Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Registered Nurse in PACU stands at $83,154 per year. This figure reflects a combination of factors including location, years of experience, and specific healthcare facilities. For instance, nurses in metropolitan areas often earn more compared to those in rural settings due to higher living costs and demand for skilled professionals.
Entry-level registered nurses in PACU can expect to earn lower salaries, which tend to increase with experience. Nurses with several years in the field often report salaries exceeding $90,000. This progression highlights the importance of gaining experience and pursuing advanced certifications to enhance earning potential.
Salary variations also exist by state. For example, registered nurses in California and New York typically earn some of the highest salaries in the nation. Additionally, cities like San Francisco and New York City often provide lucrative opportunities due to their demand for healthcare professionals.
For those considering a career in this field, understanding these dynamics is crucial for making informed decisions regarding job opportunities and career advancement.
Let Zippia find your next registered nurse in pacu job
Let Zippia find your next registered nurse in pacu job
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level registered nurse in pacu | $65,900 | $31.70 |
| Mid-level registered nurse in pacu | $82,900 | $39.87 |
| Senior-level registered nurse in pacu | $114,000 | $54.69 |
The highest-paying states for registered nurse in pacus are Rhode Island, California, and New York. The lowest average registered nurse in pacu salary states are Louisiana, North Dakota, and Alaska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $109,359 | $52.58 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $104,245 | $50.12 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $110,028 | $52.90 |
| 4 | Delaware | $106,123 | $51.02 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $102,357 | $49.21 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $115,608 | $55.58 |
| 7 | New York | $112,286 | $53.98 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $102,420 | $49.24 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $99,228 | $47.71 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $110,675 | $53.21 |
| 11 | California | $113,016 | $54.33 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $91,315 | $43.90 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $82,791 | $39.80 |
| 14 | Illinois | $95,967 | $46.14 |
| 15 | Florida | $84,200 | $40.48 |
| 16 | Ohio | $85,176 | $40.95 |
| 17 | Georgia | $84,624 | $40.68 |
| 18 | Washington | $91,752 | $44.11 |
| 19 | Maryland | $98,991 | $47.59 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $91,493 | $43.99 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $82,056 | $39.45 |
| 22 | Texas | $82,276 | $39.56 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $92,227 | $44.34 |
| 24 | Idaho | $87,964 | $42.29 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $82,717 | $39.77 |
| 26 | Vermont | $81,173 | $39.03 |
| 27 | Michigan | $84,726 | $40.73 |
| 28 | Virginia | $90,028 | $43.28 |
| 29 | Alaska | $71,328 | $34.29 |
| 30 | Oregon | $92,917 | $44.67 |
| 31 | Kansas | $82,325 | $39.58 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $77,741 | $37.38 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $82,022 | $39.43 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $81,788 | $39.32 |
| 35 | Montana | $81,249 | $39.06 |
| 36 | Missouri | $84,148 | $40.46 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $78,704 | $37.84 |
| 38 | Nevada | $84,273 | $40.52 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $97,685 | $46.96 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $96,134 | $46.22 |
| 41 | Arizona | $80,386 | $38.65 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $71,798 | $34.52 |
| 43 | Iowa | $76,932 | $36.99 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $80,018 | $38.47 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $72,832 | $35.02 |
| 46 | Alabama | $75,925 | $36.50 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $65,693 | $31.58 |
| 48 | Indiana | $69,918 | $33.61 |
| 49 | Colorado | $73,465 | $35.32 |
| 50 | Utah | $73,126 | $35.16 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $62,174 | $29.89 |
The highest-paying cities for registered nurse in pacus are New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, and Englewood, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $114,850 | $55.22 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $113,846 | $54.73 |
| 3 | Englewood, NJ | $113,384 | $54.51 |
| 4 | Portland, ME | $111,944 | $53.82 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $111,833 | $53.77 |
| 6 | Milwaukee, WI | $103,158 | $49.60 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $100,843 | $48.48 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $100,569 | $48.35 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | $97,267 | $46.76 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $96,785 | $46.53 |
| 11 | Portland, OR | $92,772 | $44.60 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $92,302 | $44.38 |
| 13 | Arlington, VA | $92,181 | $44.32 |
| 14 | Seattle, WA | $91,992 | $44.23 |
| 15 | Omaha, NE | $91,831 | $44.15 |
| 16 | Cleveland, OH | $86,796 | $41.73 |
| 17 | Miami, FL | $85,681 | $41.19 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $85,102 | $40.91 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $84,929 | $40.83 |
| 20 | Saint Louis, MO | $84,716 | $40.73 |
A registered nurse in pacu's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $141,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $141,000 | $11,750 | $68 |
| 75th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| Average | $83,154 | $6,930 | $40 |
| 25th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
The highest paying types of registered nurse in pacus are contractor-registered nurse, agency registered nurse, and advanced registered nurse practitioner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff Nurse | $68,342 | $5,695 | $32.86 | 699,636 |
| Clinical Research Nurse | $60,347 | $5,029 | $29.01 | 703,983 |
| Emergency Department Registered Nurse | $81,260 | $6,772 | $39.07 | 661,518 |
| Psychiatric Registered Nurse | $73,053 | $6,088 | $35.12 | 640,480 |
| Contractor-Registered Nurse | $128,474 | $10,706 | $61.77 | 648,022 |
| Telemetry Registered Nurse | $91,416 | $7,618 | $43.95 | 637,560 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for Registered nurses in pacu, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sophia Thomas
President, American Association of Nurse Practitioners
Top companies hiring registered nurse in pacus now:
Registered nurse in pacu salaries at Dignity Health and Scripps Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average registered nurse in pacu salary at companies like Express Healthcare Professionals and Medical City Arlington are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dignity Health | $126,964 | $61.04 |
| 2 | Scripps Health | $125,791 | $60.48 |
| 3 | Express Healthcare Professionals | $122,085 | $58.69 |
| 4 | Medical City Arlington | $118,031 | $56.75 |
| 5 | Aya Healthcare | $116,378 | $55.95 |
| 6 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $114,784 | $55.18 |
| 7 | PROFESSIONAL NURSING SERVICES | $113,570 | $54.60 |
| 8 | The Arora Group | $113,146 | $54.40 |
| 9 | Baptist Health Care | $112,936 | $54.30 |
| 10 | Belle Fountain Nursing & Rehab | $111,126 | $53.43 |
| 11 | Stability Healthcare | $111,126 | $53.43 |
| 12 | University of California-Berkeley | $109,262 | $52.53 |
| 13 | MAS Medical Staffing | $108,285 | $52.06 |
| 14 | Signature Healthcare | $106,967 | $51.43 |
| 15 | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | $106,165 | $51.04 |
| 16 | ATC Healthcare | $105,724 | $50.83 |
| 17 | Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District | $105,658 | $50.80 |
| 18 | Interim HealthCare | $105,143 | $50.55 |
| 19 | Jackson Nurse Professionals | $104,012 | $50.01 |
| 20 | Spectrum Healthcare Resources | $103,472 | $49.75 |
The average registered nurse in pacu salary has risen by $11,640 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average registered nurse in pacu earned $71,514 annually, but today, they earn $83,154 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for registered nurse in pacus over the last decade.
Compare registered nurse in pacu salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare registered nurse in pacu salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $83,200 | $39.98 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $80,900 | $38.90 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $79,200 | $38.07 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $77,300 | $37.15 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $75,600 | $36.33 | +1.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sutterhealth | Ambulatory Services Nurse II, Preop/Pacu Limited Term | San Jose, CA | 06/30/2025 | $164,936 |
| Banner Health | Registered Nurse RN Preop and Pacu | Fort Collins, CO | 06/30/2025 | $70,415 |
| ATC Healthcare | Pacu Registered Nurse (RN)-Contract | Saint Louis, MO | 06/29/2025 | $133,568 |
| Bethesda Health | Registered Nurse, Pacu, Per Diem, 8A P, Specialized | Tavernier, FL | 06/29/2025 | $93,915 |
| Imperial Council A A O N M S | Registered Nurse-Pacu-Per Diem | Sacramento, CA | 06/29/2025 | $152,455 |
| Vail Health | Registered Nurse Preop/Pacu | Edwards, CO | 06/29/2025 | $79,097 |
| Providence | RN-Pacu Evening* | Santa Rosa, CA | 06/29/2025 | $156,525 |
| Baptisthlth | Registered Nurse, Pacu, Per Diem, 7A P, Specialized | Tavernier, FL | 06/29/2025 | $93,915 |
| Unitedhealth Group Inc. | RN ASC Pacu | Arlington, WA | 06/28/2025 | $58,999 |
| UCLA Health | RN Specialty-Operating Room/PTU Pacu-Jules Stein Eye Institute | Los Angeles, CA | 06/28/2025 | $130,291 |
Search for registered nurse in pacu jobs