Surgical Assistants Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for surgical assistantss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $72,710 ≈ $35/hr
National median salary $66,800
Total employment 22,270 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +5.1%
Faster than average
Annual openings 1,600 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 25,300 → 26,600 (+1,300)
Typical entry education Postsecondary nondegree award
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$110,920
- Colorado$106,660
- Arizona$101,840
- New Jersey$97,840
- New Hampshire$92,410
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Alabama$41,310
- Utah$46,200
- Mississippi$52,650
- Oklahoma$53,730
- Massachusetts$55,190
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $110,920 | $123,390 | $53 | +52.6% | 90 |
| 2 | Colorado | $106,660 | $107,440 | $51 | +46.7% | — |
| 3 | Arizona | $101,840 | $111,170 | $49 | +40.1% | — |
| 4 | New Jersey | $97,840 | $90,710 | $47 | +34.6% | — |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $92,410 | $77,670 | $44 | +27.1% | 130 |
| 6 | Nevada | $91,760 | $100,820 | $44 | +26.2% | 230 |
| 7 | Oregon | $91,610 | $80,450 | $44 | +26% | 220 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $89,380 | $84,600 | $43 | +22.9% | 480 |
| 9 | South Carolina | $85,590 | $85,580 | $41 | +17.7% | 480 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $82,720 | $81,640 | $40 | +13.8% | 750 |
| 11 | Virginia | $82,280 | $78,910 | $40 | +13.2% | 1,000 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $80,990 | $75,950 | $39 | +11.4% | 360 |
| 13 | Illinois | $78,760 | $80,210 | $38 | +8.3% | 2,300 |
| 14 | Florida | $75,960 | $62,550 | $37 | +4.5% | 1,260 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $75,650 | $78,030 | $36 | +4% | 810 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $74,490 | $67,580 | $36 | +2.4% | 320 |
| 17 | Ohio | $74,350 | $77,450 | $36 | +2.3% | 970 |
| 18 | Montana | $72,500 | $67,370 | $35 | -0.3% | 100 |
| 19 | Washington | $71,820 | $65,440 | $35 | -1.2% | 100 |
| 20 | Maryland | $70,930 | $58,130 | $34 | -2.4% | 670 |
| 21 | Texas | $70,810 | $64,930 | $34 | -2.6% | 2,840 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $70,720 | $54,190 | $34 | -2.7% | 70 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $70,010 | $61,900 | $34 | -3.7% | — |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $69,150 | $60,550 | $33 | -4.9% | 240 |
| 25 | California | $67,860 | $62,540 | $33 | -6.7% | 1,210 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $67,290 | $49,600 | $32 | -7.5% | 80 |
| 27 | Iowa | $65,780 | $66,030 | $32 | -9.5% | 30 |
| 28 | New York | $64,100 | $60,070 | $31 | -11.8% | 470 |
| 29 | Indiana | $62,710 | $56,620 | $30 | -13.8% | 690 |
| 30 | Alaska | $62,580 | $61,210 | $30 | -13.9% | 60 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $62,530 | $62,010 | $30 | -14% | 130 |
| 32 | Missouri | $61,720 | $49,400 | $30 | -15.1% | 510 |
| 33 | Georgia | $61,260 | $49,520 | $29 | -15.7% | 840 |
| 34 | Michigan | $61,240 | $56,430 | $29 | -15.8% | 560 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $60,730 | $53,190 | $29 | -16.5% | 80 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $60,120 | $50,870 | $29 | -17.3% | 280 |
| 37 | Kansas | $59,100 | $57,810 | $28 | -18.7% | 180 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $57,690 | $59,920 | $28 | -20.7% | 670 |
| 39 | Idaho | $56,260 | $56,460 | $27 | -22.6% | — |
| 40 | Massachusetts | $55,190 | $56,430 | $27 | -24.1% | — |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $53,730 | $40,160 | $26 | -26.1% | 220 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $52,650 | $50,810 | $25 | -27.6% | 120 |
| 43 | Utah | $46,200 | $44,990 | $22 | -36.5% | 290 |
| 44 | Alabama | $41,310 | $41,710 | $20 | -43.2% | 470 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 95 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $161,710 | $141,940 | — |
| 2 | Florence, SC | $133,380 | $115,420 | 200 |
| 3 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $102,730 | $98,860 | 200 |
| 4 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $102,330 | $115,640 | 100 |
| 5 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $100,820 | $96,400 | 200 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $99,530 | $93,890 | 270 |
| 7 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $97,800 | $95,030 | 70 |
| 8 | El Paso, TX | $94,730 | $86,000 | 60 |
| 9 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $93,380 | $88,140 | 110 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $88,570 | $93,600 | 40 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing surgical assistantss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $107,440 | $108,340 | — |
| 2 | Offices of All Other Health Practitioners | $107,440 | $109,640 | — |
| 3 | Temporary Help Services | $99,020 | $102,680 | 270 |
| 4 | Administrative and Support Services | $93,070 | $96,660 | 340 |
| 5 | Employment Services | $93,070 | $96,800 | 340 |
| 6 | Sector 56 - Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $93,070 | $96,660 | 340 |
| 7 | Offices of Physicians | $80,210 | $78,770 | 3,730 |
| 8 | Hospitals, Local Government Owned | $77,720 | $79,700 | 860 |
| 9 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Local Government Owned | $77,720 | $79,700 | 860 |
| 10 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, Privately Owned | $77,400 | $76,620 | 7,930 |
| 11 | General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $77,260 | $76,910 | 8,950 |
| 12 | Hospitals, Privately Owned | $76,840 | $76,250 | 8,100 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do surgical assistants make in the U.S.?
The median surgical assistants salary in the United States is $66,800 per year (mean $72,710), and about 80% earn between $39,690 and $107,610.
How much do surgical assistants make per hour?
Roughly $35 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $72,710 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays surgical assistants the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for surgical assistants at $110,920 per year (median $123,390).
What is the job outlook for surgical assistants?
Employment is projected to change +5.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 1,600 openings per year.