Also called: Recovery Room Nurse, PACU RN, CPAN
Watches patients as they wake up from anesthesia after surgery.
Receives a groggy patient straight from the operating room, manages pain and nausea, watches breathing closely, and decides when they are safe to go to a hospital room or home.
Estimate based on BLS registered nurses (May 2025 median about $95k); specialty and region shift pay.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. ADN or BSN, RN license, then experience in the specialty; certification optional.
Ways in: 4-year college, 2-year college, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Nursing.
Growing faster than average. Tracks registered nurses overall (faster than average).
Low risk for 10 years. Monitors track waking patients' vitals; managing pain, airways and post-surgery surprises stays human.
Classes: Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy & physiology, Health science CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 29-1141.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.