Surgical Assistants: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · SOC 29-9093 · O*NET 29-9093.00
Surgical Assistants fall under the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category in the U.S. occupational classification. Surgical Assistants earn a median salary of $66,800 per year, ranking in the top 41% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +6.1% job growth through 2035, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires an associate degree or accredited postsecondary certificate, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do surgical assistants earn?
The median annual wage for surgical assistants is $66,800. That puts surgical assistants at #342 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
Is surgical assistants a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for surgical assistants is +6.1%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 24K positions in 2024 to 25K in 2034, a net change of 1K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What education does my child need to become surgical assistant?
Entry into surgical assistants typically requires an associate degree or accredited postsecondary certificate, often coupled with state licensing exams or clinical hours. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about surgical assistants
What is the median salary for surgical assistants?
The median annual salary for surgical assistants is $66,800 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is surgical assistants a growing career?
BLS projects +6.1% growth for surgical assistants from 2025 through 2035, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become surgical assistant?
The typical entry path requires an associate degree or accredited postsecondary certificate, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to surgical assistants?
Related occupations within the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.