Key Factors That Influence OR Nurse Salaries

An OR Nurse's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects OR Nurse Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an OR Nurse's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $71,503
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $71,693
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $74,248
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $77,938
  • Expert (over 8 years): $78,202
Levels Salary
Entry Level OR Nurse$71,503
Intermediate Level OR Nurse$71,693
Senior Level OR Nurse$74,248
Specialist Level OR Nurse$77,938
Expert Level OR Nurse$78,202
$71,503 0 yr
$71,693 < 2 yrs
$74,248 2-4 yrs
$77,938 5-8 yrs
$78,202 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for OR Nurses

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $112,160
  • San Francisco: $111,060
  • Oakland: $108,600

What Skills Can Increase an OR Nurse's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 5.85% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Nursing Practice (Mentioned in 2.7% Job Postings): Nursing practice may be work experience that is direct and/or indirect patient care in clinical practice, nursing administration, education, research, or consultation in the specialty represented by the credential.
  • Life Support (Mentioned in 2.17% Job Postings): Life support refers to the treatments and techniques performed in an emergency in order to support life after the failure of one or more vital organs. Healthcare providers and emergency medical technicians are generally certified to perform basic and advanced life support procedures; however, basic life support is sometimes provided at the scene of an emergency by family members or bystanders before emergency services arrive. In the case of cardiac injuries, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is initiated by bystanders or family members 25% of the time. Basic life support techniques, such as performing CPR on a victim of cardiac arrest, can double or even triple that patient's chance of survival. Other types of basic life support include relief from choking (which can be done by using the Heimlich maneuver), staunching of bleeding by direct compression and elevation above the heart (and if necessary, pressure on arterial pressure points and the use of a manufactured or improvised tourniquet), first aid, and the use of an automated external defibrillator.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 5.85%
Nursing Practice 2.7%
Life Support 2.17%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an OR Nurse's salary.
  • Staff Development: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Telecommunications: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Staff Development
 $80,213
9%
Risk Management
 $78,005
6%
Telecommunications
 $77,270
5%
Family Education
 $76,534
4%
Partnering
 $76,534
4%
Critical Care
 $75,798
3%
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OR Nurse Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an OR Nurse's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Yearly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Hourly
  • Table View
Last Updated on April 01, 2026
$67,230
Average $73,590/year
$82,420
$5,603
Average $6,133/month
$6,868
$1,293
Average $1,415/week
$1,585
$32
Average $35/hour
$40
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $82,420 $6,868 $1,585 $40
Average $73,590 $6,133 $1,415 $35
25th Percentile $67,230 $5,603 $1,293 $32

OR Nurse Salary Growth & Career Path

OR Nurse
Director Mother and Baby Unit
Director Intensive Care Unit Operations
Entry Registered Nurse - Staff
Organ Transplant Coordinator RN
Intermediate Registered Nurse - Staff

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As an OR Nurse, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

OR Nurse Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Director Mother and Baby Unit $134,100 82%
Director Intensive Care Unit Operations $127,600 73%
Entry Registered Nurse - Staff $61,000 -17%
Organ Transplant Coordinator RN $91,100 24%

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Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current OR Nurse job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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