Operating room nurse demographics and statistics in the US
Operating room nurse demographics research summary. Zippia estimates operating room nurse demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our operating room nurse estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about operating room nurses after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 53,071 operating room nurses currently employed in the United States.
- 85.2% of all operating room nurses are women, while 14.8% are men.
- The average operating room nurse age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of operating room nurses is White (65.5%), followed by Black or African American (11.6%), Hispanic or Latino (9.3%) and Asian (8.9%).
- Operating room nurses are most in-demand in Austin, TX.
- The professional industry is the highest-paying for operating room nurses.
- Urban Honolulu, HI pays an annual average wage of $114,826, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women operating room nurses earned 94% of what men earned.
- 9% of all operating room nurses are LGBT.
- New Mexico is the best state for operating room nurses to live.
- Operating room nurses are 89% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
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Operating room nurse demographics by:
Operating room nurse gender statistics
85.2% of operating room nurses are women and 14.8% of operating room nurses are men.
- Female, 85.2%
- Male, 14.8%
Operating room nurse gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 85.2% |
| Male | 14.8% |
Operating room nurse gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$73,456
Female income
$69,305
Operating room nurse gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in operating room nurse positions over time. Currently, 85.2% of operating room nurses are female.
Operating room nurse gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.22% | 88.78% |
| 2011 | 11.66% | 88.34% |
| 2012 | 11.80% | 88.20% |
| 2013 | 12.29% | 87.71% |
| 2014 | 13.37% | 86.63% |
| 2015 | 12.94% | 87.06% |
| 2016 | 13.40% | 86.60% |
| 2017 | 14.08% | 85.92% |
| 2018 | 14.48% | 85.52% |
| 2019 | 14.55% | 85.45% |
| 2020 | 14.84% | 85.16% |
| 2021 | 14.81% | 85.19% |
Operating room nurse related jobs gender ratio
We compared operating room nurses with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, flight surgeon and optometrist, owner have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse Midwife | 2% | 98% |
| Perinatal Nurse | 3% | 97% |
| Therapeutic Dietitian | 3% | 97% |
| Operating Room Nurse | 15% | 85% |
| Radiology Resident | 75% | 25% |
| Optometrist, Owner | 76% | 24% |
| Flight Surgeon | 82% | 18% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Operating room nurse demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among operating room nurses is White, which makes up 65.5% of all operating room nurses. Comparatively, 11.6% of operating room nurses are Black or African American and 9.3% of operating room nurses are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 65.5%
- Black or African American, 11.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.3%
- Asian, 8.9%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Operating room nurse race
| Operating room nurse race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.5% |
| Black or African American | 11.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.3% |
| Asian | 8.9% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Operating room nurse race and ethnicity over time
See how operating room nurse racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Operating room nurse race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.45% | 11.84% | 7.07% | 6.76% |
| 2011 | 72.04% | 12.21% | 6.98% | 6.83% |
| 2012 | 71.63% | 12.34% | 7.08% | 7.05% |
| 2013 | 71.47% | 12.27% | 7.18% | 7.00% |
| 2014 | 70.29% | 12.41% | 7.70% | 7.53% |
| 2015 | 70.47% | 12.53% | 7.23% | 7.66% |
| 2016 | 70.27% | 12.06% | 7.67% | 7.92% |
| 2017 | 69.92% | 11.56% | 7.85% | 8.26% |
| 2018 | 69.72% | 12.23% | 7.58% | 8.16% |
| 2019 | 69.74% | 11.57% | 7.89% | 8.52% |
| 2020 | 67.60% | 11.18% | 7.91% | 8.99% |
| 2021 | 65.45% | 11.65% | 8.88% | 9.29% |
Operating room nurse wage gap by race
According to our data, asian operating room nurses have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White operating room nurses have the lowest average salary at $70,539.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $71,480 |
| White | $70,539 |
| Black or African American | $70,799 |
| Asian | $82,946 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $72,226 |
Average operating room nurse age
See how the average age of operating room nurses varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Operating room nurse age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 45 |
| Unknown | 39 | 40.5 |
| Asian | 39 | 44 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 38 |
| White | 42 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 42 |
Operating room nurse age breakdown
The average age of operating room nurses is 40+ years years old, representing 59% of the operating room nurse population.
Operating room nurse age breakdown
| Operating Room Nurse Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 59% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Operating room nurse educational attainment
The most common degree for operating room nurses is bachelor's degree, with 49% of operating room nurses earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 37% and associate degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 49%
- Associate, 37%
- Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Operating room nurses by degree level
| Operating room nurse degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 49% |
| Associate | 37% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Operating room nurse jobs you might like
Operating room nurse wage gap by degree level
According to the data, operating room nurses with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $86,327 annually. With a Doctorate degree, operating room nurses earn a median annual income of $79,355 compared to $76,382 for operating room nurses with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $86,327 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $76,382 |
| Doctorate Degree | $79,355 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $65,185 |
Operating room nurse employment statistics
Most operating room nurses work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where operating room nurses work
Below, you can see the size of companies where operating room nurses work.
Operating room nurse jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 42% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Operating room nurse jobs by company type
Employees with the operating room nurse job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most operating room nurses prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Operating room nurse jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 89% |
| Government | 3% |
Operating room nurse jobs by industry
The most common industries for operating room nurses are health care, professional and education.
Operating room nurse industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 83% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Education | 5% |
| Government | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Operating room nurse turnover and employment statistics
Operating room nurse unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for operating room nurses between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Operating room nurse unemployment rate by year
| Year | Operating room nurse unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.90% |
| 2011 | 1.97% |
| 2012 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | 1.69% |
| 2014 | 1.75% |
| 2015 | 1.37% |
| 2016 | 1.10% |
| 2017 | 1.04% |
| 2018 | 1.07% |
| 2019 | 1.04% |
| 2020 | 1.45% |
| 2021 | 1.37% |
Average operating room nurse tenure
The average operating room nurse stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,239 operating room nurses resumes in Zippia's database.
Operating room nurse tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Operating room nurse LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of operating room nurses that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Room Nurse | 8.72% | - |
| Pediatrician, Active Practice | 9.88% | 7,999 |
| Emergency Medicine, Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 63,558 |
| Clinical Exercise Specialist | 13.00% | 56,463 |
| Anesthesiologist General And Cardiothoracic | 13.05% | 64,186 |
| Chief, Optometry Service | 17.57% | 20,889 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Similar operating room nurse jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatrician, Active Practice | 9.88% | 7,999 |
| Emergency Medicine, Physician Assistant | 11.62% | 63,558 |
| Clinical Exercise Specialist | 13.00% | 56,463 |
| Anesthesiologist General And Cardiothoracic | 13.05% | 64,186 |
| Chief, Optometry Service | 17.57% | 20,889 |
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | 31.64% | 189,889 |
Foreign languages spoken by operating room nurses
The most common foreign language among operating room nurses is Spanish at 56.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.3% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 4.2%.
- Spanish, 56.3%
- French, 6.3%
- Portuguese, 4.2%
- Arabic, 4.2%
- Russian, 4.2%
- Other, 24.8%
Operating room nurse languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.3% |
| French | 6.3% |
| Portuguese | 4.2% |
| Arabic | 4.2% |
| Russian | 4.2% |
| Other | 24.8% |
