How much do travel OR nurses make per week?

Travel OR nurses earn $2,200–$3,200 per week in 2026, averaging $2,449/week nationally — higher than ER and Telemetry. Cardiac and robotic surgery ORs pay the most at $2,800–$3,200/week. General surgical ORs average $2,200–$2,800/week. PACU nurses earn $2,200–$3,000/week. CNOR certification adds $150–$250/week. Robotic surgery (da Vinci) experience adds $100–$200/week.

What is the difference between a scrub nurse and a circulator?

A scrub nurse (scrub tech or scrub RN) works in the sterile field — gowned and gloved, directly handing instruments to the surgeon, counting sponges/needles/instruments, and maintaining sterile technique throughout the procedure. A circulator RN works outside the sterile field — managing the room, documenting the procedure, running specimens to the lab, and supporting the scrub and surgeon from outside the sterile zone. Travel OR contracts typically require both skill sets, though some positions are designated scrub-only or circulator-only.

Do travel OR nurses need CNOR certification?

CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room — CCI) is not universally required but adds $150–$250/week to travel OR rates and is required at many Level I trauma centers and academic medical centers. Requirements: active RN license, 2+ years perioperative nursing, pass the CNOR exam. Robotic surgery certification (Intuitive Surgical da Vinci) is increasingly requested in facilities with active robotic programs and adds $100–$200/week.

Travel Nursing JobsOR / Surgical

$2,449/wk Avg — 2nd Highest RN Specialty

Travel OR Nurse Jobs 2026

$2,200–$3,200/week — averaging $2,449/week, the 2nd highest-paying bedside RN specialty. 49 active openings. Scrub, circulator, PACU. CNOR adds $150–$250/week.

🩺 49 Open Positions🤖 Robotic Surgery Experience +$200/wk🏥 Scrub · Circulator · PACU🎓 CNOR +$150–$250/wk

OR Nurse Roles — Scrub vs. Circulator vs. PACU

🧤

Scrub Nurse / RN First Assist

$2,400–$3,200/wk

Sterile field, instrument passing, counting, anticipating surgeon needs, gown/glove technique

Hardest to fill — sterile field comfort takes years to build

📋

Circulator RN

$2,200–$3,000/wk

Room management, specimen handling, documentation, positioning, supporting sterile field from outside

Most common OR travel role — highest job volume

😴

PACU RN (Post-Anesthesia)

$2,200–$3,000/wk

Post-anesthesia recovery, airway management, pain control, PONV, vital sign trending

Bridge between OR and floor — ACLS required; calmer pace than intraoperative

Travel OR Pay by Surgical Specialty — 2026

Surgical Specialty	Weekly Pay	Special Skills	Demand
Cardiac / Open Heart Surgery	$2,800–$3,200/wk	Perfusion support, sternal instruments, IABP, valve sets	🔴 Critical
Robotic Surgery (da Vinci)	$2,600–$3,200/wk	Intuitive Surgical certification, console management, robot draping	🔴 Critical
Neurosurgery	$2,600–$3,000/wk	Microscope setup, spinal instruments, craniotomy, stereotactic	🟠 High
Orthopedic / Joint Replacement	$2,400–$2,900/wk	Ortho tray assembly, power tools, tourniquet, cement mixing	🟠 High
General / Laparoscopic	$2,200–$2,700/wk	Laparoscopic tower setup, camera navigation, trocar placement	🟡 Moderate
OB / GYN Surgical	$2,300–$2,800/wk	C-section tray, hysterectomy, laparoscopic GYN, uterine instruments	🟡 Moderate
Trauma / Emergency OR	$2,600–$3,200/wk	Rapid setup, improvisation, trauma laparotomy, 24/7 on-call	🔴 Critical

OR Certifications That Raise Your Rate

CNOR — Certified Nurse Operating Room (CCI)

+$150–$250/wk

Premier OR cert. Requires 2 yrs periop exp + exam. Required at academic centers.

da Vinci Robotic Surgery Certification (Intuitive Surgical)

+$100–$200/wk

Online + hands-on certification. Growing demand as robotic volumes increase.

RNFA — RN First Assistant (CFMSA)

+$200–$400/wk

Advanced role: assists surgeon directly. Requires postgrad RNFA program.

ACLS — Advanced Cardiac Life Support (AHA)

Required

Required for most OR travel contracts. 2-year renewal.

Sterile Processing Familiarity (Facility-based)

+$50–$100/wk

$2,726/wk

Calipatria State Prison (CAL) · Calipatria, CA

Corrections

How much do travel OR nurses make?

Travel OR nurses earn $2,200–$3,200/week in 2026, averaging $2,449/week — the 2nd highest bedside RN average nationally. Cardiac and robotic ORs pay the most ($2,800–$3,200/wk). CNOR adds $150–$250/week. RNFA (RN First Assistant) earns $200–$400/week above standard OR rates.

Do travel OR nurses need CNOR?

CNOR is not universally required but adds $150–$250/week and is required at many academic and Level I trauma centers. It requires 2 years perioperative nursing experience plus passing the CCI exam. Robotic surgery (da Vinci) certification is increasingly requested as robotic volumes grow.

What surgical specialties pay the most for travel ORs?

Cardiac/open heart surgery and robotic surgery pay the most ($2,800–$3,200/wk). Trauma emergency OR ($2,600–$3,200/wk) pays well due to on-call requirements and rapid deployment needs. Neurosurgery follows at $2,600–$3,000/wk.

Travel OR Nurse Jobs by State

State-specific pay, CNOR requirements, and OR specialty breakdowns.

OR Jobs CaliforniaCedars-Sinai, Stanford, UCSF robotic OR OR Jobs TexasMemorial Hermann, HCA cardiac OR OR Jobs FloridaTampa General, Moffitt Cancer, CNOR OR Jobs New YorkNYU Langone, Columbia, Montefiore OR Jobs WashingtonHarborview, UW Medicine, 0% tax All Travel Nursing JobsFull RN specialty hub

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