Doctor's office nurse vs. Hospital nurse salary

The salary for an LPN working in a doctor's office averages $45,000 per year compared with $47,000 in a hospital setting, while RNs working in a doctor's office average $71,000 per year compared with $81,000 in a hospital setting.

How To Become An Office Nurse: What It Is and Career Path

What is an office nurse and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Earlene Masi

Office nurses are nurses who provide healthcare services for outpatients in doctor's offices, general and specialty clinics, and emergency medical centers. They are usually registered nurses. They give general, non-emergency care to the patients who visit the clinic. Besides that, they are the first point of contact for patients. As an office nurse, you may administer vaccinations, take measurements, document patient medical history, and help the doctor with minor procedures. You'll prepare patients for examinations. Additionally, you'll offer advice on prescription medications.

For this role, you need the same educational qualification as a registered nurse. This implies that you must obtain an associate's degree or bachelor's degree in nursing science. Likewise, you must have a nursing license in the state where you plan to work. Office nurses earn an average salary of $54,040 per annum. It ranges from $37,000 to $79,000.

What general advice would you give to an Office Nurse?

Earlene Masi

Assistant Professor of Exercise Science, Anderson University

Always be true to yourself. In any situation, never be afraid to ask for help. As you enter the workforce, remember communication is critical, always be a team player, and always be open to change. Remember to try and find a job that you enjoy, and that gives you a sense of fulfillment.

ScoreOffice NurseUS Average

Salary

4.6

Avg. Salary $58,587

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.94%

Black or African American 11.67%

Hispanic or Latino 8.77%

Unknown 4.24%

White 65.94%

Gender

female 95.00%

male 5.00%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.1

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.8

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an office nurse

Explore office nurse education requirements

Most common office nurse degrees

Associate

38.6 %

Bachelor's

33.9 %

Diploma

15.6 %

Start to develop specific office nurse skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	29.62%
Vital Signs	6.75%
Patient Education	4.87%
EKG	4.23%
Exam Rooms	4.16%

Complete relevant office nurse training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New office nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an office nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real office nurse resumes.

Gain additional office nurse certifications

Office nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific office nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for office nurses include Medical Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

More About Certifications

Research office nurse duties and responsibilities

Case manage FMLA cases on a daily basis regarding FMLA abuse and employees with attendance issues.
Recognize and manage maternal complications: hemorrhage, preeclampsia, endometritis.
Monitor patients status that are on telemetry.
Facilitate ADL's and assist patients with functional mobility to increase comfort and quality of life.

Prepare your office nurse resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your office nurse resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an office nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Office Nurse Resume templates

Build a professional Office Nurse resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Office Nurse resume.

Apply for office nurse jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an office nurse job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do office nurses rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Office Nurse reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022

Pros

How employers and our patients or clients appreciate what we do for them

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020

Cons

the pay is not good not enough for the lifestyle I would like to live

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019