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What to Pay an Operating Room Registered Nurse in Los Angeles, CA (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$150,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$130K–$175K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.0%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~48
Los Angeles metro average
To hire a Operating Room Registered Nurse in Los Angeles at market, plan on a base salary range of $130,000 to $175,000, with $150,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 48 days, expect to lead at $175K–$205K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. California REQUIRES pay scale disclosure under SB 1162.

How to set your OR RN pay range in Los Angeles

Three pay positions, modeled against current Los Angeles market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$115K–$130K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Los Angeles average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$142K–$160K
Default for most Los Angeles employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~48 days. A range width of ~30% (min $130,000 to max $175,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a OR RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$165K–$205K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

OR RN salary percentile distribution in Los Angeles, CA

Where the Los Angeles market actually sits for OR RN base pay.

10th $115K
25th $130K
Median $150K
75th $175K
90th $205K

Most Los Angeles employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($150,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $130,000 and a max of $175,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

California pay transparency compliance for OR RN job postings

What you must post when hiring a OR RN in California.

Required. California requires employers with 15+ employees to include the pay scale in every posting — internal, external, or third-party. SB 642 (2026) extended the requirement to bonuses and incentive pay.
Requirement Applies When Penalty for Non-Compliance
Pay scale in job posting 15+ employees, ≥1 in California $100–$10,000 per violation
Good-faith range (no inflated bands) All covered postings $100–$10,000 per violation; escalates for repeat
Include bonuses and incentive pay (SB 642) All covered postings from 2026 Same penalty schedule
Provide pay scale to current employees on request Any covered employer $100–$10,000 per violation
Maintain wage history records for 3 years All employers Presumption against employer in disputes

For a OR RN role in Los Angeles, a compliant good-faith range looks like $130,000 to $175,000. A good-faith range for this role is $130,000–$175,000. Ranges wider than ~50% have been challenged under CA enforcement actions.

Top OR RN employers in Los Angeles — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring OR RNs in the Los Angeles metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Kaiser Permanente Integrated health system $148K–$188K Very common ($12K–$20K)
Cedars-Sinai Academic medical center $152K–$198K Very common ($12K–$22K)
UCLA Health Academic medical center $150K–$195K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Providence Health Health system $140K–$180K Very common ($15K–$28K)
Surgical Care Affiliates (ASCs) Ambulatory surgery centers $132K–$172K Common ($8K–$15K)

OR RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Los Angeles

How hard is it to fill a OR RN role in Los Angeles.

~48
Avg Days to Fill
~980
Active Postings
~9,800
Los Angeles OR RN Workforce
Very tight
Supply : Demand

Skill premiums OR RN candidates command in Los Angeles, CA

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CNOR (Perioperative) +8–12% on base Standard for OR
Cardiothoracic OR +8–12% Very high — Cedars/UCLA demand
Neurosurgery OR +7–11% Very high
Robotic surgery (da Vinci certified) +6–10% High and growing

OR RN total compensation in Los Angeles — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for OR RNs in Los Angeles. "Prevalence" reflects share of Los Angeles disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Los Angeles Postings
Base salary $150,000 (median) 100%
Call pay (standby + callback) $6–$10/hr standby + 1.5–2× hourly ~95%
Sign-on bonus $12,000–$28,000 ~80%
CNOR certification pay +8–12% on base ~78%
Holiday / weekend differential +25–40% ~92%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$192K–$232K —

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

OR RN pay by setting in Los Angeles — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the OR RN range splits by employer type in the Los Angeles metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
General OR (hospital) $148,000 $132K–$170K Very high
Cardiothoracic OR $162,000 $145K–$188K Very high
Neurosurgery OR $158,000 $142K–$182K Very high
Orthopedic OR $152,000 $135K–$175K Very high
Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) $138,000 $122K–$158K Tight

OR RN salary in Los Angeles vs. other California and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

Location Median Base vs. Los Angeles Hiring Difficulty
Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA $150,000 — Very tight
San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward, CA $180,000 +20.0% Very tight
San Diego–Carlsbad, CA $140,000 −6.7% Very tight
Sacramento–Roseville, CA $148,000 −1.3% Tight
California statewide $152,000 +1.3% —
U.S. national $106,000 — —

FAQ: hiring a Operating Room Registered Nurse in Los Angeles, CA

Market median is $150,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $150,000 — typically $130,000 to $175,000. To lead the market, plan on $175K–$205K base plus a sign-on bonus.
Yes. SB 1162 requires a good-faith pay scale in every posting if you have 15+ employees with at least one in California. Penalties run $100–$10,000 per violation.
$135,000 falls below the Los Angeles market median of $150,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 80% of LA OR RN postings include a sign-on bonus. Providence and CommonSpirit lead with $15K–$28K offers, particularly for cardiothoracic and neuro. Call pay is a major comp component — $6–$10/hour standby plus 1.5–2× hourly when called in.
Average fill time is approximately 48 days in the Los Angeles metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($175K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($130K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Los Angeles-metro posting volume: Kaiser Permanente, Cedars-Sinai, UCLA Health, Providence Health, Surgical Care Affiliates (ASCs) lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for OR RN in Los Angeles — for example, $130,000 to $175,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months. Wider than 50% has been challenged as not in good faith under California enforcement.
Yes. SB 1162 covers both internal and external postings. SB 642 (2026) also requires disclosure of expected bonuses and incentive pay.

Related OR RN pay benchmarks — California metros and nearby nursing roles

Same role, nearby metros
OR RN pay benchmark — San Francisco, CA → OR RN pay benchmark — New York, NY → OR RN pay benchmark — Houston, TX → All OR RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Los Angeles
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Los Angeles → Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — Los Angeles → Licensed Practical Nurse pay benchmark — Los Angeles → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Los Angeles → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Los Angeles → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — Los Angeles → Emergency Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Los Angeles → ICU Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Los Angeles → All roles' pay benchmarks →

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.