Orthopedic Nurse salary
A orthopedic nurse earns about $99,500 a year — roughly $47.84/hour, with most earning between $81,940 and $114,600. This is an estimate — a starting point, not an exact figure.
Orthopedic Nurse — U.S. national
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$99,500
Hourly
$47.84/hr
- Typical range
- $81,940–$114,600
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $140,220
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $70,320
- Newer nurses
What affects this pay
- Orthopedic certification (ONC)
- Surgical / post-op setting
- Experience and unit acuity
- Metro labor market
About Orthopedic Nurses
What they do
Orthopedic nurses care for patients with bone, joint, and musculoskeletal conditions — total joint replacements, spinal fusions, fracture repairs, and sports injuries. They manage post-operative pain, monitor neurovascular status of limbs, prevent complications like clots and infection, coordinate physical therapy, and teach patients how to move safely with new hardware or assistive devices.
How to become an Orthopedic Nurse
Orthopedic nurses are RNs who build experience on surgical or med-surg units before specializing. Many complete Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support and, after about two years of orthopedic practice, pursue the Orthopaedic Nurse Certified (ONC) credential. Strong assessment and mobility-focused skills matter because so much of the role is safe post-operative recovery.
What drives the pay
Orthopedic nursing is not tracked separately in federal wage data, so these numbers are specialty estimates based on registered nurse pay. The slight premium reflects the surgical, high-turnover nature of ortho units, the physical demands of mobilizing post-op patients, and the value of ONC certification rather than a distinct official wage.
Orthopedic Nurse pay by state
Estimated orthopedic nurse pay where this role tends to earn the most. Open a state for the full local picture.
| State | Est. annual pay | vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| California | $137,310 | +38% vs national |
| Hawaii | $119,400 | +20% vs national |
| Alaska | $117,410 | +18% vs national |
| Oregon | $117,410 | +18% vs national |
| Washington | $117,410 | +18% vs national |
| Massachusetts | $114,430 | +15% vs national |
| New York | $112,440 | +13% vs national |
| District of Columbia | $111,440 | +12% vs national |
Orthopedic Nurse salary by state
Open any state for estimated orthopedic nurse pay, local metros, and how it compares to the U.S. average.
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Orthopedic Nurse salary FAQ
- How much do Orthopedic Nurses make?
- Orthopedic Nurses earn an estimated $99,500 a year — about $47.84 an hour, with most between $81,940 and $114,600. Orthopedic Nurses aren't reported as a separate role in public wage data, so this is a specialty estimate that starts from registered nurse pay.
- What is the hourly pay for Orthopedic Nurses?
- Most Orthopedic Nurses are paid an hourly wage. The national estimate works out to about $47.84 an hour at a full-time schedule, with a typical range of $39.39 to $55.10. Nights, weekends, and overtime differentials push the real hourly rate higher.
- Which state pays Orthopedic Nurses the most?
- California is among the highest-paying states for Orthopedic Nurses, at roughly $137,310 a year, followed by other West Coast and Northeast states. State figures are estimates based on national pay and local cost of living.
- Why is Orthopedic Nurse pay shown as an estimate?
- No public source measures Orthopedic Nurses as a separate occupation, so we start from registered nurse pay and apply the pay difference these nurses typically see. The figure is clearly labeled an estimate and sharpens as nurses submit their own pay.
- Why are some figures verified and others estimates?
- National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.
Source & confidence— An estimate for a specialty that public pay data does not list on its own. A ballpark to start from, not an exact figure.
Modeled specialty estimate
Orthopedic Nurse is not broken out by BLS. Figures are modeled from the SOC 29-1141 median using a specialty differential of 1.02×, reflecting commonly reported pay differences. Treat as directional, not precise.
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology
This role isn’t broken out in public wage data, so the figure starts from registered nurse pay and sharpens as nurses submit their pay. Last reviewed July 3, 2026.