29 Series · SOC 29-9093
Surgical Assistants Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $66,800
- Median / year
- +10.8%
- 2024→2025
- $107,610
- Top 10% earn
- +5.1%
- Growth '24–'34
- 22,270
- Estimated US jobs
Surgical Assistants earn a median of $66,800 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $66,800, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $39,690 (10th percentile) to $107,610 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 22,270 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($123,390).
The pay verdict
Surgical Assistants earn a median of $66,800, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 59% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #53 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.1% by 2034.
- $66,800
- Median annual wage
- Top 41%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #53 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 2.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $123,390. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
Surgical Assistants (SOC 29-9093) has a national median of $66,800 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $39,690 to $107,610, and the published mean is $72,710. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 22,270 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 45 state or territory areas and 96 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $60,290 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $66,800 in May 2025, a rise of $6,510 (+10.8%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 1,600 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Postsecondary nondegree award as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $123,390, which is +85% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ at $161,710. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$66,800
per year
Median Hourly
$32.11/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$72,710
average
Employment
22,270
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Surgical Assistants pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$66,800 Top 41% higher than 59% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 (this entry) | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$66,800 · 59th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Surgical Assistants; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
- Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
- Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
- Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
- Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
- Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
- Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
- Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
- Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
- Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
- Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
- Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
- Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
- Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
- Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
- Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
- Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
- Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
- Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
- Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
- Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
- Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
- Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
- Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590
- Surgical Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $66800
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.1%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
1,600
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+1,300
25,300 (2024) → 26,600 (2034)
Typical Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Surgical Assistants roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Verify the identity of patient or operative site.
- ▸ Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
- ▸ Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.
- ▸ Prepare and apply sterile wound dressings.
- ▸ Apply sutures, staples, clips, or other materials to close skin, facia, or subcutaneous wound layers.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Determine availability of necessary equipment or supplies for operative procedures.
- ▸ Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Surgical Assistants pay history, 2021–2025
Published national median across 5 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $48,320 |
| 2022 | $57,290 |
| 2023 | $59,160 |
| 2024 | $60,290 |
| 2025 | $66,800 |
2021 median
$48,320
2025 median
$66,800
2021–2025 change
+$18,480 (+38.2%)
Avg/year
+8.4%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,320 | First banked release | 17,250 |
| May 2022 | $57,290 | +18.6% | 18,650 |
| May 2023 | $59,160 | +3.3% | 18,780 |
| May 2024 | $60,290 | +1.9% | 22,860 |
| May 2025 | $66,800 | +10.8% | 22,270 |
Across the 5 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $48,320 in May 2021 to $66,800 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2021–2025), the like-for-like change averages +8.4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 17,250 in May 2021 to 22,270 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $123,390 | +85% above national |
| 2 | Arizona | $111,170 | +66% above national |
| 3 | Colorado | $107,440 | +61% above national |
| 4 | Nevada | $100,820 | +51% above national |
| 5 | New Jersey | $90,710 | +36% above national |
| 6 | South Carolina | $85,580 | +28% above national |
| 7 | Kentucky | $84,600 | +27% above national |
| 8 | Tennessee | $81,640 | +22% above national |
| 9 | Oregon | $80,450 | +20% above national |
| 10 | Illinois | $80,210 | +20% above national |
| 11 | Virginia | $78,910 | +18% above national |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $78,030 | +17% above national |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $77,670 | +16% above national |
| 14 | Ohio | $77,450 | +16% above national |
| 15 | Minnesota | $75,950 | +14% above national |
| 16 | Connecticut | $67,580 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Montana | $67,370 | +1% above national |
| 18 | Iowa | $66,030 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Washington | $65,440 | 2% below national |
| 20 | Texas | $64,930 | 3% below national |
| 21 | Florida | $62,550 | 6% below national |
| 22 | California | $62,540 | 6% below national |
| 23 | New Mexico | $62,010 | 7% below national |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $61,900 | 7% below national |
| 25 | Alaska | $61,210 | 8% below national |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $60,550 | 9% below national |
| 27 | New York | $60,070 | 10% below national |
| 28 | North Carolina | $59,920 | 10% below national |
| 29 | Maryland | $58,130 | 13% below national |
| 30 | Kansas | $57,810 | 13% below national |
| 31 | Indiana | $56,620 | 15% below national |
| 32 | Idaho | $56,460 | 15% below national |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $56,430 | 16% below national |
| 34 | Michigan | $56,430 | 16% below national |
| 35 | Hawaii | $54,190 | 19% below national |
| 36 | Nebraska | $53,190 | 20% below national |
| 37 | West Virginia | $50,870 | 24% below national |
| 38 | Mississippi | $50,810 | 24% below national |
| 39 | Arkansas | $49,600 | 26% below national |
| 40 | Georgia | $49,520 | 26% below national |
| 41 | Missouri | $49,400 | 26% below national |
| 42 | Utah | $44,990 | 33% below national |
| 43 | Alabama | $41,710 | 38% below national |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $40,160 | 40% below national |
| 45 | Puerto Rico | $30,160 | 55% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 89 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $161,710 | +142% above national |
| 2 | Florence, SC | $133,380 | +100% above national |
| 3 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $102,730 | +54% above national |
| 4 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $102,330 | +53% above national |
| 5 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $100,820 | +51% above national |
| 6 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $99,530 | +49% above national |
| 7 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $97,800 | +46% above national |
| 8 | El Paso, TX | $94,730 | +42% above national |
| 9 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $93,380 | +40% above national |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $88,570 | +33% above national |
| 11 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $87,080 | +30% above national |
| 12 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $87,080 | +30% above national |
| 13 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $86,890 | +30% above national |
| 14 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $84,750 | +27% above national |
| 15 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $84,460 | +26% above national |
| 16 | Boulder, CO | $83,030 | +24% above national |
| 17 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $81,690 | +22% above national |
| 18 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $80,800 | +21% above national |
| 19 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $80,740 | +21% above national |
| 20 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,550 | +21% above national |
| 21 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $80,210 | +20% above national |
| 22 | Amarillo, TX | $79,820 | +19% above national |
| 23 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $79,240 | +19% above national |
| 24 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $79,110 | +18% above national |
| 25 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $78,980 | +18% above national |
| 26 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $78,240 | +17% above national |
| 27 | Springfield, IL | $78,210 | +17% above national |
| 28 | Jacksonville, FL | $78,050 | +17% above national |
| 29 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $77,980 | +17% above national |
| 30 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $77,570 | +16% above national |
| 31 | Rochester, MN | $76,880 | +15% above national |
| 32 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $75,950 | +14% above national |
| 33 | Salem, OR | $75,710 | +13% above national |
| 34 | Duluth, MN-WI | $75,470 | +13% above national |
| 35 | Lubbock, TX | $74,880 | +12% above national |
| 36 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $74,490 | +12% above national |
| 37 | Cleveland, OH | $74,140 | +11% above national |
| 38 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $74,080 | +11% above national |
| 39 | Madison, WI | $73,200 | +10% above national |
| 40 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $72,030 | +8% above national |
| 41 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $67,580 | +1% above national |
| 42 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $67,210 | +1% above national |
| 43 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $67,080 | same as national |
| 44 | Appleton, WI | $66,480 | same as national |
| 45 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $66,030 | 1% below national |
| 46 | Fort Wayne, IN | $65,910 | 1% below national |
| 47 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $65,260 | 2% below national |
| 48 | Albuquerque, NM | $65,200 | 2% below national |
| 49 | Akron, OH | $65,130 | 2% below national |
| 50 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $63,740 | 5% below national |
| 51 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $62,990 | 6% below national |
| 52 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,990 | 6% below national |
| 53 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $62,550 | 6% below national |
| 54 | Anchorage, AK | $61,210 | 8% below national |
| 55 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $60,720 | 9% below national |
| 56 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $60,410 | 10% below national |
| 57 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $59,930 | 10% below national |
| 58 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $59,920 | 10% below national |
| 59 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $58,710 | 12% below national |
| 60 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $58,370 | 13% below national |
| 61 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $56,160 | 16% below national |
| 62 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $56,120 | 16% below national |
| 63 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $54,190 | 19% below national |
| 64 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $53,990 | 19% below national |
| 65 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $52,890 | 21% below national |
| 66 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $51,420 | 23% below national |
| 67 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $51,350 | 23% below national |
| 68 | Richmond, VA | $51,030 | 24% below national |
| 69 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $50,980 | 24% below national |
| 70 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $50,810 | 24% below national |
| 71 | Ocala, FL | $50,650 | 24% below national |
| 72 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,410 | 25% below national |
| 73 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $49,440 | 26% below national |
| 74 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,570 | 27% below national |
| 75 | Gainesville, GA | $48,540 | 27% below national |
| 76 | Columbia, SC | $48,160 | 28% below national |
| 77 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $48,120 | 28% below national |
| 78 | Wichita, KS | $47,830 | 28% below national |
| 79 | Springfield, MA | $47,350 | 29% below national |
| 80 | Midland, TX | $47,130 | 29% below national |
| 81 | Columbus, OH | $46,270 | 31% below national |
| 82 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $45,910 | 31% below national |
| 83 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $45,390 | 32% below national |
| 84 | Greenville, NC | $40,950 | 39% below national |
| 85 | Tulsa, OK | $40,160 | 40% below national |
| 86 | Oklahoma City, OK | $39,090 | 41% below national |
| 87 | Savannah, GA | $38,320 | 43% below national |
| 88 | Springfield, MO | $37,540 | 44% below national |
| 89 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $30,160 | 55% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Acupuncturists
SOC 29-1291
Anesthesiologists
SOC 29-1211
Athletic Trainers
SOC 29-9091
Audiologists
SOC 29-1181
Cardiologists
SOC 29-1212
Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($66,800 here) and reported employment (22,270 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Surgical Assistants make? ▼
Where does Surgical Assistants pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Surgical Assistants the most? ▼
What education do Surgical Assistants need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Surgical Assistants? ▼
Is Surgical Assistants a good career? ▼
How does Surgical Assistants pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Surgical Assistants? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Surgical Assistants pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $88,010/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $123,390/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.