facebook tracking Surgical Assistant salary in Tennessee (2025): how much surgical assistants make, by city

How much do surgical assistants make in Tennessee?

What surgical assistants earn in Tennessee and its metro areas, compared with the rest of the country (May 2025 BLS data).

May 2025#7 of 43 states
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See also Surgical Assistant pay nationally All healthcare pay in Tennessee
Median pay in Tennessee
$81,640

a year, or $39.25 an hour. That is 22% more than the national median of $66,800.

The middle half of surgical assistants in Tennessee earn $73,000 to $96,720.

Pay range in Tennessee
Bottom 10% earn under
$59,370
25th percentile
$73,000
Median
$81,640
75th percentile
$96,720
Top 10% earn over
$102,350
Rank among states
#7 of 43

Tennessee pays surgical assistants more than 36 of the other 42 states. Highest: Arizona ($111,170).

Jobs in Tennessee
750

0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the state, 1.60× the U.S. concentration.

Surgical Assistant pay in Tennessee cities

Metro and rural (nonmetropolitan) areas as BLS defines them, including metro areas that cross into neighboring states.. Click a column to sort.

AreaPay a yearHourlyJobs
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $87,080 $41.86 340
Chattanooga, TN-GA $77,570 $37.29 110
Memphis, TN-MS-AR $80,740 $38.82 90
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $65,260 $31.38 30
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States with similar surgical assistant pay

South Carolina $85,580 median a year · +5% vs Tennessee Kentucky $84,600 median a year · +4% vs Tennessee Oregon $80,450 median a year · −1% vs Tennessee Illinois $80,210 median a year · −2% vs Tennessee Virginia $78,910 median a year · −3% vs Tennessee Wisconsin $78,030 median a year · −4% vs Tennessee

Other healthcare salaries in Tennessee

Registered Nurses $81,500 median a year · 72,200 jobs Home Health and Personal Care Aides $32,130 median a year · 35,950 jobs Nursing Assistants $37,990 median a year · 27,040 jobs Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $58,870 median a year · 20,830 jobs Medical Assistants $39,570 median a year · 19,180 jobs Nurse Practitioners $117,590 median a year · 12,150 jobs Pharmacy Technicians $41,920 median a year · 11,870 jobs Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians $62,070 median a year · 8,410 jobs Pharmacists $133,390 median a year · 8,250 jobs Dental Assistants $46,720 median a year · 7,420 jobs Physicians, All Other $301,290 median a year · 5,340 jobs Physical Therapists $100,140 median a year · 4,800 jobs
All healthcare salaries in Tennessee

Questions about surgical assistant pay in Tennessee

How much does a surgical assistant make in Tennessee?

Surgical Assistants in Tennessee earned a median of $81,640 a year ($39.25 an hour) in May 2025, 22% more than the national median of $66,800. The middle half earned $73,000 to $96,720.

Where in Tennessee do surgical assistants earn the most?

Among areas in Tennessee, pay was highest in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN at $87,080.

How does Tennessee rank for surgical assistant pay?

Tennessee ranks #7 of 43 states for surgical assistants pay. Arizona pays the most, at $111,170 a year. Pay figures don't account for differences in cost of living.

How many surgical assistants work in Tennessee?

About 750 people worked as surgical assistants in Tennessee in May 2025, or 0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the state.

Tennessee hospitals Tennessee hospital star ratings Tennessee hospital finances Tennessee shortage areas Hospitals per capita All healthcare salaries

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all industries. Median pay is the middle wage; where BLS publishes no median, the average (mean) is shown, marked "(avg)". Values marked "+" are above the most BLS reports exactly. Pay doesn't reflect cost of living, overtime or shift differentials.