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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

29-9093 Surgical Assistants

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. Excludes “Registered Nurses” (29-1141) and “Surgical Technologists” (29-2055).


National estimates for Surgical Assistants
Industry profile for Surgical Assistants
Geographic profile for Surgical Assistants

National estimates for Surgical Assistants:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Surgical Assistants:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
18,650 4.7 % $ 29.42 $ 61,200 2.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Surgical Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.89 $ 19.56 $ 27.54 $ 35.74 $ 45.70
Annual Wage (2) $ 35,130 $ 40,670 $ 57,290 $ 74,330 $ 95,060


Industry profile for Surgical Assistants:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Surgical Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Surgical Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Surgical Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 8,290 0.15 $ 28.97 $ 60,260
Offices of Dentists 4,670 0.46 $ 23.71 $ 49,310
Offices of Physicians 3,790 0.14 $ 35.31 $ 73,440
Outpatient Care Centers 950 0.09 $ 31.36 $ 65,240
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 90 0.03 $ 27.34 $ 56,860

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Surgical Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 4,670 0.46 $ 23.71 $ 49,310
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 8,290 0.15 $ 28.97 $ 60,260
Offices of Physicians 3,790 0.14 $ 35.31 $ 73,440
Outpatient Care Centers 950 0.09 $ 31.36 $ 65,240
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 90 0.03 $ 27.34 $ 56,860

Top paying industries for Surgical Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners (8) (8) $ 40.82 $ 84,910
Employment Services (8) (8) $ 38.50 $ 80,080
Offices of Physicians 3,790 0.14 $ 35.31 $ 73,440
Outpatient Care Centers 950 0.09 $ 31.36 $ 65,240
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 50 (7) $ 29.54 $ 61,440


Geographic profile for Surgical Assistants:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Surgical Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Surgical Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of surgical assistants by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Surgical Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 1,870 0.20 1.61 $ 29.58 $ 61,530
Tennessee 1,790 0.57 4.55 $ 31.80 $ 66,150
Texas 1,740 0.13 1.06 $ 31.57 $ 65,660
Georgia 800 0.17 1.37 (8) (8)
Michigan 780 0.18 1.46 $ 25.41 $ 52,850


Map of location quotient of surgical assistants by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Surgical Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Tennessee 1,790 0.57 4.55 $ 31.80 $ 66,150
Oregon 780 0.41 3.24 $ 30.93 $ 64,330
New Hampshire 230 0.34 2.73 $ 38.02 $ 79,080
Alaska 100 0.31 2.47 $ 30.38 $ 63,190
West Virginia 180 0.27 2.12 $ 21.93 $ 45,620


Map of annual mean wages of surgical assistants by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Surgical Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 220 0.08 0.67 $ 44.52 $ 92,610
Minnesota 480 0.17 1.35 $ 43.78 $ 91,060
New Hampshire 230 0.34 2.73 $ 38.02 $ 79,080
Virginia 660 0.17 1.34 $ 37.60 $ 78,210
New Jersey 440 0.11 0.84 $ 37.49 $ 77,970



Map of employment of surgical assistants by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Surgical Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,150 0.44 3.46 $ 33.31 $ 69,270
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 850 0.82 6.52 $ 36.57 $ 76,060
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 730 0.08 0.63 $ 33.68 $ 70,060
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 530 0.20 1.55 $ 30.87 $ 64,200
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 460 0.12 0.97 $ 34.06 $ 70,850
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 440 0.37 2.93 $ 29.75 $ 61,890
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 370 0.20 1.57 $ 25.26 $ 52,550
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 310 0.12 0.91 (8) (8)
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 300 0.16 1.25 $ 43.97 $ 91,450
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 280 0.06 0.50 $ 31.75 $ 66,050


Map of location quotient of surgical assistants by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Surgical Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bend-Redmond, OR 80 0.92 7.27 $ 36.90 $ 76,750
Rochester, MN 100 0.89 7.03 $ 50.37 $ 104,760
Medford, OR 70 0.85 6.70 $ 30.30 $ 63,020
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 850 0.82 6.52 $ 36.57 $ 76,060
Knoxville, TN 260 0.66 5.22 $ 26.56 $ 55,240
Portsmouth, NH-ME 60 0.64 5.09 $ 35.41 $ 73,660
Dover-Durham, NH-ME 30 0.63 5.03 $ 27.82 $ 57,870
Johnson City, TN 50 0.57 4.55 $ 28.91 $ 60,140
Tulsa, OK 190 0.44 3.51 $ 19.28 $ 40,090
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,150 0.44 3.46 $ 33.31 $ 69,270


Map of annual mean wages of surgical assistants by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Surgical Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rochester, MN 100 0.89 7.03 $ 50.37 $ 104,760
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 260 0.09 0.68 $ 48.05 $ 99,930
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 300 0.16 1.25 $ 43.97 $ 91,450
Dayton, OH 40 0.10 0.79 $ 43.88 $ 91,260
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 100 0.08 0.62 $ 42.34 $ 88,070
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 100 0.13 0.99 $ 38.13 $ 79,300
Urban Honolulu, HI 60 0.14 1.12 $ 37.09 $ 77,160
Bend-Redmond, OR 80 0.92 7.27 $ 36.90 $ 76,750
Richmond, VA 100 0.16 1.24 $ 36.76 $ 76,460
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 850 0.82 6.52 $ 36.57 $ 76,060

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Surgical Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 90 0.83 6.56 $ 22.88 $ 47,600
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 60 0.39 3.08 (8) (8)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 50 0.13 1.07 $ 19.56 $ 40,680
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 40 0.41 3.22 $ 24.74 $ 51,460
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 2.39 $ 22.90 $ 47,630

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Surgical Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 90 0.83 6.56 $ 22.88 $ 47,600
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 40 0.41 3.22 $ 24.74 $ 51,460
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 60 0.39 3.08 (8) (8)
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 2.39 $ 22.90 $ 47,630
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 30 0.30 2.36 $ 37.03 $ 77,020

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Surgical Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 30 0.30 2.36 $ 37.03 $ 77,020
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 35.47 $ 73,780
West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 30 0.26 2.09 $ 25.35 $ 52,720
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 40 0.41 3.22 $ 24.74 $ 51,460
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 2.39 $ 22.90 $ 47,630


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023