PACU vs OR Nurse Salary
Operating Room Nurses earn more — a national median of $105,350 vs $103,400, a gap of about $1,950 per year.
PACU Nurse
Specialty estimate$103,400 / yr median
Operating Room Nurse
Specialty estimate$105,350 / yr median
Annual pay, side by side
- PACU NurseSpecialty estimate$103,400$49.71/hr
- Operating Room NurseSpecialty estimate$105,350$50.65/hr
What the difference comes down to
PACU (post-anesthesia) and OR nurse pay is close, since both are perioperative RN roles on the same wage base. OR nursing carries surgical-case and call demands; PACU focuses on recovery and airway monitoring. Certifications, call coverage, and the local market drive the small differences. Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers of the gap. Use the calculator to personalize either path by your state, experience, and work setting.
PACU vs OR Nurse Salary by state
Estimated pay gap for this comparison in each state.
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
PACU Nurse is not broken out by BLS. Figures are modeled from the SOC 29-1141 median using a specialty differential of 1.06×, reflecting commonly reported pay differences. Treat as directional, not precise.
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology
Last reviewed July 3, 2026.
PACU vs OR Nurse Salary FAQ
- Do PACU Nurses or Operating Room Nurses earn more?
- Operating Room Nurses earn more, with a national median of about $105,350 a year vs $103,400 for PACU Nurses — a gap of roughly $1,950 per year.
- How big is the pay gap between PACU Nurses and Operating Room Nurses?
- The difference is about $1,950 a year, or roughly 2% more for Operating Room Nurses. It varies by state, experience, setting, and shift — use the calculator to compare both for your own situation.
- Why do Operating Room Nurses earn more than PACU Nurses?
- Both roles are paid on the same registered-nurse base, so the gap comes down to certification, shift differentials, unit acuity, and the local market rather than a separate official wage.
- 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.
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