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Job outlook for surgical first assistants in the United States
Surgical first assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected surgical first assistant job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 7,700 new jobs for surgical first assistants are projected over the next decade.
Surgical first assistant salaries have increased 7% for surgical first assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 6,817 surgical first assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 28,503 active surgical first assistant job openings in the US.
The average surgical first assistant salary is $61,480.
Are surgical first assistant jobs in demand?
Surgical first assistant job and salary trends over time
Surgical first assistant jobs over time
Surgical first assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,817 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 8,765 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 10,328 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 6,066 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 6,023 | 0.00% |
Average surgical first assistant salary over time
Surgical first assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $61,480 | $29.56 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $59,809 | $28.75 | --0.7% |
| 2023 | $60,240 | $28.96 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $58,668 | $28.21 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $57,644 | $27.71 | --0.5% |
Surgical first assistant jobs by state
Most common states for surgical first assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 94 | 7% |
| 2 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 1,177 | 6% |
| 3 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 381 | 6% |
| 4 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 42 | 6% |
| 5 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 342 | 5% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 317 | 5% |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 285 | 5% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 261 | 5% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 251 | 5% |
| 10 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 164 | 5% |
| 11 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 66 | 5% |
| 12 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 48 | 5% |
| 13 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 38 | 5% |
| 14 | Alaska | 739,795 | 37 | 5% |
| 15 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 1,068 | 4% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 573 | 4% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 381 | 4% |
| 18 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 282 | 4% |
| 19 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 165 | 4% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 80 | 4% |
Most common cities for surgical first assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wesley Chapel | 4 | 9% | $45,689 |
| 2 | Bangor | 2 | 6% | $35,956 |
| 3 | Bartlett | 3 | 5% | $55,226 |
| 4 | Tampa | 7 | 2% | $45,906 |
| 5 | Amarillo | 3 | 2% | $62,915 |
| 6 | Carmel | 2 | 2% | $43,525 |
| 7 | Atlanta | 5 | 1% | $54,815 |
| 8 | Orlando | 4 | 1% | $45,137 |
| 9 | Glendale | 3 | 1% | $53,224 |
| 10 | Chandler | 2 | 1% | $53,070 |
| 11 | Austin | 3 | 0% | $65,501 |
| 12 | Denver | 3 | 0% | $54,225 |
| 13 | Baltimore | 2 | 0% | $63,775 |
| 14 | Detroit | 2 | 0% | $60,167 |
Surgical First Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of surgical first assistant experts
National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting
What experience really stands out on Surgical First Assistant resumes?
Ben Price: For surgical technologists and surgical first assistants, credentials are the first thing hiring managers will be looking for. For the surgical technologist, that would be the Certified Surgical Technologist credential, and for surgical first assistants, the Certified Surgical First Assistant credential. A majority of hospitals and a growing number of states in the U.S. require holding one of these credentials to work. Next, they will be looking for experience and any surgical specialization skills the individual may possess.