Surgical Assistants Salary
The median pay for a surgical assistants in West Virginia is $50,870/year ($24.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $57,138 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,008/month, about 30.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across West Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $51K actually covers in West Virginia, month by month
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for surgical assistants in West Virginia runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $67K. Rent runs $1,008/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, West Virginia
Entry-level surgical assistants (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Surgical Assistants salary by metro in West Virginia
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $64K | +25% | 70 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna | $48K | -5% | 30 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when West 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 West Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 29.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical assistants in West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical assistants typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,665/month. At HUD’s $1,008/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 West Virginia?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $51K here vs. $67K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for surgical assistants?
West Virginia pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do surgical assistants make in West Virginia?
The median is $50,870 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,750, and experienced surgical assistants can clear $101,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,430/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 29.4% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 $57,138 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.