Surgeon Assistant Salary in the United States

How much does a Surgeon Assistant make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Surgeon Assistant in the United States is $86,971 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.

However, a Surgeon Assistant's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $105,683
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $76,254 to $96,766
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $66,497
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View as table View as graph 25% $76,254 10% $66,497 90% $105,683 75% $96,766 $86,971 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Surgeon Assistant Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $96,766 $8,064 $1,861 $47
Average $86,971 $7,248 $1,673 $42
25th Percentile $76,254 $6,355 $1,466 $37
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Key Factors That Influence Surgeon Assistant Salaries

A Surgeon Assistant's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Surgeon Assistant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Surgeon Assistant's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $63,909
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $74,142
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $89,204
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $100,841
  • Expert (over 8 years): $120,935
Levels Salary
Executive... Level Surgeon Assistant$63,909
Executive... Level Surgeon Assistant$74,142
Surgeon A... Level Surgeon Assistant$89,204
Executive... Level Surgeon Assistant$100,841
Executive... Level Surgeon Assistant$120,935
$63,909 0 yr
$74,142 < 2 yrs
$89,204 2-4 yrs
$100,841 5-8 yrs
$120,935 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Surgeon Assistants

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $109,697
  • San Francisco: $108,496
  • Oakland: $106,209

What Skills Can Increase a Surgeon Assistant's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Scheduling (Mentioned in 6.72% Job Postings): Scheduling is the process of arranging, controlling and optimizing work and workloads in a production process or manufacturing process.
  • Microsoft Excel (Mentioned in 1.61% Job Postings): Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet developed by Microsoft for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It features calculation or computation capabilities, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications.
  • Catering (Mentioned in 1.09% Job Postings): Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, hospital, pub, aircraft, cruise ship, park, festival, filming location or film studio.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Scheduling 6.72%
Microsoft Excel 1.61%
Catering 1.09%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Surgeon Assistant's salary.
  • Logistics: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Logistics
$90,450
4%
Analysis
$90,450
4%
Innovation
$89,580
3%
Project Management
$89,580
3%
Collaboration
$89,580
3%
Onboarding
$89,580
3%
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Surgeon Assistant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Surgeon Assistant roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Surgeon Assistant positions in Telecom or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Surgeon Assistant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Surgeon Assistant

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$113,063$54.030%
Pharmaceuticals$113,063$54.030%
Biotechnology$108,714$52.025%
Insurance$104,366$50.020%
Energy & Utilities$102,626$49.018%

How Education impacts a Surgeon Assistant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Surgeon Assistants enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Surgeon Assistant with a Associate's Degree is between $85,896 and $91,763).

Surgeon Assistant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Surgeon Assistant
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 26.3%
Associates 19.2%
Bachelors 46.2%
Masters 6.9%
Doctorate 0.2%
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Surgeon Assistant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Surgeon Assistant's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Surgeon Assistant

Salaries for a Surgeon Assistant can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $79,047 in 2023 to around $76,429 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Surgeon Assistant salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Surgeon Assistant Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$79,047
2024
$77,203
2025
$76,429
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $79,047
2024 $77,203
2025 $76,429
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Surgeon Assistant

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Surgeon Assistant

Here are companies hiring for Surgeon Assistant and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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