Surgical Assistants Career, Salary and Skills
Surgical Assistants have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $66,800 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 22,270. Wage data is published for 134 locations.
Occupation description
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons. May, in accordance with state laws, help surgeons to make incisions and close surgical sites, manipulate or remove tissues, implant surgical devices or drains, suction the surgical site, place catheters, clamp or cauterize vessels or tissue, and apply dressings to surgical site.
O*NET code
29-9093.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$66,800
Hourly median
$32.11
Employment
22,270
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Speaking | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.62 | 4.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.62 | 3.50 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.62 | 3.50 |
| Coordination | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Service Orientation | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.12 | 3.38 |
Typical tasks
- Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.
- Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.
- Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.
- Verify the identity of patient or operative site.
- Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.
- Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.
- Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.
- Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
Technology
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Nursing documentation software
- Patient scheduling software
- Patient tracking software
- Supply documentation software
- Surgery workflow communication software
Surgical Assistants salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Surgical Assistants Salary in TXMedian $64,930 · Employment 2,840
- Surgical Assistants Salary in ILMedian $80,210 · Employment 2,300
- Surgical Assistants Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $80,210 · Employment 2,090
- Surgical Assistants Salary in FLMedian $62,550 · Employment 1,260
- Surgical Assistants Salary in CAMedian $62,540 · Employment 1,210
- Surgical Assistants Salary in VAMedian $78,910 · Employment 1,000
- Surgical Assistants Salary in OHMedian $77,450 · Employment 970
- Surgical Assistants Salary in GAMedian $49,520 · Employment 840
- Surgical Assistants Salary in WIMedian $78,030 · Employment 810
- Surgical Assistants Salary in TNMedian $81,640 · Employment 750
- Surgical Assistants Salary in INMedian $56,620 · Employment 690
- Surgical Assistants Salary in Washington, DCMedian $60,410 · Employment 680
Related careers
- Critical Care NursesNational median $97,550
- CardiologistsNational median $496,010
- Emergency Medicine PhysiciansNational median $335,550
- Physician AssistantsNational median $135,880
- Endoscopy TechniciansNational median $48,430
- Acute Care NursesNational median $97,550
- Nurse AnesthetistsNational median $236,590
- AnesthesiologistsNational median $391,490
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.