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What to Pay an Operating Room Registered Nurse in Wichita, KS (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$78,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$68K–$90K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.1%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~34
Wichita metro average
To hire a Operating Room Registered Nurse in Wichita at market, plan on a base salary range of $68,000 to $90,000, with $78,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 34 days, expect to lead at $90K–$103K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Kansas does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your OR RN pay range in Wichita

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

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$59K–$68K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Wichita average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$74K–$82.8K
Default for most Wichita employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~34 days. A range width of ~30% (min $68,000 to max $90,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a OR RN's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$85.2K–$103K
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 Wichita, KS

Where the Wichita market actually sits for OR RN base pay.

10th $59K
25th $68K
Median $78K
75th $90K
90th $103K

Most Wichita employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($78,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $68,000 and a max of $90,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Kansas pay transparency compliance for OR RN job postings

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

Not required statewide. Kansas has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a OR RN role in Wichita, a compliant good-faith range looks like $68,000 to $90,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $68,000–$90,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

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

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

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Ascension Via Christi Health system $73K–$92K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Wesley Healthcare (HCA) Health system $73K–$92K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Wesley Children's Hospital Pediatric specialty (HCA) $73K–$92K Very common ($10K–$18K)
Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center Federal / VA $69K–$87K Federal benefits
Kansas Surgery & Recovery Center Ambulatory surgery $69K–$87K Very common ($10K–$18K)

OR RN talent supply and hiring difficulty in Wichita

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

~34
Avg Days to Fill
~557
Active Postings
~546,000
Wichita OR RN Workforce
Very tight
Supply : Demand

Wichita OR RN market reflects broader RN supply constraints, with perioperative specialty demand elevated by post-COVID staffing gaps.

Skill premiums OR RN candidates command in Wichita, KS

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CNOR Required baseline Standard
Cardiac subspecialty +7–11% Very high
Trauma / Level I experience +6–10% Very high
BSN (vs ADN) +5–8% Standard at Magnet hospitals

OR RN total compensation in Wichita — what candidates expect beyond base

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

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Wichita Postings
Base salary $78,000 (median) 100%
Call pay (standby + callback) $5–$10/hr standby + 1.5–2× hourly ~95%
Sign-on bonus $8K–$16K ~80%
CNOR certification pay +8–12% on base ~72%
Holiday / weekend differential +22–36% ~92%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$95K–$112K —

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 Wichita — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

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

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
General OR $76,000 $69K–$87K Very high
Cardiothoracic OR $84,000 $75K–$95K Very high
Neurosurgery OR $83,000 $73K–$94K Very high
Orthopedic OR $81,000 $72K–$92K Very high
Ambulatory surgery center $72,000 $64K–$83K Tight

FAQ: hiring a Operating Room Registered Nurse in Wichita, KS

Market median is $78,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $78,000 — typically $68,000 to $90,000. To lead the market, plan on $90K–$103K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Kansas. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $68,000–$90,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$70,000 falls below the Wichita market median of $78,000 — 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 Wichita OR RN postings include a sign-on bonus ($8K–$16K).
Average fill time is approximately 34 days in the Wichita metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($90K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($68K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Wichita-metro posting volume: Ascension Via Christi, Wesley Healthcare (HCA), Wesley Children's Hospital, Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Kansas Surgery & Recovery Center lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for OR RN in Wichita — for example, $68,000 to $90,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Kansas has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

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

Same role, nearby metros
OR RN pay benchmark — Kansas City, MO → OR RN pay benchmark — Oklahoma City, OK → OR RN pay benchmark — Omaha, NE → All OR RN pay benchmarks →
Related roles in Wichita
Certified Nursing Assistant pay benchmark — Wichita → Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist pay benchmark — Wichita → Licensed Practical Nurse pay benchmark — Wichita → Nurse Practitioner pay benchmark — Wichita → Physical Therapist pay benchmark — Wichita → Physician Assistant pay benchmark — Wichita → Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Wichita → Respiratory Therapist pay benchmark — Wichita → Surgical Technologist pay benchmark — Wichita → Travel Nurse pay benchmark — Wichita → Emergency Room Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Wichita → ICU Registered Nurse pay benchmark — Wichita → 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.