Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Postsecondary nondegree award
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Surgical assistants support surgical teams and operate in a field that combines hands-on technical work with strong interpersonal interaction. Nationally, there are about 25,000 surgical assistants, with a typical entry path requiring a postsecondary nondegree award rather than a full college degree. The role emphasizes fine motor skills, attention to detail, and physical strength and stamina, making it well suited to people who like precise, active work. Communication-based strengths such as speaking, listening, and customer service also matter, alongside adaptability in changing clinical situations. Scientific knowledge and mechanical aptitude round out the key skill set. With a national median salary of $60,290 and projected employment growth of 5.1%, surgical assisting offers a combination of steady demand and structured professional training. For students, career changers, and healthcare-focused job seekers, it can provide a clear pathway into the operating room environment with a defined educational requirement and a recognizable set of core skills to develop over time.
Surgical assistants earn a national median annual salary of $60,290, with pay varying across states and metro areas. Among the top states by opportunity score, Virginia stands out with a median salary of $78,910, while Washington offers $65,440 and California $62,540. New York and Maryland are closer to the national median, at $60,070 and $58,130 respectively. At the metro level, several areas show notably higher median salaries, including Boulder, CO at $83,030, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $80,550, and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at $80,210. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro reports a median of $60,410, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH sits at $58,370. These differences suggest that location can significantly affect earning potential, with some metros and states offering substantially higher median pay than the national figure for this occupation.
Surgical assistants have national employment of about 25,000, with projected employment growth of 5.1%. This same 5.1% growth rate appears across the highlighted states and metro areas, suggesting a consistent growth expectation in different regions. Nationally, there are about 2,000 annual openings, which reflects ongoing demand from new positions and turnover. States like California, New York, Washington, Virginia, and Maryland all share the same projected 5.1% growth rate, so differences between them are more about pay levels and employment size than growth percentages. At the metro level, areas such as Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Boulder, and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin also show the same 5.1% projected growth. Together, these figures indicate that people entering or advancing in surgical assisting can plan around a clearly quantified growth outlook and a stable stream of openings each year.
Location plays a major role for surgical assistants in both salary and employment concentration. Among the top states by opportunity score, California has the largest listed employment at 1,210 surgical assistants, followed by Virginia with 1,000 and Maryland with 670. New York and Washington report 470 and 100 positions respectively. Median salaries differ meaningfully: Virginia leads this group at $78,910, Washington reaches $65,440, California offers $62,540, while New York and Maryland are closer to the national median. All of these states share the same 5.1% projected growth rate. At the metro level, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN stands out with the highest listed employment at 2,090, while Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has 680 and Boston-Cambridge-Newton 430. Smaller but notable metros include Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue with 50 and Boulder with 30. Median pay in these metros ranges from about $58,370 in Boston to $83,030 in Boulder, with several metros above $80,000, showing clear geographic variation in both scale and earnings.
The typical education requirement for surgical assistants is a postsecondary nondegree award, which offers a defined training pathway that does not require a traditional four-year degree. This educational route prepares individuals to build a focused skill set centered on fine motor abilities and a strong detail orientation, both essential for working in surgical environments. Physical strength and stamina are also important, reflecting the demands of being on one’s feet and working in physically involved procedures. On the cognitive and interpersonal side, skills such as science, speaking and listening, and customer service support effective interaction with clinical teams and patients. Adaptability and leadership round out the profile, helping surgical assistants function in changing situations and contribute to team coordination. Mechanical aptitude further supports the technical aspects of the role. Together, the specified education level and skill mix create a clear framework for students and career changers planning their preparation for this occupation.
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