Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in Nebraska is $53,190/year ($25.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.05), which stretches that salary to about $59,067 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,113/month, about 31.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Nebraska. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $53K get you in Nebraska?
About surgical assistants
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What this looks like in Nebraska
Pay for surgical assistants in Nebraska runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $67K. Rent runs $1,113/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Nebraska
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track surgical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Nebraska numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surgical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nebraska?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 31.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/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 Nebraska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,428/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Nebraska?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $53K here vs. $67K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Nebraska compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
Nebraska pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in Nebraska?
The median is $53,190 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,460, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $82,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Nebraska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,567/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 31.2% 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 Nebraska?
Nebraska has a Regional Price Parity of 90.05 (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 $59,067 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.