2026 Best Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools

Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Degree-Level Rankings
• Best Overall Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools List

Choosing a Great Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing School

The perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program you select can have a big impact on your future. To help, we created our Best Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools rankings. Our overall ranking combines our degree-level rankings, weighted by degrees awarded at each level.

To find the best fit, you can narrow this list to a specific degree level below.

Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Rankings by Degree Level

We offer several rankings, including this Best Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.

Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.

Read more about College Factual’s methodology

Best Schools for Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing in the United States

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing education, regardless of degree level.

Top Schools in Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing

1

University Of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

102 Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Degrees Awarded

$137,262 Median Starting Salary

University Of Pennsylvania is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing. University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. About 96% of students finish within six years. University Of Pennsylvania awarded about 102 perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program make about $137,262 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,410. See the full perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program report for University Of Pennsylvania

2

Delaware County Community College
Media, PA

Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

33 Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Degrees Awarded

$72,491 Median Starting Salary

Delaware County Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Media, Delaware County Community College is a large public university. There were roughly 33 perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing students who graduated with this degree at Delaware County Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degree from Delaware County Community College earn around $72,491 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree. See the full perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program report for Delaware County Community College

3

Oakton Community College
Des Plaines, IL

Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

11 Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Degrees Awarded

$69,434 Median Starting Salary

Oakton Community College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing, ranking #3. Set in the city of Des Plaines, Oakton Community College is a large public institution. Oakton Community College awarded about 11 perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing degree recipients from Oakton Community College generally make around $69,434. Oakton Community College graduates carry a median of $10,000 in student loans. More information about a degree in perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing from Oakton Community College

4

Mayo Medical School
Rochester, MN

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

12 Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Degrees Awarded

$127,726 Median Starting Salary

Mayo Medical School came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing schools. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Rochester. There were roughly 12 perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing students who graduated with this degree at Mayo Medical School in the most recent data year. Perioperative/operating Room And Surgical Nurse/nursing graduates of Mayo Medical School earn a median of $127,726 early in their careers. Mayo Medical School graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. See the full perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing program report for Mayo Medical School

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Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing by Region

Explore the best perioperative/operating room and surgical nurse/nursing schools by region.

Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing Related Rankings by Major

Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing is one of many programs to choose from within the area of study. Browse the parent area of study.

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 15 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.