Occupation salary profile

Surgical Assistants

SOC 29-9093 BLS OEWS May 2025

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 median · BLS
$66,800
▲ +10.8% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$72,710
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
22,270
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Surgical Assistants

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$39,690
25th$50,170
Median (50th)$66,800
75th$88,010
90th — top pay$107,610

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Monthly—
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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Surgical Assistants

BLS projects employment of surgical assistants to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
24,400 → 25,900
+1,500 jobs
Projected change
+6.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
Self-employed
8.1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a postsecondary certificate (nondegree award) →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Surgical Assistants

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening4.0
  • Speaking3.8
  • Critical Thinking3.6
  • Monitoring3.6
  • Reading Comprehension3.6
  • Coordination3.4
  • Service Orientation3.4
  • Complex Problem Solving3.3
  • Operations Monitoring3.3
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.1
Top knowledge areas
  • Medicine and Dentistry4.2
  • Education and Training3.9
  • Public Safety and Security3.3
  • English Language3.2
  • Biology3.1
  • Customer and Personal Service3.0
  • Computers and Electronics2.9
  • Engineering and Technology2.9
Software and technology used
MEDITECH softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointElectronic medical record EMR softwareNursing documentation softwarePatient scheduling softwarePatient tracking softwareSupply documentation softwareSurgery workflow communication software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What surgical assistants do

  • Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
  • 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.
Also called
CSFA (Certified Surgical First Assistant)RNFA (Registered Nurse First Assistant)Surgical First AssistantSurgical Technician (Surgical Tech)Certified Surgical Technician (Certified Surgical Tech)CRNFA (Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant)CSA (Certified Surgical Assistant)GI Technician (Gastrointestinal Technician)Scrub Technician (Scrub Tech)Surgical Scrub Technician (Surgical Scrub Tech)
More job titles for this occupation (17)
CFA (Certified First Assistant)FA (First Assistant)Med Surg Nursing Assistant (Medical Surgical Nursing Assistant)Med Surg PCA (Medical Surgical Patient Care Assistant)Operating Room Technician (OR Tech)OR Aide (Operating Room Aide)OR Assistant (Operating Room Assistant)OR Surgical Tech (Operating Room Surgical Technician)Oral Surgery AssistantPerioperative AssistantSurgery AssistantSurgery Technician (Surgery Tech)Surgical AideSurgical Dental AssistantSurgical Medical AssistantSurgical Services AssistantTravel RNFA (Travel Registered Nurse First Assistant)

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.