How much does a surgical assistant make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $32.12 an hour or $5,567 a month.
- Hourly
- $32.12
- Average (mean)
- $72,710
- Jobs
- 22,270
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $39,690 | $19.08 | |
| 25th | $50,170 | $24.12 | |
| Median | $66,800 | $32.12 | |
| 75th | $88,010 | $42.31 | |
| 90th | $107,600 | $51.74 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| District of Columbia | $123,400 |
| Arizona | $111,200 |
| Colorado | $107,400 |
| Nevada | $100,800 |
| New Jersey | $90,710 |
| South Carolina | $85,580 |
| Kentucky | $84,600 |
| Tennessee | $81,640 |
| Oregon | $80,450 |
| Illinois | $80,210 |
| Virginia | $78,910 |
| Wisconsin | $78,030 |
| New Hampshire | $77,670 |
| Ohio | $77,450 |
| Minnesota | $75,950 |
| Connecticut | $67,580 |
| Montana | $67,370 |
| Iowa | $66,030 |
| Washington | $65,440 |
| Texas | $64,930 |
| Florida | $62,550 |
| California | $62,540 |
| New Mexico | $62,010 |
| Rhode Island | $61,900 |
| Alaska | $61,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,550 |
| New York | $60,070 |
| North Carolina | $59,920 |
| Maryland | $58,130 |
| Kansas | $57,810 |
| Indiana | $56,620 |
| Idaho | $56,460 |
| Massachusetts | $56,430 |
| Michigan | $56,430 |
| Hawaii | $54,190 |
| Nebraska | $53,190 |
| West Virginia | $50,870 |
| Mississippi | $50,810 |
| Arkansas | $49,600 |
| Georgia | $49,520 |
| Missouri | $49,400 |
| Utah | $44,990 |
| Alabama | $41,710 |
| Oklahoma | $40,160 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| Phoenix, AZ | $161,700 |
| Florence, SC | $133,400 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $102,700 |
| Lexington, KY | $102,300 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $100,800 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $99,530 |
| Canton, OH | $97,800 |
| El Paso, TX | $94,730 |
| Austin, TX | $93,380 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $88,570 |
| Dallas, TX | $87,080 |
| Nashville, TN | $87,080 |
| Portland, OR | $86,890 |
| Dayton, OH | $84,750 |
| Deltona, FL | $84,460 |
In other countries
Surgical Assistant belongs to the international group "Midwifery associate professionals".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
Frequently asked questions
How much does a surgical assistant make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $32.12 ($66,800 a year).
How much does a surgical assistant make a month?
About $5,567 a month before tax, based on a median of $66,800 a year.
How much does a surgical assistant make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $39,690 or less a year ($19.08 an hour); the top 10% make $107,600 or more.
Which state pays surgical assistants the most?
District of Columbia, with a median of $123,400 a year, followed by Arizona ($111,200) and Colorado ($107,400).
Which city pays surgical assistants the most?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, with a median of $161,700 a year.
How many surgical assistants are there in the United States?
About 22,270 people work as surgical assistants.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.