Surgical Assistants Salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
The median pay for a surgical assistants in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is $80,850/year ($38.87/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $83,402 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,338/month, or 26.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About surgical assistants
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Surgical Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $110K | +82% | N/A |
| Arizona | $108K | +78% | N/A |
| District of Columbia | $105K | +74% | 110 |
| Minnesota | $100K | +66% | 180 |
| South Carolina | $98K | +63% | 520 |
| Kentucky | $82K | +36% | 360 |
| Tennessee | $78K | +30% | 1,010 |
| Texas | $77K | +27% | 2,770 |
| New Hampshire | $75K | +24% | 210 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +22% | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $72K | +19% | 630 |
| Washington | $69K | +15% | 120 |
| Montana | $65K | +7% | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $65K | +7% | 500 |
| Illinois | $62K | +3% | 1,220 |
| Oregon | $62K | +3% | 600 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | +3% | 150 |
| Iowa | $61K | +1% | 80 |
| Indiana | $60K | +0% | 530 |
| California | $60K | +0% | N/A |
| Rhode Island | $60K | -1% | N/A |
| New York | $59K | -3% | 500 |
| Virginia | $58K | -3% | 1,210 |
| Maryland | $58K | -3% | 950 |
| Michigan | $56K | -8% | 760 |
| Idaho | $55K | -8% | N/A |
| North Dakota | $55K | -9% | 30 |
| Connecticut | $53K | -12% | 240 |
| Georgia | $52K | -13% | 1,010 |
| Hawaii | $52K | -13% | 60 |
| Ohio | $51K | -15% | 840 |
| Florida | $51K | -16% | 2,080 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -16% | 890 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -17% | 100 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -18% | 100 |
| Alaska | $49K | -18% | 50 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -19% | 200 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -19% | 70 |
| Kansas | $48K | -20% | 180 |
| New Mexico | $47K | -22% | 250 |
| Utah | $45K | -26% | 330 |
| Missouri | $44K | -26% | 380 |
| Louisiana | $42K | -31% | 60 |
| Alabama | $39K | -35% | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -38% | 280 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track surgical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Milwaukee-Waukesha numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
How much do surgical assistants make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $80,850 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,000, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $103,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,169/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 25.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a surgical assistants salary go in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 $83,402 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.