Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Surgical nurse salary
Average surgical nurse salary
$64,025
Average Surgical Nurse Salary
The average salary for a surgical nurse is approximately $64,025 annually. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific healthcare settings. For instance, surgical nurses working in metropolitan areas tend to earn higher wages compared to those in rural settings.
Surgical Nurse Salaries by Experience Level
Entry-level surgical nurses may start at around $50,000, while those with more experience can earn upwards of $80,000 annually. Specialized certifications or roles that require advanced skills also contribute to higher salary potential.
Highest Paying States for Surgical Nurses
States like California and New York frequently offer the highest salaries for surgical nurses, often exceeding $75,000. Additionally, factors such as the demand for healthcare professionals and the cost of living in these states play a significant role in salary ranges.
For those considering a career as a surgical nurse, understanding these salary dynamics is crucial for making informed career choices.
Let Zippia find your next surgical nurse job
Let Zippia find your next surgical nurse job
Where can a Surgical Nurse earn more?
Surgical nurse salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level surgical nurse | $50,800 | $24.41 |
| Mid-level surgical nurse | $63,900 | $30.70 |
| Senior-level surgical nurse | $87,600 | $42.11 |
Surgical nurse salary estimates from across the web
Average surgical nurse salary by state
The average surgical nurse salary in Hawaii, California, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average surgical nurse salary states are Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for surgical nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $71,245 | $34.25 |
| 2 | Washington | $75,503 | $36.30 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $67,245 | $32.33 |
| 4 | Texas | $66,745 | $32.09 |
| 5 | California | $104,489 | $50.24 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $109,761 | $52.77 |
| 7 | Nevada | $75,161 | $36.14 |
| 8 | Florida | $61,592 | $29.61 |
| 9 | Oregon | $78,325 | $37.66 |
| 10 | Louisiana | $60,862 | $29.26 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $59,853 | $28.78 |
| 12 | Alaska | $71,904 | $34.57 |
| 13 | Colorado | $67,432 | $32.42 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $59,864 | $28.78 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $63,647 | $30.60 |
| 16 | Georgia | $61,272 | $29.46 |
| 17 | Kansas | $60,384 | $29.03 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $59,098 | $28.41 |
| 19 | Idaho | $65,313 | $31.40 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $57,793 | $27.79 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $64,172 | $30.85 |
| 22 | Montana | $55,715 | $26.79 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $56,649 | $27.24 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $55,792 | $26.82 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $49,495 | $23.80 |
| 26 | Delaware | $48,529 | $23.33 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $57,981 | $27.88 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $54,910 | $26.40 |
| 29 | Illinois | $59,549 | $28.63 |
| 30 | Indiana | $48,815 | $23.47 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $55,818 | $26.84 |
| 32 | Missouri | $56,128 | $26.98 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $56,764 | $27.29 |
| 34 | Alabama | $55,430 | $26.65 |
| 35 | Michigan | $49,061 | $23.59 |
| 36 | Ohio | $50,413 | $24.24 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $54,207 | $26.06 |
| 38 | Virginia | $50,869 | $24.46 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $46,290 | $22.25 |
| 40 | Iowa | $51,983 | $24.99 |
| 41 | Utah | $57,080 | $27.44 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $50,302 | $24.18 |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $40,032 | $19.25 |
| 44 | Maryland | $42,935 | $20.64 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | $34,264 | $16.47 |
| 46 | New York | $40,836 | $19.63 |
| 47 | Connecticut | $35,237 | $16.94 |
| 48 | Maine | $27,270 | $13.11 |
| 49 | Vermont | $32,091 | $15.43 |
| 50 | New Hampshire | $31,125 | $14.96 |
| 51 | New Jersey | $40,761 | $19.60 |
Highest paying cities for surgical nurses
The highest-paying cities for surgical nurses are Thousand Oaks, CA, Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $104,813 | $50.39 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $77,677 | $37.34 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $75,582 | $36.34 |
| 4 | Henderson, NV | $75,296 | $36.20 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $71,312 | $34.28 |
| 6 | Englewood, CO | $67,521 | $32.46 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $67,002 | $32.21 |
| 8 | Idaho Falls, ID | $64,671 | $31.09 |
| 9 | New Orleans, LA | $60,906 | $29.28 |
| 10 | Little Rock, AR | $59,956 | $28.82 |
| 11 | Kansas City, KS | $59,709 | $28.71 |
| 12 | Grand Island, NE | $57,209 | $27.50 |
| 13 | Kansas City, MO | $56,595 | $27.21 |
| 14 | Fuquay-Varina, NC | $55,887 | $26.87 |
| 15 | Council Bluffs, IA | $53,315 | $25.63 |
| 16 | Silver Spring, MD | $43,644 | $20.98 |
| 17 | New York, NY | $40,541 | $19.49 |
| 18 | Boston, MA | $33,502 | $16.11 |
| 19 | Portland, ME | $26,992 | $12.98 |
Surgical nurse salary details
A surgical nurse's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $103,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a surgical nurse's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $103,000 | $8,583 | $50 |
| 75th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| Average | $64,025 | $5,335 | $31 |
| 25th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
Highest paying surgical nurse jobs
The highest paying types of surgical nurses are registered nurse med/surg, traveling nurse, and head nurse.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse Clinician | $65,159 | $5,430 | $31.33 | 596,073 |
| Nurse Educator | $67,983 | $5,665 | $32.68 | 537,803 |
| Registered Nurse Med/Surg | $84,812 | $7,068 | $40.78 | 515,200 |
| Private Duty Nurse | $55,518 | $4,627 | $26.69 | 256,740 |
| Nurse | $57,564 | $4,797 | $27.67 | 696,124 |
| Traveling Nurse | $83,961 | $6,997 | $40.37 | 585,515 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for surgical 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 surgical nurses now:
Which companies pay surgical nurses the most?
Surgical nurse salaries at University of California, Berkeley and Dignity Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average surgical nurse salary at companies like University of California and Maxim Healthcare Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $110,078 | $52.92 |
| 2 | Dignity Health | $97,919 | $47.08 |
| 3 | University of California | $92,260 | $44.36 |
| 4 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $91,226 | $43.86 |
| 5 | Soliant | $90,889 | $43.70 |
| 6 | Tenet Healthcare | $90,778 | $43.64 |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins Medicine | $86,671 | $41.67 |
| 8 | Legacy Health | $86,540 | $41.61 |
| 9 | UC Santa Barbara | $85,351 | $41.03 |
| 10 | WakeMed | $82,642 | $39.73 |
| 11 | HCA Healthcare | $81,670 | $39.26 |
| 12 | Kaiser Permanente | $78,828 | $37.90 |
| 13 | UCHealth | $78,698 | $37.84 |
| 14 | CHI Mercy Health | $77,361 | $37.19 |
| 15 | Cleveland Clinic | $76,306 | $36.69 |
| 16 | Erlanger Health System | $76,173 | $36.62 |
| 17 | St Luke Family of Caring | $75,583 | $36.34 |
| 18 | Methodist Hospital Of Henderson, Kentucky | $75,209 | $36.16 |
| 19 | UC Merced | $75,179 | $36.14 |
| 20 | Kaleida Health | $74,916 | $36.02 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Surgical nurse salary trends
The average surgical nurse salary has risen by $8,963 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average surgical nurse earned $55,062 annually, but today, they earn $64,025 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for surgical nurses over the last decade.
Compare surgical nurse salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average surgical nurse salary over time
Compare surgical nurse salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Surgical nurse salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $64,000 | $30.78 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $62,300 | $29.95 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $61,000 | $29.31 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $59,500 | $28.60 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $58,200 | $27.97 | +1.4% |
Recently added surgical nurse salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATC Healthcare | PNR-Medical Surgical Nurse (RN) | Portland, OR | 06/29/2025 | $110,611 |
| ATC Healthcare | Medical Surgical Nurse (RN) | Newark, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $135,655 |
| ATC Healthcare | Medical/Surgical Nurse (RN) Travel | Liberal, KS | 06/29/2025 | $122,090 |
| ATC Healthcare | Medical Surgical Nurse (RN) | Stockbridge, GA | 06/29/2025 | $100,176 |
| ATC Healthcare | Medical Surgical Nurse-Neuro | Memphis, TN | 06/29/2025 | $129,394 |
| ATC Healthcare | Medical Surgical Nurse (RN) Contract Position | Washington, DC | 06/29/2025 | $135,655 |
| Aa067 | Clinical Nurse III-Medical Surgical 6Th Floor, Nights | Irvine, CA | 06/29/2025 | $13,566 |
| Kaleida Health | Surgical Services Nurse *GVI* | Buffalo, NY | 06/28/2025 | $83,668 |
| ATC Healthcare | Medical Surgical Nurse (RN) Travel | Central City, NE | 06/27/2025 | $52,384 |
| ATC Healthcare | Medical Surgical Nurse/Tele (RN) | Largo, MD | 06/27/2025 | $114,785 |
Surgical nurse salary FAQs
Search for surgical nurse jobs