| State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $82,640 | $39.73 | 290 |
| Oregon | $81,390 | $39.13 | 1,090 |
| California | $81,310 | $39.09 | 11,920 |
| Massachusetts | $80,870 | $38.88 | 2,220 |
| Alaska | $80,380 | $38.65 | 310 |
| Minnesota | $80,210 | $38.56 | 1,770 |
| Connecticut | $79,890 | $38.41 | 1,220 |
| New York | $79,550 | $38.25 | 6,540 |
| District of Columbia | $77,520 | $37.27 | 340 |
| Washington | $77,270 | $37.15 | 2,510 |
| New Jersey | $77,200 | $37.12 | 2,780 |
| Colorado | $75,740 | $36.41 | 2,100 |
| Nevada | $75,480 | $36.29 | 1,110 |
| New Hampshire | $75,040 | $36.08 | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $74,130 | $35.64 | 240 |
| Wisconsin | $74,120 | $35.64 | 2,180 |
| Idaho | $72,550 | $34.88 | 1,100 |
| Arizona | $72,260 | $34.74 | 2,410 |
| Maryland | $68,970 | $33.16 | 1,880 |
| Virginia | $67,580 | $32.49 | 1,910 |
| Texas | $65,220 | $31.35 | 10,160 |
| Illinois | $64,650 | $31.08 | 3,570 |
| Indiana | $64,240 | $30.89 | 2,680 |
| Georgia | $64,010 | $30.77 | 4,380 |
| Nebraska | $63,880 | $30.71 | 770 |
| Michigan | $63,320 | $30.44 | 3,840 |
| Maine | $62,860 | $30.22 | 470 |
| Utah | $62,720 | $30.15 | 1,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,680 | $30.14 | 4,490 |
| Florida | $62,440 | $30.02 | 9,120 |
| Ohio | $62,420 | $30.01 | 3,730 |
| Delaware | $62,250 | $29.93 | 340 |
| South Carolina | $62,160 | $29.89 | 2,680 |
| North Dakota | $61,640 | $29.63 | 370 |
| Oklahoma | $61,190 | $29.42 | 1,940 |
| Missouri | $61,120 | $29.39 | 2,100 |
| Montana | $60,970 | $29.31 | 490 |
| North Carolina | $60,920 | $29.29 | 4,400 |
| Vermont | $60,660 | $29.17 | 140 |
| Kansas | $60,600 | $29.13 | 1,200 |
| Iowa | $60,540 | $29.11 | 950 |
| Tennessee | $60,530 | $29.10 | 3,310 |
| Kentucky | $60,490 | $29.08 | 1,440 |
| South Dakota | $59,870 | $28.79 | 600 |
| Wyoming | $58,850 | $28.29 | 210 |
| Arkansas | $57,400 | $27.60 | 1,640 |
| Louisiana | $57,370 | $27.58 | 2,230 |
| New Mexico | $51,780 | $24.90 | 540 |
| Mississippi | $49,810 | $23.95 | 1,110 |
| Alabama | $49,420 | $23.76 | 2,480 |
| West Virginia | $49,110 | $23.61 | 580 |
— = estimate missing or suppressed by BLS; # = suppressed for insufficient reporting units; * = estimate not comparable.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45,940 | $22.09 |
| 25th | $54,690 | $26.29 |
| 50th (median) | $64,650 | $31.08 |
| 75th | $79,750 | $38.34 |
| 90th | $96,940 | $46.61 |
— = estimate missing or suppressed by BLS; # = suppressed for insufficient reporting units; * = estimate not comparable.
Surgical assistants and technologists help with surgical operations. Surgical assistants, also called surgical first assistants, help surgeons with tasks such as making incisions, placing clamps, and closing surgical sites. Surgical technologists, also called operating room technicians, prepare operating rooms, arrange equipment, and help doctors and first assistants during surgeries.
Surgical technologists typically do the following: prepare operating rooms for surgery; sterilize equipment and make sure that there are adequate supplies for surgery; ready patients for surgery, such as by washing and disinfecting incision sites; help surgeons during surgery by passing them instruments and other sterile supplies; count supplies, such as surgical instruments, to ensure that no foreign objects are retained in patients; and maintain a sterile environment to prevent patient infection.
Before an operation, surgical technologists prepare the operating room by setting up surgical instruments and equipment. During an operation, surgical technologists pass the sterile instruments and supplies to surgeons and first assistants.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 release. A wage shown as $239,200 or More means the estimate falls in BLS's highest, open-ended wage interval and is a lower bound, not a maximum. In tables, — means the estimate is missing or suppressed by BLS; # means suppressed because of insufficient reporting units; * means the estimate is not comparable.
Page updated: