Surgical Assistants Salary
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · 22K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$66,800
Median hourly
$32
Average annual
$72,710
Typical range
$39,690–$107,610
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Surgical Assistants is $66,800 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $32 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons. May, in accordance with state laws, help surgeons to make incisions and close surgical sites, manipulate or remove tissues, implant surgical devices or drains, suction the surgical site, place catheters, clamp or cauterize vessels or tissue, and apply dressings to surgical site..
Most earn between $39,690 and $107,610 a year. There are roughly 22K people employed as surgical assistants in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Surgical Assistants.
- Hourly
- $32.12
- Daily
- $257
- Weekly
- $1,285
- Bi-weekly
- $2,569
- Monthly
- $5,567
- Annual
- $66,800
$66,800 a year is around the 50th percentile for Surgical Assistantss. The median is $66,800.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1District of Columbia$123,390
- 2Arizona$111,170
- 3Colorado$107,440
- 4Nevada$100,820
- 5New Jersey$90,710
- 6South Carolina$85,580
- 7Kentucky$84,600
- 8Tennessee$81,640
- 9Oregon$80,450
- 10Illinois$80,210
- 11Virginia$78,910
- 12Wisconsin$78,030
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$161,710
- 2Florence, SC$133,380
- 3Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$102,730
- 4Lexington-Fayette, KY$102,330
- 5Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$100,820
- 6Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$99,530
- 7Canton-Massillon, OH$97,800
- 8El Paso, TX$94,730
- 9Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$93,380
- 10Colorado Springs, CO$88,570
- 11Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$87,080
- 12Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN$87,080
Related job titles
Employers advertise Surgical Assistants roles under these titles.
- Certified First Assistant (CFA)
- Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA)
- Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA)
- Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA)
- First Assistant
- Gastrointestinal Technician (GI Technician)
- Medical Surgical Nursing Assistant
- Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA)
- Surgery Assistant
- Surgical Assistant
- Surgical Assistant-Certified (SA-C)
- Surgical First Assistant
- Surgical Medical Assistant
- Surgical Services Assistant
Related occupations
What a Surgical Assistants does
- Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
- Coordinate or participate in the positioning of patients, using body stabilizing equipment or protective padding to provide appropriate exposure for the procedure or to protect against nerve damage or circulation impairment.
- Discuss with surgeon the nature of the surgical procedure, including operative consent, methods of operative exposure, diagnostic or laboratory data, or patient-advanced directives or other needs.
- Assess skin integrity or other body conditions upon completion of the procedure to determine if damage has occurred from body positioning.
- Operate sterilizing devices.
- Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.
- Assist in the insertion, positioning, or suturing of closed-wound drainage systems.
- Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Surgical Assistants make?
- The median annual wage for Surgical Assistants is $66,800 ($32 per hour). Pay ranges from about $39,690 at the 10th percentile to $107,610 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Surgical Assistants?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $72,710, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Surgical Assistantss the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $123,390.
- Is Surgical Assistants a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 22K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Surgical Assistants do?
- Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.; Coordinate or participate in the positioning of patients, using body stabilizing equipment or protective padding to provide appropriate exposure for the procedure or to protect against nerve damage or circulation impairment.; Discuss with surgeon the nature of the surgical procedure, including operative consent, methods of operative exposure, diagnostic or laboratory data, or patient-advanced directives or other needs..