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Post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary
Average post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary
$81,716
Understanding the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Nurse Salary
As a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Nurse, your salary can vary based on experience, location, and specific healthcare facilities. Currently, the average annual salary stands at $81,716, approximately $39 per hour. Registered nurses in this field play a crucial role in monitoring patients' recovery from anesthesia, ensuring their safety and comfort.
The salary range may differ significantly by state. For instance, states like California and New York tend to offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for healthcare professionals. In contrast, regions with a lower cost of living may provide salaries that are slightly below the national average.
Additionally, experience level impacts earnings. Newly licensed nurses may start at a lower salary, while those with several years of experience can earn significantly more. Pursuing certifications specific to post-anesthesia care can also enhance job prospects and salary potential. Understanding these factors can help prospective nurses make informed decisions about their career paths.
To explore more about salaries and job opportunities, visit Zippia's job board, where you can find listings tailored to your expertise and apply directly for roles in the healthcare sector.
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Where can a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Nurse earn more?
Post-anesthesia care unit nurse salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level post-anesthesia care unit nurse | $64,800 | $31.15 |
| Mid-level post-anesthesia care unit nurse | $81,500 | $39.18 |
| Senior-level post-anesthesia care unit nurse | $112,000 | $53.74 |
Average post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary by state
The highest-paying states for post-anesthesia care unit nurses are Massachusetts, California, and New York. The lowest average post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary states are North Dakota, Utah, and Indiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for post-anesthesia care unit nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $114,279 | $54.94 |
| 2 | Ohio | $96,770 | $46.52 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $102,032 | $49.05 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $87,829 | $42.23 |
| 5 | Delaware | $98,875 | $47.54 |
| 6 | Nevada | $94,529 | $45.45 |
| 7 | Vermont | $89,030 | $42.80 |
| 8 | New York | $103,429 | $49.73 |
| 9 | Oregon | $96,360 | $46.33 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $112,259 | $53.97 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $93,289 | $44.85 |
| 12 | Louisiana | $84,377 | $40.57 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $96,959 | $46.61 |
| 14 | Washington | $92,563 | $44.50 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $87,221 | $41.93 |
| 16 | Georgia | $89,514 | $43.04 |
| 17 | California | $104,187 | $50.09 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $85,709 | $41.21 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $85,746 | $41.22 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $97,711 | $46.98 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $91,161 | $43.83 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $81,848 | $39.35 |
| 23 | Maryland | $95,816 | $46.07 |
| 24 | Kansas | $83,641 | $40.21 |
| 25 | Illinois | $89,817 | $43.18 |
| 26 | Michigan | $80,778 | $38.84 |
| 27 | Maine | $79,392 | $38.17 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $75,905 | $36.49 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $90,837 | $43.67 |
| 30 | Arizona | $81,878 | $39.36 |
| 31 | Texas | $79,922 | $38.42 |
| 32 | Idaho | $85,337 | $41.03 |
| 33 | Florida | $77,786 | $37.40 |
| 34 | Colorado | $84,880 | $40.81 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $80,152 | $38.53 |
| 36 | Montana | $74,556 | $35.84 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $93,825 | $45.11 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $72,157 | $34.69 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $72,530 | $34.87 |
| 40 | Missouri | $76,499 | $36.78 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $73,375 | $35.28 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $76,856 | $36.95 |
| 43 | Alabama | $75,476 | $36.29 |
| 44 | Alaska | $78,261 | $37.63 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $77,457 | $37.24 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $65,145 | $31.32 |
| 47 | Indiana | $71,505 | $34.38 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $67,476 | $32.44 |
| 49 | Virginia | $73,027 | $35.11 |
| 50 | Iowa | $65,331 | $31.41 |
| 51 | Utah | $71,644 | $34.44 |
Highest paying cities for post-anesthesia care unit nurses
The highest-paying cities for post-anesthesia care unit nurses are Boston, MA, Carmichael, CA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $116,901 | $56.20 |
| 2 | Carmichael, CA | $108,124 | $51.98 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $104,733 | $50.35 |
| 4 | Henderson, NV | $93,743 | $45.07 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $92,854 | $44.64 |
| 6 | New Britain, CT | $91,515 | $44.00 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $89,965 | $43.25 |
| 8 | Kansas City, KS | $83,754 | $40.27 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $82,028 | $39.44 |
| 10 | El Paso, TX | $81,546 | $39.20 |
| 11 | Pontiac, MI | $80,915 | $38.90 |
| 12 | Portland, ME | $80,285 | $38.60 |
| 13 | Fayetteville, NC | $79,962 | $38.44 |
| 14 | Little Rock, AR | $76,527 | $36.79 |
| 15 | Norman, OK | $67,347 | $32.38 |
Post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary details
A post-anesthesia care unit nurse's salary ranges from $50,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $131,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a post-anesthesia care unit nurse's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $131,000 | $10,917 | $63 |
| 75th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| Average | $81,716 | $6,810 | $39 |
| 25th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
Highest paying post-anesthesia care unit nurse jobs
The highest paying types of post-anesthesia care unit nurses are contractor-registered nurse, telemetry registered nurse, and registered nurse med/surg.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Room Nurse | $79,886 | $6,657 | $38.41 | 610,768 |
| Nurse | $57,564 | $4,797 | $27.67 | 696,124 |
| Traveling Nurse | $83,961 | $6,997 | $40.37 | 585,515 |
| Surgical Nurse | $64,025 | $5,335 | $30.78 | 638,444 |
| Registered Nurse Charge Nurse | $71,342 | $5,945 | $34.30 | 645,134 |
| Staff Nurse | $68,342 | $5,695 | $32.86 | 699,636 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for post-anesthesia care unit 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 post-anesthesia care unit nurses now:
Which companies pay post-anesthesia care unit nurses the most?
Post-anesthesia care unit nurse salaries at Dignity Health and PROFESSIONAL NURSING SERVICES are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary at companies like Univ. Of Texas Cancer Ctr. And Prime Healthcare are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dignity Health | $146,419 | $70.39 |
| 2 | PROFESSIONAL NURSING SERVICES | $105,068 | $50.51 |
| 3 | Univ. Of Texas Cancer Ctr. | $88,467 | $42.53 |
| 4 | Prime Healthcare | $86,276 | $41.48 |
| 5 | Mission Regional Medical Center | $83,043 | $39.92 |
| 6 | Norman Regional Health System | $82,502 | $39.66 |
| 7 | University of Rochester | $79,018 | $37.99 |
| 8 | American Mobile Healthcare | $77,859 | $37.43 |
| 9 | capefearvalley | $72,930 | $35.06 |
| 10 | The University of Kansas Health System | $72,067 | $34.65 |
| 11 | CHI St. Vincent Infirmary | $70,678 | $33.98 |
| 12 | CHI Mercy Health | $69,951 | $33.63 |
| 13 | Emory Healthcare | $65,229 | $31.36 |
| 14 | Lighthouse | $64,815 | $31.16 |
| 15 | St Joseph's Hospital | $49,526 | $23.81 |
| 16 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $27,028 | $12.99 |
| 17 | Trinity Health | $25,242 | $12.14 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary trends
The average post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary has risen by $11,439 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average post-anesthesia care unit nurse earned $70,277 annually, but today, they earn $81,716 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for post-anesthesia care unit nurses over the last decade.
Compare post-anesthesia care unit nurse salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary over time
Compare post-anesthesia care unit nurse salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Post-anesthesia care unit nurse salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $81,700 | $39.29 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $79,500 | $38.23 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $77,800 | $37.41 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $75,900 | $36.51 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $74,300 | $35.70 | +1.4% |
Recently added post-anesthesia care unit nurse salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dignity Health | Nurse Post Procedure Unit | Phoenix, AZ | 06/04/2025 | $90,367 |
| Albany Medical Center | Clinical Nurse III-Post Anesthesia Care Unit | Albany, NY | 05/10/2025 | $76,396 |
| Emory Healthcare/Emory University | Post Anesthesia Care Unit Charge Nurse | Atlanta, GA | 04/24/2025 | $101,470 |
| Common Spirit | Nurse Post Procedure Unit | Gilbert, AZ | 04/10/2025 | $18,000 |
| Dignity Health | Nurse Post Procedure Unit | Phoenix, AZ | 04/06/2025 | $90,367 |
| Dignity Health | Nurse Post Anesthesia Care Unit | Gilbert, AZ | 03/26/2025 | $73,045 |
| Commonspirit Health | Nurse Post Anesthesia Care Unit | Gilbert, AZ | 03/25/2025 | $18,000 |
| Northbay Healthcare Group | Clinical Nurse II-Post Anesthesia Unit | Fairfield, CA | 02/19/2025 | $179,440 |
| Commonspirit | Nurse Post Anesthesia Care | Henderson, NV | 02/17/2025 | $104,267 |
| Molina Healthcare, Inc. | Clinical Nurse II-Post Anesthesia Unit | Fairfield, CA | 02/16/2025 | $179,440 |
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