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Perioperative nurse salary
Average perioperative nurse salary
$74,223
Understanding Perioperative Nurse Salaries
Perioperative nurses play a crucial role in surgical settings, and their salaries reflect their specialized training and responsibilities. On average, perioperative nurses earn around $74,223 per year. However, this can vary based on experience level. For instance, entry-level nurses may start with salaries around $60,000, while experienced professionals can earn upwards of $90,000.
Salary Variations by State
Geographic location significantly impacts salaries. States like California and New York typically offer higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand for healthcare professionals. In contrast, states with a lower cost of living may offer salaries closer to the national average.
Opportunities for Advancement
Perioperative nurses can enhance their earning potential by pursuing further certifications and specializations within the field. Advanced roles, such as nurse anesthetists, can command salaries exceeding $150,000 annually. Understanding the salary landscape is crucial for aspiring perioperative nurses as it aids in making informed career decisions.
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Where can a Perioperative Nurse earn more?
Perioperative nurse salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level perioperative nurse | $58,900 | $28.30 |
| Mid-level perioperative nurse | $74,000 | $35.59 |
| Senior-level perioperative nurse | $102,000 | $48.81 |
Average perioperative nurse salary by state
The average perioperative nurse salary in California, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average perioperative nurse salary states are Maine, Utah, and North Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for perioperative nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $95,759 | $46.04 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $97,674 | $46.96 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $81,300 | $39.09 |
| 4 | California | $113,621 | $54.63 |
| 5 | Ohio | $87,895 | $42.26 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $88,853 | $42.72 |
| 7 | Washington | $91,669 | $44.07 |
| 8 | Nevada | $91,443 | $43.96 |
| 9 | Alaska | $93,365 | $44.89 |
| 10 | New York | $91,305 | $43.90 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $108,201 | $52.02 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $85,071 | $40.90 |
| 13 | Maryland | $92,056 | $44.26 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $89,051 | $42.81 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $93,550 | $44.98 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $82,452 | $39.64 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $76,982 | $37.01 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $77,930 | $37.47 |
| 19 | Michigan | $82,814 | $39.81 |
| 20 | Oregon | $89,192 | $42.88 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $77,375 | $37.20 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $74,497 | $35.82 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $101,287 | $48.70 |
| 24 | Georgia | $81,026 | $38.95 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $73,271 | $35.23 |
| 26 | Vermont | $72,834 | $35.02 |
| 27 | Arizona | $75,300 | $36.20 |
| 28 | Florida | $70,226 | $33.76 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $67,722 | $32.56 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $68,465 | $32.92 |
| 31 | Colorado | $75,618 | $36.35 |
| 32 | Illinois | $79,655 | $38.30 |
| 33 | Kansas | $73,391 | $35.28 |
| 34 | Montana | $65,509 | $31.49 |
| 35 | Idaho | $74,775 | $35.95 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $71,656 | $34.45 |
| 37 | Maine | $63,815 | $30.68 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $66,118 | $31.79 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $63,481 | $30.52 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $75,517 | $36.31 |
| 41 | Alabama | $67,817 | $32.60 |
| 42 | Texas | $65,056 | $31.28 |
| 43 | Virginia | $70,256 | $33.78 |
| 44 | Indiana | $64,062 | $30.80 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $68,582 | $32.97 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $65,898 | $31.68 |
| 47 | Missouri | $67,415 | $32.41 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $59,941 | $28.82 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $60,262 | $28.97 |
| 50 | Utah | $63,548 | $30.55 |
| 51 | Iowa | $57,769 | $27.77 |
Highest paying cities for perioperative nurses
The highest-paying cities for perioperative nurses are Santa Maria, CA, Wilmington, DE, and Jersey City, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Maria, CA | $116,438 | $55.98 |
| 2 | Wilmington, DE | $96,688 | $46.48 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $94,162 | $45.27 |
| 4 | Annapolis, MD | $92,901 | $44.66 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $92,197 | $44.33 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $91,702 | $44.09 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $88,849 | $42.72 |
| 8 | Kenner, LA | $77,104 | $37.07 |
| 9 | Peoria, AZ | $75,635 | $36.36 |
| 10 | Lakewood, CO | $75,579 | $36.34 |
| 11 | Manchester, NH | $74,471 | $35.80 |
| 12 | Knoxville, TN | $74,076 | $35.61 |
| 13 | Kansas City, KS | $73,331 | $35.26 |
| 14 | Jacksonville, NC | $72,389 | $34.80 |
| 15 | Miami, FL | $72,151 | $34.69 |
| 16 | Chesapeake, VA | $70,075 | $33.69 |
| 17 | Sioux Falls, SD | $67,805 | $32.60 |
| 18 | Las Cruces, NM | $66,699 | $32.07 |
| 19 | Fargo, ND | $63,814 | $30.68 |
| 20 | Dallas, TX | $63,781 | $30.66 |
Perioperative nurse salary details
A perioperative nurse's salary ranges from $47,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $117,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a perioperative nurse's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $117,000 | $9,750 | $56 |
| 75th Percentile | $94,000 | $7,833 | $45 |
| Average | $74,223 | $6,185 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
Highest paying perioperative nurse jobs
The highest paying types of perioperative nurses are agency registered nurse, traveling nurse, and registered nurse in pacu.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triage Register Nurse | $67,813 | $5,651 | $32.60 | 458,151 |
| Nurse | $57,564 | $4,797 | $27.67 | 696,124 |
| Registered Nurse In Pacu | $83,154 | $6,930 | $39.98 | 507,239 |
| Clinic Registered Nurse | $70,075 | $5,840 | $33.69 | 520,812 |
| Registered Nurse PRN | $77,449 | $6,454 | $37.24 | 636,925 |
| Staff Nurse | $68,342 | $5,695 | $32.86 | 699,636 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for perioperative nurses, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sophia Thomas
President, American Association of Nurse Practitioners
-Starting salaries for NPs are exceptional, and usually hover between $80,000-100,000, but that can vary significantly based on geographic location, work setting, and certification/specialty. Some salaries are higher.
-The bureau of labor statistics (BLS) offers an excellent breakdown of salaries by region and state as well: link
-(Note: some stats on the BLS website are reflective of the Mean or Average salary and others represent the Median or midpoint. AANP data are all reported in Median)
-As NPs advance in their careers, there is a clear and positive relationship between number of years' experience and salary growth.
Top companies hiring perioperative nurses now:
Which companies pay perioperative nurses the most?
Perioperative nurse salaries at Dignity Health and Belle Fountain Nursing & Rehab are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average perioperative nurse salary at companies like University Hospitals and Saint Francis Hospital are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dignity Health | $110,388 | $53.07 |
| 2 | Belle Fountain Nursing & Rehab | $95,806 | $46.06 |
| 3 | University Hospitals | $88,852 | $42.72 |
| 4 | Saint Francis Hospital | $82,310 | $39.57 |
| 5 | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | $80,601 | $38.75 |
| 6 | Ascension Michigan | $80,237 | $38.58 |
| 7 | Eisenhower Medical Center | $80,012 | $38.47 |
| 8 | Children's Health Corporation | $79,731 | $38.33 |
| 9 | Integrated Resources | $74,690 | $35.91 |
| 10 | American Mobile Healthcare | $73,915 | $35.54 |
| 11 | St Joseph Medical Group | $73,619 | $35.39 |
| 12 | Clinical Management Consultants | $73,489 | $35.33 |
| 13 | Chesapeake Regional Healthcare | $72,629 | $34.92 |
| 14 | The University of Kansas Health System | $72,293 | $34.76 |
| 15 | University of Tennessee | $71,466 | $34.36 |
| 16 | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | $71,441 | $34.35 |
| 17 | Onslow Memorial Hospital | $70,978 | $34.12 |
| 18 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $70,866 | $34.07 |
| 19 | HealthTrust | $69,414 | $33.37 |
| 20 | Atlantic Health | $69,068 | $33.21 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Perioperative nurse salary trends
The average perioperative nurse salary has risen by $10,390 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average perioperative nurse earned $63,833 annually, but today, they earn $74,223 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for perioperative nurses over the last decade.
Compare perioperative nurse salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average perioperative nurse salary over time
Compare perioperative nurse salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Perioperative nurse salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $74,200 | $35.68 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $72,200 | $34.72 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $70,700 | $33.98 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $69,000 | $33.16 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $67,400 | $32.43 | +1.4% |
Recently added perioperative nurse salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ironside Human Resources | Perioperative Nurse Manager | Belleville, IL | 06/24/2025 | $80,000 |
| Join Our Team | Perioperative Nurse, for Ophthalmology ASC | Sycamore, IL | 06/10/2025 | $81,393 |
| Join Our Team | Perioperative Nurse, for Ophthalmology ASC | Sycamore, IL | 05/26/2025 | $81,393 |
| Join Our Team | Perioperative Nurse | Denver, CO | 05/26/2025 | $75,132 |
| Join Our Team | Perioperative Nurse, for Ophthalmology ASC | Sycamore, IL | 04/28/2025 | $81,393 |
| Join Our Team | Perioperative Nurse | Denver, CO | 04/28/2025 | $75,132 |
| Join Our Team | Perioperative Nurse, for Ophthalmology ASC | Sycamore, IL | 03/27/2025 | $81,393 |
| Join Our Team | Perioperative Nurse | Denver, CO | 03/27/2025 | $75,132 |
| Md Eyecare Services Corporate | Perioperative Nurse | Denver, CO | 03/24/2025 | $75,132 |
| Usc | or RN-Perioperative Nurse Training Program-Days (Non-Exempt) (Open) | Ione, CA | 02/28/2025 | $91,828 |
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