Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in Utah is $44,990/year ($21.63/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $45,657 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,350/month, about 44% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Utah?
About surgical assistants
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What this looks like in Utah
Pay for surgical assistants in Utah runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,350/month, which is 44.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for surgical assistantss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Utah
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Surgical Assistants salary by metro in Utah
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $51K | +13% | 100 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a surgical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 44.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical assistants in Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,179/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Utah?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $45K here vs. $67K nationally.
How does Utah compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
Utah pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in Utah?
The median is $44,990 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,320, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $62,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,008/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 44.9% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $45,657 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.