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,492 |
| 33 | Virginia | $71,567 | $35,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,826 |
| 34 | Texas | $61,959 | $35,000 | 28,304,596 | 8,044 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $58,264 | $40,000 | 755,393 | 392 |
| 36 | Georgia | $65,990 | $34,000 | 10,429,379 | 3,197 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $74,223 | $37,000 | 693,972 | 337 |
| 38 | Colorado | $62,648 | $41,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,213 |
| 39 | Florida | $55,167 | $28,000 | 20,984,400 | 8,532 |
| 40 | Maryland | $64,082 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 2,071 |
| 41 | Connecticut | $60,491 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,121 |
| 42 | Missouri | $62,867 | $37,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,892 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $59,953 | $34,000 | 3,004,279 | 914 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $61,030 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 329 |
| 45 | New Hampshire | $50,547 | $24,000 | 1,342,795 | 838 |
| 46 | Utah | $62,091 | $41,000 | 3,101,833 | 503 |
| 47 | Vermont | $43,344 | $20,000 | 623,657 | 345 |
| 48 | Alabama | $58,221 | $31,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,068 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $46,760 | $25,000 | 6,715,984 | 2,260 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $51,217 | $25,000 | 10,273,419 | 3,096 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $48,473 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 663 |
Highest paying states for operating room nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. Operating Room Nurse Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $80,111 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $114,707 |
| 3 | Michigan | $78,113 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $73,292 |
| 5 | California | $101,078 |
| 6 | Nevada | $77,182 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $73,913 |
| 8 | Indiana | $70,479 |
| 9 | New York | $80,020 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $78,239 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $74,498 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $72,846 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $65,931 |
| 14 | Oregon | $77,197 |
| 15 | Delaware | $73,563 |
| 16 | Ohio | $68,054 |
| 17 | Arizona | $70,928 |
| 18 | Montana | $66,768 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $66,746 |
| 20 | Iowa | $67,608 |
| 21 | Idaho | $73,698 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $67,863 |
| 23 | Illinois | $73,174 |
| 24 | Washington | $70,377 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $73,698 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $72,735 |
| 27 | Alaska | $65,878 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $60,018 |
| 29 | Maine | $58,244 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $65,929 |
| 31 | Kansas | $66,399 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $64,218 |
| 33 | Virginia | $71,567 |
| 34 | Texas | $61,959 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $58,264 |
| 36 | Georgia | $65,990 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $74,223 |
| 38 | Colorado | $62,648 |
| 39 | Florida | $55,167 |
| 40 | Maryland | $64,082 |
| 41 | Connecticut | $60,491 |
| 42 | Missouri | $62,867 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $59,953 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $61,030 |
| 45 | New Hampshire | $50,547 |
| 46 | Utah | $62,091 |
| 47 | Vermont | $43,344 |
| 48 | Alabama | $58,221 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $46,760 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $51,217 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $48,473 |
Expert opinions on the best states for operating room nurses
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for operating room nurses to find work opportunities?
Vilma Davis
Assistant Director and Assistant Professor, Lincoln University
As previously mentioned, there is a need for nurses throughout the United States. Most nursing programs will intermittently have nurse recruiters come on campus, giving students an opportunity to ask questions and get information about the job market. This is one way that graduates can get plugged into where the needs of nurses are. Graduates can also visit the websites of various hospitals and see what openings are available for which they can apply. Doing a simple google search for "nursing jobs" will yield a plethora of available jobs that they can review and make the decision which they would like to pursue.
Operating room nurse best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025