Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $60,410/year ($29.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $55,483 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 56.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $60K actually covers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Surgical assistants pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 56.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for surgical assistants in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $51K | $52K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $100K | $102K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $54K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $84K 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 with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track surgical assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 56.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical assistants in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,334/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $60,410 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,620, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $133,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,000/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 56.2% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median surgical assistants salary is worth about $55,483 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.