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US job code 29-9093People-facingMedium change by 2035

Surgical Assistants

Machines can already do 10% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 35%. The job changes before it disappears.

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Share of the work machines can do

Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050

100%75%50%25%20262035205010%Half: 2039

Surgical Assistants in 2026: the short answer

  • Today: machines can do 10% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
  • Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2039, and 35% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
  • Size: 22,270 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $66,800 a year.
  • Contact with people: it scores 86% for contact with people.
  • Also called: Certified Surgical Technician (Certified Surgical Tech), CRNFA (Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant), CSA (Certified Surgical Assistant), CSFA (Certified Surgical First Assistant).

Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.

Machines can do today
10%of the tasks, 2026
By 2035
35%half the tasks by 2039
US median pay
$66,800a year, May 2025
US jobs
22k22,270 people
Contact with people
86%how people-facing
Step 1AnticipateWhat is changing? Free to everyone

How the work changes, task by task

The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.

TaskShare of the dayMachines can do2026 to 2035
Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment26%
3% to 25%
Apply sutures, staples, clips, or other materials to close skin, facia, or subcutaneous wound layers10%
18% to 51%
Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures7%
3% to 25%
Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment7%
3% to 25%
Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure5%
3% to 25%
Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field4%
3% to 25%
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 impairment4%
3% to 25%
Monitor patient intra-operative status, including patient position, vital signs, or volume and color of blood4%
36% to 68%
Step 2AssessWhy should I care? Free to everyone

The skills this job runs on

The skills surgical assistants use most, most used first.

Professionalism and work ethicCollaborationClinical carePhysical and manualAdaptability and resilienceMoral intelligence and integritySelf-managementTeaching and trainingCommunicationOperations and processCritical thinking and problem solvingEmotional intelligenceInterpersonal skills

Safer jobs nearby

Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.

Step 3ActWhat do I do about it? Free plan and up
What do I do about it

What should you do about it?

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Questions

When will machines do half of the tasks of Surgical Assistants?

Machines can do half of its tasks by 2039. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.

Will AI take the job of surgical assistants?

Machines can do 10% of the tasks of surgical assistants today and 35% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.

Sources and citing

Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 29-9093.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.

Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Surgical Assistants: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/surgical-assistants/