Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in Virginia is $78,910/year ($37.94/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $83,247 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 31.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $79K actually covers in Virginia, month by month
About surgical assistants
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for surgical assistants, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $67K. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Virginia
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Surgical Assistants salary by metro in Virginia
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $100K | +26% | 270 |
| Richmond | $51K | -35% | 340 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a surgical assistant afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 33% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical assistants in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,182/month. At HUD’s $1,646/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 Virginia?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $79K here vs. $67K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
Virginia pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in Virginia?
The median is $78,910 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,760, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $127,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,990/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 33% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $83,247 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.