The average salary for a surgical assistant in North Carolina is around $46,480 per year.
Avg Salary
Surgical assistants earn an average yearly salary of $46,480.
Wages typically start from $37,460 and go up to $78,420.
25% below national average Updated in 2025
Surgical assistant earnings by seniority
Top-level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$37.70 per hour
$78,420 per year
Senior-level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$28.86 per hour
$60,020 per year
Mid-level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$22.35 per hour
$46,480 per year
Junior-level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$19.11 per hour
$39,740 per year
Starting level surgical assistant earnings begin at:
$18.01 per hour
$37,460 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Surgical assistant salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $80,520 |
| Delaware | $78,650 |
| Washington | $62,090 |
| Maine | $61,490 |
| Massachusetts | $60,500 |
| California | $60,390 |
| Oregon | $60,390 |
| New York | $60,320 |
| Hawaii | $59,900 |
| Minnesota | $59,540 |
| Vermont | $59,470 |
| Colorado | $59,430 |
| New Jersey | $58,300 |
| Rhode Island | $57,800 |
| New Hampshire | $57,580 |
| Arizona | $56,370 |
| District of Columbia | $55,920 |
| Kansas | $54,180 |
| Alaska | $54,070 |
| South Dakota | $52,970 |
| Montana | $51,620 |
| West Virginia | $51,580 |
| Wisconsin | $51,350 |
| Connecticut | $51,030 |
| Illinois | $49,930 |
| Nevada | $49,620 |
| North Dakota | $49,480 |
| Kentucky | $49,410 |
| Georgia | $49,310 |
| Tennessee | $49,180 |
| Michigan | $48,520 |
| Indiana | $47,960 |
| Iowa | $47,910 |
| Texas | $47,870 |
| Maryland | $47,750 |
| Ohio | $47,570 |
| Utah | $47,490 |
| Virginia | $47,340 |
| Idaho | $47,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,720 |
| North Carolina | $46,480 |
| Nebraska | $46,140 |
| Missouri | $46,040 |
| Florida | $45,760 |
| Oklahoma | $45,330 |
| South Carolina | $44,840 |
| New Mexico | $44,260 |
| Alabama | $43,600 |
| Arkansas | $42,820 |
| Louisiana | $39,730 |
| Mississippi | $39,010 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,220 |
How much does a Surgical Assistant earn?
Surgical assistant salaries can vary greatly depending on experience, education, region, type of employer, and area of concentration (i.e., orthopedic, cardiovascular, or neurosurgery, etc.). According to a survey conducted by the Association of Surgical Assistants (ASA), the average base salary for the Surgical Assistant is approximately $50-60,000/yr. This salary report does not include call pay, shift differential, or overtime.
According to a survey published by the National Surgical Assistant Association (NSAA), “entry level CSA's (less than one year of experience) typically started at a hospital at approximately $23-$25 an hour with increments up to $45 an hour as experience increased for those hospitals that pay hourly.” Many surgical assistants will have opportunities for salary increases through shift differential, on call, and overtime opportunities.
How do surgical assistant salaries compare to similar careers?
Surgical assistants earn about the same as related careers in North Carolina. On average, they make less than paramedics but more than community health workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Paramedic salary | $57K |
| Exercise physiologist salary | $52K |
| Medical appliance technician salary | $55K |
| Optician salary | $50K |
| Medical records technician salary | $50K |
| Neurodiagnostic technologist salary | $46K |
| Surgical assistant salary | $46K |
| Ophthalmic medical technologist salary | $46K |
| Dental assistant salary | $50K |
| Community health worker salary | $48K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)