If you search for assistant surgeon salary in the United States, first identify the job behind the title. For the standardized occupation “surgical assistants,” the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data report a median annual wage of $66,800 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $39,690, while the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $107,610. Those figures describe a national distribution, not a guaranteed offer.
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I want to make one distinction clear before we compare pay: “assistant surgeon” can mean different things in different employers and countries. This guide uses the U.S. BLS category for surgical assistants as its salary reference and explains where related roles differ.
In this guide:
- What “assistant surgeon” means in U.S. listings
- National assistant surgeon salary data
- Assistant surgeon salary in California
- What changes pay
- Why salary estimates differ by job title
- Training and certification
- Job outlook
- CareerForge support and next steps
What does “assistant surgeon” mean in U.S. job listings?
The phrase is not enough to identify the work. U.S. employers may use “surgical assistant,” “surgical first assistant,” “surgical technologist,” or “surgical services assistant” for jobs with different training and duties. A physician assistant who works with a surgeon is another distinct profession.
The BLS describes surgical assistants as workers who assist surgeons during operations. Surgical technologists help prepare the operating room, instruments, and sterile field. Some responsibilities can overlap in a hospital, but the occupations are counted separately in wage data. Read the duties, credentials, and state requirements in each posting instead of assuming the titles are interchangeable.
If you are exploring the surgeon path itself, our guide to becoming a surgeon covers that different route.
Assistant Surgeon Salary: What the Latest U.S. Data Shows
For surgical assistants, the BLS reported a $66,800 median annual wage in May 2025. A median is the midpoint: half of workers earned more and half earned less. It is a better “typical worker” benchmark than calling one website’s average a guaranteed salary. The BLS reported that the lowest 10 percent earned under $39,690 and the highest 10 percent earned over $107,610.
| Occupation (BLS) | Median annual pay, May 2025 | What the comparison tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical assistants | $66,800 | Closest standardized BLS reference for surgical assistant salary searches |
| Surgical technologists | $64,650 | A separate operating-room occupation with different duties and training |
| All occupations | $50,980 | National comparison across the U.S. economy |
These are BLS medians, not estimates for every “assistant surgeon” title. A physician assistant’s compensation, for example, belongs to a different occupation and should not be substituted for surgical assistant pay.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Surgical Assistants and Technologists.
What is the assistant surgeon salary in California?
For the BLS occupation “Surgical Assistants,” the May 2025 California median was $62,540 per year, compared with the U.S. median of $66,800. The California estimate covered about 1,210 jobs. It is a statewide wage estimate, so an offer in Los Angeles, San Diego, or a smaller market may differ.
California’s state figure is useful context, not a promise about what a particular employer will pay. Compare the posted duties, required credentials, schedule, and benefits. You can review the BLS May 2025 state wage estimates when checking other locations.
What can change a surgical assistant salary?
Work setting affects the comparison. In May 2025, BLS reported these median wages for surgical assistants in selected industries:
- Offices of physicians: $80,210
- Hospitals: $76,740
- Outpatient care centers: $70,480
- Offices of dentists: $56,100
These industry medians are not entry-level starting salaries. Location, experience, specialty, employer, shift, on-call work, and the exact first-assistant responsibilities can all affect an offer. Compare offers using the same job title and pay period, and check whether overtime or call pay is included.
Why is a surgical assistant salary sometimes lower than surgical technologist pay?
This is a real point of confusion in job-seeker discussions. Online estimates can appear to contradict each other because they may use different titles, locations, sample sizes, and methods. A job-posting average is not the same as a BLS median, and an operating-room services assistant is not necessarily a surgical first assistant.
In the BLS May 2025 data, the national median for surgical assistants was $66,800 and the median for surgical technologists was $64,650. The gap is modest. It does not mean every assistant earns more: the wage ranges overlap, and some technologists may earn more than some assistants. Compare the actual scope of work and requirements in the listing.
How do you become a surgical first assistant, and which program should you choose?
Training depends on the role and the state. The BLS says surgical assistants and technologists typically need a certificate or associate degree; employers may require or prefer certification, and some states regulate the work. Some surgical assistants first work as technologists and receive additional training to become first assistants.
For the NBSTSA Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA®) exam, applicants must graduate from a CAAHEP-accredited surgical first assistant program to establish eligibility. Check program accreditation and state rules before paying tuition or choosing a route. The NBSTSA CSFA eligibility page explains that credential’s requirements.
What is the job outlook for surgical assistants?
BLS projects employment of surgical assistants to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. For surgical assistants and surgical technologists combined, it projects about 8,600 openings per year on average over the decade. The combined opening count should not be read as surgical-assistant-only vacancies.
Most surgical assistants and technologists work full time. Hospital roles may include nights, weekends, holidays, on-call time, or shifts longer than eight hours. Look at the schedule as carefully as the salary when deciding whether a position fits your life.
CareerForge’s free career tools, coaching, and guides can help you prepare your résumé, compare requirements, and plan the next step. Our AI-enabled HR team also screens, selects, and hires for the vacancies on our official job board, including listings submitted by third-party employers. Read each posting for its location, schedule, and stated qualifications.
How CareersForge can help with your next step
Salary research is most useful when you connect it to a real plan: identify the job title, verify the training route, compare local pay, and prepare for the selection process. CareersForge brings those steps together through free tools, coaching, guides, and vacancies reviewed by our hiring team.
If you are considering a different operating-room career, read our guide to surgery and medicine career paths. You can also explore our free career tools as you plan your applications.
Common questions about assistant surgeon salary
Is the BLS median the salary I will earn?
No. It is the midpoint of reported wages for the occupation across the country. Your pay can be above or below it depending on location, workplace, experience, duties, and schedule.
Does every state require a surgical assistant license?
No single rule applies everywhere. The BLS notes that some states regulate surgical assistants and technologists. Check the state licensing board and the employer’s requirements for the specific position.
Is a physician assistant who works with a surgeon the same as a surgical assistant?
No. Physician assistants and surgical assistants are separate occupations with different education, credentials, and scopes of practice. A salary result for “physician assistant surgeon salary” should not be used as the pay benchmark for a surgical first assistant.
Salary figures are snapshots of published labor-market estimates, not guarantees of future pay. Verify current requirements and compensation with the relevant employer and state authority before making career or education decisions.
Rodrigo Durães is the founder and editor of CareersForge, where he publishes career-development resources on career planning, resumes, interviews, and job search. His professional experience and education are listed on his LinkedIn profile, including his role as Global CEO of VisionCorp International from 2011 to 2023. View Rodrigo’s LinkedIn profile.