Surgical Technologists Salary
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · 117K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$64,650
Median hourly
$31
Average annual
$68,710
Typical range
$45,940–$96,940
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Surgical Technologists is $64,650 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $31 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments..
Most earn between $45,940 and $96,940 a year. There are roughly 117K people employed as surgical technologists in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Surgical Technologists.
- Hourly
- $31.08
- Daily
- $249
- Weekly
- $1,243
- Bi-weekly
- $2,487
- Monthly
- $5,388
- Annual
- $64,650
$64,650 a year is around the 50th percentile for Surgical Technologistss. The median is $64,650.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Hawaii$82,640
- 2Oregon$81,390
- 3California$81,310
- 4Massachusetts$80,870
- 5Alaska$80,380
- 6Minnesota$80,210
- 7Connecticut$79,890
- 8New York$79,550
- 9District of Columbia$77,520
- 10Washington$77,270
- 11New Jersey$77,200
- 12Colorado$75,740
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$106,840
- 2Vallejo, CA$105,260
- 3Napa, CA$102,490
- 4Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$100,130
- 5Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$99,960
- 6San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$99,390
- 7Redding, CA$89,940
- 8Urban Honolulu, HI$87,330
- 9Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$86,790
- 10New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$84,120
- 11Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$83,580
- 12Barnstable Town, MA$82,860
Related job titles
Employers advertise Surgical Technologists roles under these titles.
- Certified Surgical Technician
- Certified Surgical Technologist (CST)
- Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St)
- Operating Room Surgical Technologist
- Operating Room Technologist (OR Tech)
- Scrub Technician
- Surgery Technician (Surgery Tech)
- Surgical Orderly
- Surgical Scrub Technician
- Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech)
- Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech)
- Travel Surgical Tech (Travel Surgical Technician)
- Travel Surgical Technologist
Related occupations
- Surgical Assistants$66,800
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,310
- Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$48,430
- Medical Equipment Preparers$47,700
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$96,590
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,110
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$45,570
- Radiation Therapists$105,310
What a Surgical Technologists does
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
- Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
- Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
- Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
- Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.
- Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Surgical Technologists make?
- The median annual wage for Surgical Technologists is $64,650 ($31 per hour). Pay ranges from about $45,940 at the 10th percentile to $96,940 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Surgical Technologists?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $68,710, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Surgical Technologistss the most?
- Hawaii has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $82,640.
- Is Surgical Technologists a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 117K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Surgical Technologists do?
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.; Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.; Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure..