Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in Idaho is $56,460/year ($27.14/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.88), which stretches that salary to about $60,141 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,136/month, about 30.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Idaho. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $56K get you in Idaho?
About surgical assistants
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What this looks like in Idaho
Pay for surgical assistants in Idaho runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $67K. Rent runs $1,136/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.88 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Idaho
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track surgical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Idaho numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a surgical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Idaho?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 30.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,136/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical assistants in Idaho?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,580/month. At HUD’s $1,136/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is surgical assistant a high-paying job in Idaho?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $56K here vs. $67K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Idaho compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
Idaho pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in Idaho?
The median is $56,460 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,000, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $63,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Idaho?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,766/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,136/month, which eats 30.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a surgical assistants salary go in Idaho?
Idaho has a Regional Price Parity of 93.88 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median surgical assistants salary is worth about $60,141 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surgical assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.