Surgical Assistants Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for surgical assistants is $66,800, or $32.11 per hour. About 22,270 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $123,390 in District of Columbia to $40,160 in Oklahoma.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 44 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $123,390 | $59.32 | 90 | 0.89 |
| 2 | Arizona | $111,170 | $53.45 | — | — |
| 3 | Colorado | $107,440 | $51.65 | — | — |
| 4 | Nevada | $100,820 | $48.47 | 230 | 1.03 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $90,710 | $43.61 | — | — |
| 6 | South Carolina | $85,580 | $41.15 | 480 | 1.45 |
| 7 | Kentucky | $84,600 | $40.67 | 480 | 1.69 |
| 8 | Tennessee | $81,640 | $39.25 | 750 | 1.60 |
| 9 | Oregon | $80,450 | $38.68 | 220 | 0.77 |
| 10 | Illinois | $80,210 | $38.56 | 2,300 | 2.63 |
| 11 | Virginia | $78,910 | $37.94 | 1,000 | 1.69 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $78,030 | $37.51 | 810 | 1.93 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $77,670 | $37.34 | 130 | 1.37 |
| 14 | Ohio | $77,450 | $37.24 | 970 | 1.21 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $75,950 | $36.52 | 360 | 0.86 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $67,580 | $32.49 | 320 | 1.32 |
| 17 | Montana | $67,370 | $32.39 | 100 | 1.31 |
| 18 | Iowa | $66,030 | $31.75 | 30 | 0.15 |
| 19 | Washington | $65,440 | $31.46 | 100 | 0.20 |
| 20 | Texas | $64,930 | $31.22 | 2,840 | 1.41 |
| 21 | Florida | $62,550 | $30.07 | 1,260 | 0.89 |
| 22 | California | $62,540 | $30.07 | 1,210 | 0.47 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $62,010 | $29.81 | 130 | 1.06 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $61,900 | $29.76 | — | — |
| 25 | Alaska | $61,210 | $29.43 | 60 | 1.19 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $60,550 | $29.11 | 240 | 0.28 |
| 27 | New York | $60,070 | $28.88 | 470 | 0.34 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $59,920 | $28.81 | 670 | 0.95 |
| 29 | Maryland | $58,130 | $27.95 | 670 | 1.69 |
| 30 | Kansas | $57,810 | $27.80 | 180 | 0.88 |
| 31 | Indiana | $56,620 | $27.22 | 690 | 1.51 |
| 32 | Idaho | $56,460 | $27.14 | — | — |
| 33 | Michigan | $56,430 | $27.13 | 560 | 0.89 |
| 34 | Massachusetts | $56,430 | $27.13 | — | — |
| 35 | Hawaii | $54,190 | $26.06 | 70 | 0.83 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $53,190 | $25.57 | 80 | 0.56 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $50,870 | $24.46 | 280 | 2.74 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $50,810 | $24.43 | 120 | 0.70 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $49,600 | $23.85 | 80 | 0.43 |
| 40 | Georgia | $49,520 | $23.81 | 840 | 1.21 |
| 41 | Missouri | $49,400 | $23.75 | 510 | 1.22 |
| 42 | Utah | $44,990 | $21.63 | 290 | 1.16 |
| 43 | Alabama | $41,710 | $20.05 | 470 | 1.55 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $40,160 | $19.31 | 220 | 0.90 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do surgical assistants make?
The median annual wage for surgical assistants in the United States is $66,800, or $32.11 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $39,690, and the top 10% earn $107,610.
How many surgical assistants are employed in the U.S.?
About 22,270 people work as surgical assistants nationwide.
Which state pays surgical assistants the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $123,390, followed by Arizona ($111,170) and Colorado ($107,440).
Which state pays surgical assistants the least?
Oklahoma has the lowest median at $40,160.
Where are surgical assistants jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is West Virginia at 2.74×.