Surgical Assistants pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,730 a year or less, while the top 10% make $102,350 or more. The middle half of surgical assistants in Nashville earn between $80,830 and $99,270.
- $64K10th
- $81K25th
- $87KMedian
- $99K75th
- $102K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $87,360 | $7,280 | $42.00 |
| Median | $87,080 | $7,257 | $41.87 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $80,830 | $6,736 | $38.86 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $99,270 | $8,272 | $47.73 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Surgical Assistants pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Surgical assistants in Nashville earn 6% more than the Tennessee average ($82,720) and 20% more than the U.S. average ($72,710). At the median the gap is +30% against the U.S. median of $66,800.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $87,360 | $87,080 | $63,730 | $102,350 | 340 |
| Tennessee | $82,720 | $81,640 | $59,370 | $102,350 | 750 |
| United States | $72,710 | $66,800 | $39,690 | $107,610 | 22,270 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Surgical Assistants salary after taxes in Nashville
On the average salary of $87,360, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $70,288 a year, or $5,857 a month and $2,703 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for surgical assistants? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $87,360 buys what about $90,681 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Surgical Assistants salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 1st of 4 Tennessee metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Nashville$87,360
- Memphis$83,350
- Chattanooga$81,770
- Kingsport$66,190
Highest-paying cities for surgical assistants
Phoenix, AZ pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($141,940).
- Phoenix, AZ$141,940
- Lexington, KY$115,640
- Florence, SC$115,420
- Boulder, CO$101,340
- Cincinnati, OH$98,860
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Surgical Assistants salary in Nashville: questions
How much do surgical assistants make an hour in Nashville?
$42.00 an hour on average, and $41.86 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level surgical assistants salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,730 a year and the 25th percentile is $80,830, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the surgical assistants take-home pay in Nashville?
About $70,288 a year ($5,857 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $87,360. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do surgical assistants earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% more than the U.S. average for this job ($72,710).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-9093; area Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.19, this job is 2.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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