Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in Mississippi is $50,810/year ($24.43/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $57,154 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 32.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Mississippi. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $51K get you in Mississippi?
About surgical assistants
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Mississippi
Pay for surgical assistants in Mississippi runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $67K. Rent runs $1,077/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, Mississippi
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Surgical Assistants salary by metro in Mississippi
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi | $51K | +0% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track surgical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Mississippi numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a surgical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 31.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical assistants in Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,395/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Mississippi?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $51K here vs. $67K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Mississippi compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
Mississippi pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in Mississippi?
The median is $50,810 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,910, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $69,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,373/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 31.9% 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 Mississippi?
Mississippi has a Regional Price Parity of 88.9 (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 $57,154 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.