Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in South Carolina is $85,580/year ($41.15/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $91,854 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 23.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $86K get you in South Carolina?
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What this looks like in South Carolina
South Carolina sits well above the national pay line for surgical assistants, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $67K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 23.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, South Carolina offers a genuinely strong financial position for surgical assistantss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $93K spread from bottom to top.
Surgical Assistants salary by metro in South Carolina
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | $133K | +56% | 200 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $81K | -6% | 30 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $79K | -8% | 50 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $59K | -31% | 60 |
| Columbia | $48K | -44% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track surgical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surgical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 23.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical assistants in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,431/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 South Carolina?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $86K here vs. $67K nationally.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
South Carolina pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in South Carolina?
The median is $85,580 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,510, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $133,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,395/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 23.4% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $91,854 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.