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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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)
17,250 5.6 % $ 28.45 $ 59,170 8.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Surgical Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 15.71 $ 18.20 $ 23.23 $ 36.25 $ 46.57
Annual Wage (2) $ 32,680 $ 37,850 $ 48,320 $ 75,410 $ 96,870


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 7,330 0.13 $ 27.87 $ 57,960
Offices of Physicians 4,410 0.16 $ 33.91 $ 70,530
Offices of Dentists 3,600 0.37 $ 21.55 $ 44,820
Outpatient Care Centers 540 0.06 $ 27.99 $ 58,220
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 350 0.04 $ 30.88 $ 64,230

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 3,600 0.37 $ 21.55 $ 44,820
Offices of Physicians 4,410 0.16 $ 33.91 $ 70,530
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 7,330 0.13 $ 27.87 $ 57,960
Outpatient Care Centers 540 0.06 $ 27.99 $ 58,220
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 140 0.05 $ 23.44 $ 48,750

Top paying industries for Surgical Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Physicians 4,410 0.16 $ 33.91 $ 70,530
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 350 0.04 $ 30.88 $ 64,230
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 50 (7) $ 28.22 $ 58,700
Outpatient Care Centers 540 0.06 $ 27.99 $ 58,220
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 7,330 0.13 $ 27.87 $ 57,960


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 2021


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 3,390 0.39 3.22 $ 29.10 $ 60,530
Tennessee 1,560 0.52 4.27 $ 27.86 $ 57,940
Kentucky 860 0.47 3.82 $ 26.13 $ 54,350
Virginia 850 0.23 1.84 $ 32.40 $ 67,390
Texas 760 0.06 0.51 $ 31.03 $ 64,530


Map of location quotient of surgical assistants by state, May 2021


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 1,560 0.52 4.27 $ 27.86 $ 57,940
Kentucky 860 0.47 3.82 $ 26.13 $ 54,350
West Virginia 280 0.43 3.51 $ 19.75 $ 41,080
Florida 3,390 0.39 3.22 $ 29.10 $ 60,530
New Hampshire 200 0.31 2.51 $ 35.57 $ 73,990


Map of annual mean wages of surgical assistants by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Surgical Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Minnesota 340 0.12 1.00 $ 53.45 $ 111,170
Colorado 140 0.05 0.44 $ 41.46 $ 86,230
New Jersey (8) (8) (8) $ 38.34 $ 79,750
Pennsylvania 370 0.07 0.54 $ 37.91 $ 78,860
New Hampshire 200 0.31 2.51 $ 35.57 $ 73,990



Map of employment of surgical assistants by area, May 2021


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)
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 730 0.74 6.07 $ 31.41 $ 65,330
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 480 0.11 0.93 $ 33.01 $ 68,670
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 370 0.13 1.04 $ 40.13 $ 83,460
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 250 0.36 2.93 $ 31.76 $ 66,070
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 240 0.39 3.21 $ 26.64 $ 55,420
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 210 0.94 7.69 $ 20.17 $ 41,940
Knoxville, TN 200 0.53 4.34 $ 23.20 $ 48,260
Oklahoma City, OK 190 0.31 2.53 $ 19.54 $ 40,640
Tulsa, OK 180 0.43 3.53 $ 17.52 $ 36,430
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 180 0.06 0.50 $ 33.17 $ 68,990


Map of location quotient of surgical assistants by area, May 2021


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)
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 210 0.94 7.69 $ 20.17 $ 41,940
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 100 0.81 6.57 $ 22.52 $ 46,840
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 730 0.74 6.07 $ 31.41 $ 65,330
Owensboro, KY 30 0.66 5.36 $ 27.50 $ 57,190
Portsmouth, NH-ME 50 0.60 4.88 $ 30.76 $ 63,980
Knoxville, TN 200 0.53 4.34 $ 23.20 $ 48,260
Dalton, GA 30 0.49 4.04 $ 17.84 $ 37,110
Chattanooga, TN-GA 120 0.49 4.03 $ 30.50 $ 63,450
Greenville, NC 30 0.44 3.58 $ 16.33 $ 33,960
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 60 0.44 3.56 $ 21.09 $ 43,880


Map of annual mean wages of surgical assistants by area, May 2021


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)
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 110 0.06 0.50 $ 48.22 $ 100,300
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 80 0.06 0.46 $ 45.91 $ 95,500
Amarillo, TX 40 0.34 2.75 $ 42.99 $ 89,420
Columbus, OH 50 0.05 0.37 $ 42.84 $ 89,110
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 370 0.13 1.04 $ 40.13 $ 83,460
Dayton, OH 40 0.10 0.81 $ 39.61 $ 82,380
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 100 0.13 1.04 $ 35.38 $ 73,580
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 120 0.12 1.00 $ 35.32 $ 73,460
Urban Honolulu, HI (8) (8) (8) $ 34.95 $ 72,690
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 150 0.04 0.34 $ 33.82 $ 70,340

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)
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 110 0.68 5.55 $ 41.72 $ 86,790
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 50 0.52 4.21 $ 36.63 $ 76,180
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 50 0.44 3.58 $ 23.45 $ 48,770
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 40 0.33 2.68 $ 21.02 $ 43,720
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 2.42 $ 16.01 $ 33,290

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)
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 110 0.68 5.55 $ 41.72 $ 86,790
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 50 0.52 4.21 $ 36.63 $ 76,180
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 50 0.44 3.58 $ 23.45 $ 48,770
East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 40 0.33 2.68 $ 21.02 $ 43,720
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.30 2.42 $ 16.01 $ 33,290

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)
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 44.97 $ 93,550
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 110 0.68 5.55 $ 41.72 $ 86,790
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 50 0.52 4.21 $ 36.63 $ 76,180
West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 30 0.25 2.06 $ 25.09 $ 52,190
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 50 0.44 3.58 $ 23.45 $ 48,770


About May 2021 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 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022