The average salary for a surgical assistant in the United States is around $50,290 per year.
Avg Salary
Surgical assistants earn an average yearly salary of $50,290.
Wages typically start from $38,180 and go up to $85,270.
15% below national average Updated in 2025
Surgical assistant earnings by seniority
Top-level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$40.99 per hour
$85,270 per year
Senior-level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$30.93 per hour
$64,340 per year
Mid-level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$24.18 per hour
$50,290 per year
Junior-level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$21.24 per hour
$44,170 per year
Starting level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$18.36 per hour
$38,180 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Surgical assistant salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $80,520 |
| Delaware | $78,650 |
| Washington | $62,090 |
| Maine | $61,490 |
| Massachusetts | $60,500 |
| California | $60,390 |
| Oregon | $60,390 |
| New York | $60,320 |
| Hawaii | $59,900 |
| Minnesota | $59,540 |
| Vermont | $59,470 |
| Colorado | $59,430 |
| New Jersey | $58,300 |
| Rhode Island | $57,800 |
| New Hampshire | $57,580 |
| Arizona | $56,370 |
| District of Columbia | $55,920 |
| Kansas | $54,180 |
| Alaska | $54,070 |
| South Dakota | $52,970 |
| Montana | $51,620 |
| West Virginia | $51,580 |
| Wisconsin | $51,350 |
| Connecticut | $51,030 |
| Illinois | $49,930 |
| Nevada | $49,620 |
| North Dakota | $49,480 |
| Kentucky | $49,410 |
| Georgia | $49,310 |
| Tennessee | $49,180 |
| Michigan | $48,520 |
| Indiana | $47,960 |
| Iowa | $47,910 |
| Texas | $47,870 |
| Maryland | $47,750 |
| Ohio | $47,570 |
| Utah | $47,490 |
| Virginia | $47,340 |
| Idaho | $47,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,720 |
| North Carolina | $46,480 |
| Nebraska | $46,140 |
| Missouri | $46,040 |
| Florida | $45,760 |
| Oklahoma | $45,330 |
| South Carolina | $44,840 |
| New Mexico | $44,260 |
| Alabama | $43,600 |
| Arkansas | $42,820 |
| Louisiana | $39,730 |
| Mississippi | $39,010 |
| Guam | $29,300 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,130 |
How do surgical assistant salaries compare to similar careers?
Surgical assistants earn 6% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than physical therapy assistants but more than community health workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Physical therapy assistant salary | $68K |
| Surgical technologist salary | $65K |
| Licensed practical nurse salary | $64K |
| Mental health counselor salary | $59K |
| Paramedic salary | $61K |
| Surgical assistant salary | $50K |
| Ophthalmic medical technologist salary | $50K |
| Neurodiagnostic technologist salary | $50K |
| Medical billing and coding technician salary | $51K |
| Community health worker salary | $52K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)