Refit
Career overview · SOC 29-9093

Surgical Assistants

Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons. May, in accordance with state laws, help surgeons to make incisions and close surgical sites, manipulate or remove tissues, implant surgical devices or drains, suction the surgical site, place catheters, clamp or cauterize vessels or tissue, and apply dressings to surgical site.

Also called: Certified First Assistant (CFA) · Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA) · Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA) · Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA) · Certified Surgical Technician · Gastrointestinal Technician (GI Technician)

Median pay (national)
$60,290
$39,540–$102,390 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
22,860
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+5.1%
~1,600 openings/yr
Typical entry
Postsecondary nondegree award

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for surgical assistants shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $102,390 versus $39,540 at the bottom 10% — 2.6x. The median of $60,290 leaves roughly 70% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +5.1% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 1,600 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 46 states with released data, Nevada pays the most for this role (median $110,020, +82% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $20,530 — a 436% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.

Tailor your resume to Surgical Assistants

Honest tailoring

See how your resume lines up with Surgical Assistants

Refit re-angles your real experience toward this role using the skills above — and never invents skills you don't have. A no-fabrication gate checks every change before you see it.

Free. No account needed to see your first re-fit.

Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Writing
  • Learning Strategies
  • Active Learning
  • Science
  • Mathematics

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
  • Coordinate or participate in the positioning of patients, using body stabilizing equipment or protective padding to provide appropriate exposure for the procedure or to protect against nerve damage or circulation impairment.
  • Discuss with surgeon the nature of the surgical procedure, including operative consent, methods of operative exposure, diagnostic or laboratory data, or patient-advanced directives or other needs.
  • Assess skin integrity or other body conditions upon completion of the procedure to determine if damage has occurred from body positioning.
  • Operate sterilizing devices.
  • Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.
  • Assist in the insertion, positioning, or suturing of closed-wound drainage systems.
  • Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.
  • Gather, arrange, or assemble instruments or supplies.
  • Coordinate with anesthesia personnel to maintain patient temperature.

Tools & technology

  • MEDITECH software
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Nursing documentation software
  • Patient scheduling software
  • Patient tracking software
  • Supply documentation software
  • Surgery workflow communication software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Knowledge areas

  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • English Language
  • Biology
  • Education and Training
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Psychology