Career profile · 29-9093
Surgical Assistants
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons. May, in accordance with state laws, help surgeons to make incisions and close surgical sites, manipulate or remove tissues, implant surgical devices or drains, suction the surgical site, place catheters, clamp or cauterize vessels or tissue, and apply dressings to surgical site.
What the work can involve
- Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
- Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.
- Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.
- Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.
- Verify the identity of patient or operative site.
- Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Education and Training
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Biology
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Getting Information
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 97.0%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Every day | 75.0%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Every day | 61.1%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Once a week or more but not every day | 35.9%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Less than half the time | 77.9%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Spend Time Standing | Continually or almost continually | 61.1%08/2026 · sample 13 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 87.1%08/2026 · sample 13 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Medical software: Electronic medical record EMR software, MEDITECH software, Nursing documentation software, Patient scheduling software
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for surgical assistants
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 44 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $41,710 | $20.05 | 470 |
| Alaska | $61,210 | $29.43 | 60 |
| Arizona | $111,170 | $53.45 | Not published |
| Arkansas | $49,600 | $23.85 | 80 |
| California | $62,540 | $30.07 | 1,210 |
| Colorado | $107,440 | $51.65 | Not published |
| Connecticut | $67,580 | $32.49 | 320 |
| District of Columbia | $123,390 | $59.32 | 90 |
| Florida | $62,550 | $30.07 | 1,260 |
| Georgia | $49,520 | $23.81 | 840 |
| Hawaii | $54,190 | $26.06 | 70 |
| Idaho | $56,460 | $27.14 | Not published |
| Illinois | $80,210 | $38.56 | 2,300 |
| Indiana | $56,620 | $27.22 | 690 |
| Iowa | $66,030 | $31.75 | 30 |
| Kansas | $57,810 | $27.80 | 180 |
| Kentucky | $84,600 | $40.67 | 480 |
| Maryland | $58,130 | $27.95 | 670 |
| Massachusetts | $56,430 | $27.13 | Not published |
| Michigan | $56,430 | $27.13 | 560 |
| Minnesota | $75,950 | $36.52 | 360 |
| Mississippi | $50,810 | $24.43 | 120 |
| Missouri | $49,400 | $23.75 | 510 |
| Montana | $67,370 | $32.39 | 100 |
| Nebraska | $53,190 | $25.57 | 80 |
| Nevada | $100,820 | $48.47 | 230 |
| New Hampshire | $77,670 | $37.34 | 130 |
| New Jersey | $90,710 | $43.61 | Not published |
| New Mexico | $62,010 | $29.81 | 130 |
| New York | $60,070 | $28.88 | 470 |
| North Carolina | $59,920 | $28.81 | 670 |
| Ohio | $77,450 | $37.24 | 970 |
| Oklahoma | $40,160 | $19.31 | 220 |
| Oregon | $80,450 | $38.68 | 220 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,550 | $29.11 | 240 |
| Rhode Island | $61,900 | $29.76 | Not published |
| South Carolina | $85,580 | $41.15 | 480 |
| Tennessee | $81,640 | $39.25 | 750 |
| Texas | $64,930 | $31.22 | 2,840 |
| Utah | $44,990 | $21.63 | 290 |
| Virginia | $78,910 | $37.94 | 1,000 |
| Washington | $65,440 | $31.46 | 100 |
| West Virginia | $50,870 | $24.46 | 280 |
| Wisconsin | $78,030 | $37.51 | 810 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 96 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 29-9093.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.