Operating Room Nurse salary in San Francisco
A operating room nurse in the San Francisco, CA area earns an estimated $201,540 a year ($96.89/hr) — about 91% above the U.S. average, with most between $148,090 and $232,880. City figures are estimates based on national pay for the role and local cost of living — a starting point, not a guaranteed local wage.
Operating Room Nurse — San Francisco, CA
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$201,540
+91% vs nationalHourly
$96.89/hr
- Typical range
- $148,090–$232,880
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $241,670
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $128,830
- Newer nurses
Other nursing roles in San Francisco
Compare estimated pay for related roles in this metro.
What affects operating room nurse pay in San Francisco
Highest nurse pay in the U.S.; highest cost of living. For a operating room nurse, local pay also reflects the concentration of major hospital systems and academic medical centers, union contracts, shift differentials, unit acuity, and how competitive staffing is. Nights, weekends, and critical-care specialties typically add to base pay. Use the calculator to estimate your own.
How this estimate was calculated
Public wage data does not report Operating Room Nurse separately. This figure starts from the wage the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published for Registered Nurse in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (May 2025) and applies a 1.08× specialty adjustment.
Local pay can vary well beyond this by specialty, shift, union status, employer type, overtime, and care setting. Treat it as a starting point — not an official San Francisco, CA wage.
Source year: 2025. Based on the national figure of $105,350 for this role.
Use this metro estimate as a starting point
- It’s a starting point for San Francisco, based on national pay and local pay levels — not a guaranteed local wage.
- Your actual pay shifts with role and specialty, care setting, shift, overtime, union status, and years of experience — so compare a role-specific page and personalize the calculator.
- Reviewed salary submissions from nurses in San Francisco make this page more precise over time.
Operating Room Nurse salary in San Francisco — FAQ
- How much does a operating room nurse make in San Francisco?
- A operating room nurse in the San Francisco, CA area earns an estimated $201,540 a year — about $96.89 an hour, with most between $148,090 and $232,880. That's about 91% above the national average. This is an estimate based on the role's national pay and San Francisco's local pay level, not a guaranteed local wage.
- Is San Francisco a good place for operating room nurses?
- On pay, San Francisco runs about 91% above the national average for operating room nurses. Big-city wages are often offset by a higher cost of living, so weigh the estimated $201,540 against local housing and expenses.
- How does San Francisco operating room nurse pay compare to California overall?
- Statewide, California operating room nurses earn an estimated $151,490 a year, versus about $201,540 in San Francisco. Metro pay can run above or below the state figure depending on hospital concentration and local demand.
- 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 (BLS metro wage × specialty adjustment)
Public wage data does not report Operating Room Nurse separately. This figure starts from the wage the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published for Registered Nurse in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (May 2025) and applies a 1.08× specialty adjustment.
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 17, 2026. Full methodology
Estimated figure — national operating room nurse pay adjusted for San Francisco. Last reviewed July 17, 2026.