Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in Rochester, MN is $76,880/year ($36.96/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.82), which stretches that salary to about $84,651 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 28% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $77K get you in Rochester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (90.82). 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
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What this looks like in Rochester
Rochester sits well above the national pay line for surgical assistants, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $67K. Rent runs $1,407/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.82 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for surgical assistants in metros near Rochester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $76K | $72K |
| Duluth | $75K | $85K |
| Appleton | $66K | $72K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $82K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, MN
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Surgical Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Surgical Assistants salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $123K | +85% | 90 |
| Arizona | $111K | +66% | N/A |
| Colorado | $107K | +61% | N/A |
| Nevada | $101K | +51% | 230 |
| New Jersey | $91K | +36% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $86K | +28% | 480 |
| Kentucky | $85K | +27% | 480 |
| Tennessee | $82K | +22% | 750 |
| Oregon | $80K | +20% | 220 |
| Illinois | $80K | +20% | 2,300 |
| Virginia | $79K | +18% | 1,000 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | +17% | 810 |
| New Hampshire | $78K | +16% | 130 |
| Ohio | $77K | +16% | 970 |
| Minnesota | $76K | +14% | 360 |
| Connecticut | $68K | +1% | 320 |
| Montana | $67K | +1% | 100 |
| Iowa | $66K | -1% | 30 |
| Washington | $65K | -2% | 100 |
| Texas | $65K | -3% | 2,840 |
| Florida | $63K | -6% | 1,260 |
| California | $63K | -6% | 1,210 |
| New Mexico | $62K | -7% | 130 |
| Rhode Island | $62K | -7% | N/A |
| Alaska | $61K | -8% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -9% | 240 |
| New York | $60K | -10% | 470 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -10% | 670 |
| Maryland | $58K | -13% | 670 |
| Kansas | $58K | -13% | 180 |
| Indiana | $57K | -15% | 690 |
| Idaho | $56K | -15% | N/A |
| Michigan | $56K | -16% | 560 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | -16% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $54K | -19% | 70 |
| Nebraska | $53K | -20% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $51K | -24% | 280 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -24% | 120 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -26% | 80 |
| Georgia | $50K | -26% | 840 |
| Missouri | $49K | -26% | 510 |
| Utah | $45K | -33% | 290 |
| Alabama | $42K | -38% | 470 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | -40% | 220 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 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 Rochester numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surgical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rochester?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 28.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical assistants in Rochester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,844/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Rochester?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $77K here vs. $67K nationally.
How does Rochester compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
Rochester pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.82), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in Rochester, MN?
The median is $76,880 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,060, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $93,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,889/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 28.8% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 90.82 (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 $84,651 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.