by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing explores Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Provide Care To Patients Before And During Surgery, And Provide Tableside Assistance To Surgeons. Includes Instruction In Operating Room Safety And Preparation, Aseptic Technique, Anesthesia, Patient Preparation, Surgical Instruments And Procedures, Sterilization And Disinfecting, Surgical Drugs And Solutions, Hemostasis, Emergency Procedures, And Patient/family Education. Continue reading for the essential details every perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing programs.
Across the country, perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing is a popular field of study, with 190 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking analyzes these 11 schools to determine the best overall colleges for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing programs later in this article.
Coursework for Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 5 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 150 |
People currently working in careers related to perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing prepares you for numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
With 11 different perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 256,965 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,847 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,206 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,911 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 4,379 |
| Nursing Science | 4,245 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 4,125 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,457 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,960 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,505 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
