Best cities for an operating room assistant
The best cities for operating room assistants are Cincinnati, OH, Wichita, KS, and Portland, OR, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for operating room assistants vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for operating room assistants in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an operating room assistant or considering a move, this list of the best cities for operating room assistants to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for operating room assistants. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an operating room assistant. While the absolute best city for operating room assistants is Cincinnati, OH, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for operating room assistants in 2024.
If you're looking for an operating room assistant job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for operating room assistants in 2026
1. Cincinnati, OH
Total operating room assistant jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $35,097 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location quotient: 1.52 2. Wichita, KS
Total operating room assistant jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $34,409 Lowest 10 percent warn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location quotient: 1.76 3. Portland, OR
Total operating room assistant jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $37,655 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location quotient: 1.67 4. Boston, MA
Total operating room assistant jobs: 23 Average annual salary: $39,837 Lowest 10 percent warn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location quotient: 0.96 5. Columbus, OH
Total operating room assistant jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $35,797 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location quotient: 0.60 6. Oakland, CA
Total operating room assistant jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $41,785 Lowest 10 percent warn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location quotient: 0.94 7. Reno, NV
Total operating room assistant jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $39,720 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location quotient: 0.40 8. Anchorage, AK
Total operating room assistant jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $40,015 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location quotient: 0.59 9. Madison, WI
Total operating room assistant jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $32,668 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location quotient: 1.32 10. Seattle, WA
Total operating room assistant jobs: 16 Average annual salary: $38,022 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location quotient: 0.57
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Best cities for operating room assistants
- Cincinnati, OH
- Wichita, KS
- Portland, OR
- Boston, MA
- Columbus, OH
- Oakland, CA
- Reno, NV
- Anchorage, AK
- Madison, WI
- Seattle, WA
- (11 operating room assistant jobs)
- (5 operating room assistant jobs)
- (19 operating room assistant jobs)
- (23 operating room assistant jobs)
- (9 operating room assistant jobs)
- (3 operating room assistant jobs)
- (1 operating room assistant jobs)
- (1 operating room assistant jobs)
- (8 operating room assistant jobs)
- (16 operating room assistant jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for an operating room assistant
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati, OH | $35,097 | $27,000 | 298,800 | 11 |
| 2 | Wichita, KS | $34,409 | $26,000 | 389,902 | 5 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $37,655 | $29,000 | 639,863 | 19 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $39,837 | $31,000 | 673,184 | 23 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $35,797 | $27,000 | 860,090 | 9 |
| 6 | Oakland, CA | $41,785 | $31,000 | 420,005 | 3 |
| 7 | Reno, NV | $39,720 | $30,000 | 245,255 | 1 |
| 8 | Anchorage, AK | $40,015 | $35,000 | 298,192 | 1 |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $32,668 | $25,000 | 252,551 | 8 |
| 10 | Seattle, WA | $38,022 | $30,000 | 704,352 | 16 |
| 11 | Fort Wayne, IN | $35,930 | $28,000 | 264,488 | 1 |
| 12 | Lexington, KY | $32,697 | $25,000 | 318,449 | 1 |
| 13 | Bakersfield, CA | $41,056 | $31,000 | 376,380 | 1 |
| 14 | Chula Vista, CA | $39,613 | $29,000 | 267,172 | 1 |
| 15 | Irvine, CA | $40,253 | $30,000 | 266,122 | 14 |
| 16 | Cleveland, OH | $37,215 | $29,000 | 385,809 | 1 |
| 17 | Saint Paul, MN | $35,093 | $27,000 | 302,398 | 3 |
| 18 | Los Angeles, CA | $40,581 | $30,000 | 3,976,322 | 16 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $37,582 | $29,000 | 672,795 | 1 |
| 20 | Toledo, OH | $37,148 | $29,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 21 | Las Vegas, NV | $38,739 | $29,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 22 | North Las Vegas, NV | $38,693 | $29,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 23 | Henderson, NV | $38,648 | $29,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 24 | Louisville, KY | $32,900 | $25,000 | 597,337 | 1 |
| 25 | Indianapolis, IN | $34,936 | $27,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 26 | San Francisco, CA | $41,840 | $31,000 | 870,887 | 4 |
| 27 | Omaha, NE | $29,975 | $23,000 | 446,970 | 4 |
| 28 | San Diego, CA | $39,700 | $29,000 | 1,406,630 | 7 |
| 29 | San Jose, CA | $41,755 | $31,000 | 1,025,350 | 2 |
| 30 | El Paso, TX | $28,252 | $21,000 | 683,080 | 5 |
| 31 | Colorado Springs, CO | $32,171 | $25,000 | 465,101 | 9 |
| 32 | Sacramento, CA | $41,484 | $31,000 | 495,234 | 1 |
| 33 | Fremont, CA | $41,751 | $31,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 34 | Minneapolis, MN | $35,091 | $27,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 35 | Milwaukee, WI | $32,771 | $25,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 36 | Stockton, CA | $41,530 | $31,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 37 | Fresno, CA | $41,254 | $31,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 38 | Mesa, AZ | $28,923 | $21,000 | 484,587 | 1 |
| 39 | Lincoln, NE | $29,954 | $23,000 | 280,364 | 1 |
| 40 | Albuquerque, NM | $31,590 | $24,000 | 559,277 | 1 |
| 41 | Corpus Christi, TX | $25,944 | $19,000 | 325,733 | 2 |
| 42 | Long Beach, CA | $40,431 | $30,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 43 | Chicago, IL | $33,560 | $26,000 | 2,704,958 | 6 |
| 44 | Denver, CO | $32,235 | $25,000 | 693,060 | 12 |
| 45 | Anaheim, CA | $40,357 | $30,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 46 | Baltimore, MD | $33,851 | $25,000 | 614,664 | 5 |
| 47 | Tulsa, OK | $31,838 | $24,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 48 | Lubbock, TX | $27,581 | $20,000 | 252,506 | 1 |
| 49 | Santa Ana, CA | $40,312 | $30,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 50 | Philadelphia, PA | $28,129 | $21,000 | 1,567,872 | 5 |
Highest paying cities for operating room assistants
| Rank | City | Avg. operating room assistant salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Monica, CA | $40,606 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $40,015 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $39,837 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $38,022 |
| 5 | Tualatin, OR | $37,687 |
| 6 | Grand Rapids, MI | $37,626 |
| 7 | South Bend, IN | $36,261 |
| 8 | Livingston, NJ | $35,950 |
| 9 | Cincinnati, OH | $35,097 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $34,566 |
| 11 | Waterloo, IA | $34,522 |
| 12 | Danbury, CT | $33,830 |
| 13 | Mount Prospect, IL | $33,661 |
| 14 | Portland, ME | $33,403 |
| 15 | Waukesha, WI | $32,728 |
| 16 | Broomfield, CO | $32,254 |
| 17 | Oklahoma City, OK | $31,688 |
| 18 | Washington, DC | $31,293 |
| 19 | Bismarck, ND | $30,497 |
| 20 | Salt Lake City, UT | $29,273 |
Operating room assistant best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025