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Surgical Assistants Employment & Job Outlook in California (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

California employs 1,210 Surgical Assistants professionals, above the national average concentration.

Data: BLS OEWS 2025 • California employment outlook • Updated 2026-05-19

Total Employed
1,210
professionals
Jobs per 1,000
1.21
workers
Location Quotient
2.26
vs national avg
Average Salary
$67K
annual

High Demand in California

The location quotient (LQ) of 2.26 indicates that California has a higher-than-average concentration of Surgical Assistants professionals. This means the job is in high demand relative to other states, suggesting strong local job market opportunities.

Note: Location Quotient (LQ) is the ratio of the percentage of workers in an occupation in a given area to the percentage in that occupation nationwide. An LQ > 1.0 means above-average concentration; < 1.0 means below-average.

California vs National Average

Total Employed
1,210
National: 20,310
6.0% of national
Jobs per 1,000
1.21
National: 0.53
+128.3%
Average Salary
$67K
National: $72K
-5.8%

Top States by Surgical Assistants Employment

#1
2,840
2,840
employed
#2
2,300
2,300
employed
#3
1,260
1,260
employed
#4
1,210
1,210
employed
#5
1,000
1,000
employed
#6
970
970
employed
#7
840
840
employed
#8
810
810
employed
#9
750
750
employed
#10
690
690
employed

What Does a Surgical Assistants Earn in California?

The average annual salary for a Surgical Assistants in California is $67,860. For a detailed breakdown by percentile, entry-level, median, and senior salaries, see the comprehensive salary guide below.

View full salary breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Surgical Assistants jobs are there in California?

California employs approximately 1,210 Surgical Assistants professionals (2025 BLS data). This ranks California among the top states nationwide.

Is Surgical Assistants in demand in California?

Yes — California has above-average concentration of Surgical Assistants jobs (LQ: 2.26). A Location Quotient above 1.0 indicates higher-than-average demand.

What is the average salary for Surgical Assistants in California?

The average (mean) salary for Surgical Assistants in California is $67860/year. See our detailed salary page for percentile breakdowns.

What is a Location Quotient (LQ)?

Location Quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is in a state compared to the national average. LQ > 1.0 means the state has more of that job proportionally. LQ > 1.2 indicates strong demand.

Which states employ the most Surgical Assistants professionals?

The top state for Surgical Assistants employment is Texas with 2,840 jobs.

Find Your Next Opportunity

Related Pages

Top Cities in California

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Top Colleges in California

Compare tuition, admissions, and graduate outcomes at California's leading institutions.

Surgical Assistants Employment in Other States

Compare Surgical Assistants labor-market data (jobs, location quotient, salary) across the top-employing states.

All Surgical Assistants & California Resources

Drill deeper into Surgical Assistants pay, hiring, and education data for California.

Data Source

Employment and location quotient data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. This data reflects total employment, jobs per 1,000 workers, location quotient, and average salary for Surgical Assistants (SOC 299093) in California.

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