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Salary comparison

Surgical Assistants vs. Registered Nurses: Salary Comparison

Surgical Assistants earn a median salary of $60,290/year, while Registered Nurses earn $93,600/year — a difference of $33,310. Registered Nurses earn more on average. Both salaries are based on national BLS data.

Surgical Assistants
Registered Nurses
Median salary
$60,290
$93,600
Hourly rate
$28.99/hr
$45/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$39,540
$66,030
Senior level (90th %)
$102,390
$135,320
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
22,860
3,282,010
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
4.9%
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Full Surgical Assistants salary breakdownView →Full Registered Nurses salary breakdownView →How to become a surgical assistantsGuide →How to become a registered nursesGuide →