Surgical Assistants · Illinois

Surgical Assistants Salary in Illinois

Surgical Assistants in Illinois earn a median annual wage of $80,210 —20.1% above the national median of $66,800. That ranks IL #10 of 44 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$80,210
Median hourly
$38.56
Entry level (P10)
$64,220
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$83,740
90th percentile
Employment
2,300
0.4 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+20.1%
U.S. $66,800

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$64,220
$80,210
$80,210
$80,210
$64,220$80,210$83,740
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $80,210.

Employment is 2.63× as concentrated as the national average, making Illinois a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for surgical assistants

All 44 states ranked by median annual wage. Illinois is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$123,390$59.32900.89
2Arizona$111,170$53.45——
3Colorado$107,440$51.65——
4Nevada$100,820$48.472301.03
5New Jersey$90,710$43.61——
6South Carolina$85,580$41.154801.45
7Kentucky$84,600$40.674801.69
8Tennessee$81,640$39.257501.60
9Oregon$80,450$38.682200.77
10Illinois$80,210$38.562,3002.63

Related occupations in Illinois

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Illinois.

OccupationIllinois medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$95,990$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$75,000$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$46,650$45,750
Physicians, All Other$132,540$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$71,950$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$130,680$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do surgical assistants make in Illinois?

The median annual wage for surgical assistants in Illinois is $80,210, or $38.56 per hour. That is 20.1% above the national median of $66,800.

What is the entry-level surgical assistants salary in Illinois?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $64,220 per year ($30.88/hour). The 25th percentile is $80,210.

How many people work as surgical assistants in Illinois?

About 2,300 people work in this occupation in Illinois, or 0.4 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Illinois a good state for surgical assistants?

Illinois ranks #10 of 44 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 2.63x as concentrated as the national average, making Illinois a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays surgical assistants the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $123,390 per year, followed by Arizona ($111,170) and Colorado ($107,440).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes