How does Surgical Assistants salary grow from entry-level to senior? National salary progression based on 44 states with BLS data.
111% career growth potentialData: BLS OEWS 2024 • National averages across 44 states • Updated 2026-04-06
The salary range for Surgical Assistants spans from $42,263 at entry-level to $89,328 at senior level — a difference of $47,065 per year.
Senior Surgical Assistantss earn $47,065 more per year than entry-level professionals.
Complete percentile breakdown showing how Surgical Assistants salary increases with experience, from entry-level (10th percentile) to senior (90th percentile).
| Experience Level | Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | P10 | $42,263 | $3,522 | $20.32 |
| Early Career | P25 | $48,820 | $4,068 | $23.47 |
| Mid-Career | Median | $59,843 | $4,987 | $28.77 |
| Experienced | P75 | $73,845 | $6,154 | $35.50 |
| Senior / Expert | P90 | $89,328 | $7,444 | $42.95 |
Surgical Assistants has a moderate salary progression with a 111% growth from entry-level ($42,263) to senior ($89,328). While the growth potential is steady, professionals looking to maximize earnings may benefit from specialization, advanced certifications, or moving to higher-paying states. The gap between median ($59,843) and P90 ($89,328) shows there is still room for meaningful growth beyond mid-career.
Which states pay the highest senior-level salaries for Surgical Assistants? Top 10 states ranked by 90th percentile (senior) pay.
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Entry-level Surgical Assistantss (10th percentile) earn approximately $42,263 per year, or $3,521 per month. Early-career professionals (25th percentile) earn around $48,820. Based on 2024 BLS OEWS data across all U.S. states.
Senior Surgical Assistantss (90th percentile) earn approximately $89,328 per year. Experienced professionals (75th percentile) earn around $73,845. This represents a career premium of 111% over entry-level pay.
The career salary growth potential for Surgical Assistantss is 111%. Entry-level professionals start at $42,263, while senior-level can earn up to $89,328 — a difference of $47,065 per year.
The highest-paying state for senior Surgical Assistantss is Minnesota, where 90th-percentile salaries reach $158,170 per year. See the full state-by-state comparison above.
We use BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024 data. The 10th percentile (P10) approximates entry-level pay — the salary that 90% of workers earn more than. The 90th percentile (P90) approximates senior/expert-level pay — only 10% of workers earn above this threshold. National averages are computed across all reporting U.S. states.
Salary percentile data is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National averages are computed across 44 states and the District of Columbia. P10 approximates entry-level compensation; P90 approximates senior/expert-level compensation. Actual salaries vary based on location, employer, experience, education, and certifications.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Source: BLS OEWS