The chance to collaborate with a surgeon in the operating room is a special one for Surgical Tech Salary Surgical techs have a good schedule, excellent learning opportunities, and the opportunity to truly help patients. They also make a solid living.
What is the typical pay for a surgical tech, then?
According to the BLS, surgical techs in the US make, on average, $62,250 annually, or $29.93 per hour. Naturally, this differs according to factors including region, years of experience, credentials, surgery center type, and more.
This article will discuss the pay scale for surgical techs, how much they make in comparison to other healthcare occupations, and strategies for increasing their earnings.
Overview of Surgical Tech Salary
Surgical technologists typically earn $29.93 per hour, or $62,250 annually.
Living in a remote area, a novice surgical tech can begin earning as little as $25,640 annually.
More experienced scrub technicians, also known as surgical techs, who reside in major cities with higher average salaries can earn up to $95,800 annually, or $46.06 per hour.
The job future for surgical technologists is also excellent; 5% increase is anticipated between 2022 and 2032, which is greater than the average for all U.S. jobs. Like any other employment, surgical tech pay is influenced by a number of factors, such as:
Certification
Surgical technologists can request a higher beginning wage after obtaining certification. Salary.com job listings indicate that certified surgical technicians make roughly 10% more than their non-certified counterparts.
years of expertise.
Experienced workers: are paid more in almost every career. People can typically anticipate a 3% annual increase as they gain experience in the same position or sector.
the kind of establishment where you work. In some fields, surgical technologists might earn more money than others. For instance, general surgery technologists often make less money than cardiovascular surgical techs. Generally speaking, a technologist will be paid more for their level of specialization. More information about the typical pay and work locations for surgical technologists may be found here.
Where do you work?
Generally speaking, surgical technologists in large cities or urban areas make more money than those at smaller hospitals in rural areas. Additionally, surgical centers that are busier and larger pay more.
Surgical Tech Salary by State
| State | Hourly Median | Annual Median |
| Alabama | $21.99 | $45,730 |
| Alaska | $37.70 | $78,410 |
| Arizona | $31.21 | $64,920 |
| Arkansas | $23.77 | $49,430 |
| California | $37.69 | $78,400 |
| Colorado | $30.50 | $63,430 |
| Connecticut | $38.55 | $80,190 |
| Delaware | $29.37 | $61,090 |
| District of Columbia | $32.94 | $68,520 |
| Florida | $27.25 | $56,670 |
| Georgia | $28.04 | $58,330 |
| Hawaii | $32.63 | $67,880 |
| Idaho | $29.66 | $61,680 |
| Illinois | $28.73 | $59,750 |
| Indiana | $28.12 | $58,480 |
| Iowa | $24.51 | $50,990 |
| Kansas | $24.53 | $51,020 |
| Kentucky | $24.84 | $51,660 |
| Louisiana | $24.31 | $50,560 |
| Maine | $28.27 | $58,800 |
| Maryland | $29.93 | $62,240 |
| Massachusetts | $32.62 | $67,840 |
| Michigan | $28.70 | $59,700 |
| Minnesota | $35.00 | $72,800 |
| Mississippi | $22.03 | $45,830 |
| Missouri | $27.76 | $57,730 |
| Montana | $27.90 | $58,030 |
| Nebraska | $28.67 | $59,630 |
| Nevada | $35.23 | $73,280 |
| New Hampshire | $31.63 | $65,780 |
| New Jersey | $33.45 | $69,580 |
| New Mexico | $23.60 | $49,080 |
| New York | $35.66 | $74,180 |
| North Carolina | $25.40 | $52,830 |
| North Dakota | $28.68 | $59,650 |
| Ohio | $28.33 | $58,930 |
| Oklahoma | $24.71 | $51,400 |
| Oregon | $36.32 | $75,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $27.38 | $56,940 |
| Rhode Island | $30.19 | $62,800 |
| South Carolina | $28.15 | $58,550 |
| South Dakota | $24.99 | $51,980 |
| Tennessee | $27.84 | $57,910 |
| Texas | $28.76 | $59,810 |
| Utah | $26.50 | $55,120 |
| Vermont | $26.35 | $54,820 |
| Virginia | $30.23 | $62,880 |
| Washington | $33.78 | $70,250 |
| West Virginia | $23.36 | $48,590 |
| Wisconsin | $30.84 | $64,150 |
| Wyoming | $26.06 | $54,200 |
| Puerto Rico | $11.72 | $24,370 |
Surgical Tech Salary by City
| Metro Area | Primary State | Hourly Median | Annual Median |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $30.10 | $62,610 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | TX | $30.42 | $63,270 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $29.57 | $61,510 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | AL | $23.69 | $49,270 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | NC | $25.54 | $53,120 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | IL | $29.21 | $60,760 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | OH | $29.21 | $60,750 |
| Cleveland-Elyria, OH | OH | $28.64 | $59,570 |
| Columbus, OH | OH | $28.33 | $58,930 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | TX | $31.24 | $64,980 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | CO | $30.35 | $63,120 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | MI | $29.52 | $61,400 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | MI | $26.21 | $54,510 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | TX | $30.61 | $63,660 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | IN | $29.23 | $60,800 |
| Jacksonville, FL | FL | $25.22 | $52,450 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | MO | $29.68 | $61,730 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | NV | $35.90 | $74,680 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | AR | $24.70 | $51,380 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $32.77 | $68,150 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | KY | $28.77 | $59,840 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | FL | $29.24 | $60,820 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | WI | $31.06 | $64,610 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $37.07 | $77,110 |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | TN | $29.02 | $60,360 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | NY | $37.97 | $78,980 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | OK | $28.81 | $59,930 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | FL | $27.45 | $57,100 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $29.38 | $61,110 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | AZ | $32.14 | $66,850 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | PA | $25.52 | $53,080 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $37.31 | $77,610 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $30.83 | $64,120 |
| Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA | CA | $39.44 | $82,030 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | MO | $29.86 | $62,110 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | UT | $29.53 | $61,410 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | TX | $23.61 | $49,120 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $39.12 | $81,360 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | CA | $46.84 | $97,430 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $47.49 | $98,780 |
| San Juan-Carolina-Caguas, PR | PR | $11.93 | $24,810 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $36.82 | $76,580 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | FL | $27.84 | $57,920 |
| Tulsa, OK | OK | $23.62 | $49,130 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | VA | $26.26 | $54,620 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $36.53 | $75,970 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | MA | $33.43 | $69,530 |
Are Surgical Techs Paid Well? Pay for Scrub Technicians Compared to Other Related Professions
Surgical techs frequently make more money than many other healthcare professionals with comparable training and education levels, and they usually require a certification or associate degree.
The following shows how the average salary of surgical techs ($62,250) stacks up against other healthcare professions:
$65,190 for a surgical assistant (compared to a surgical tech)
$38,130 for certified nursing assistants
$42,000 for medical assistants
$43,330 for pharmacy technicians
$43,130 for phlebotomists
Assistants in dentistry: $47,350
$60,790 for licensed vocational nurses
Other comparable professions that make as much as or more than surgical technicians include radiography technicians, who make $72,250 annually, and clinical laboratory technicians, who make $62,870 annually.
How to Increase Your Prospects of Earning More Money as a Surgical Tech
Getting involved in the medical industry, working directly with surgeons, learning about human anatomy, and positively influencing people’s lives can all be achieved by becoming a surgical tech.
But with any career, compensation is also a crucial consideration.
There are a few ways to increase your income if you want to work as a surgical technician and get paid well.
- Obtain Certification
A surgical technologist can become qualified to work and obtain employment by pursuing one of numerous surgical technologist qualifications.
The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) offers the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) surgical tech certification, while the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) offers the Tech in Surgery-Certified (TS-C).
In addition to giving you more self-assurance when you join the workforce, these qualifications enable you to negotiate for better pay and employment prospects.
Before applying for a surgical tech school, make sure to do your homework to determine which one is the most affordable. Additionally, they vary widely in length, so take your time choosing one that works for you.
Compared to traditional solutions, Stepful’s online surgical tech certification curriculum and Sacramento surgical tech school are significantly faster and less expensive.
- Develop a specialty
Many surgical techs decide to specialize after becoming certified as basic surgical technologists. Orthopedic surgery, cardiac and thoracic surgery, reconstructive surgery, and many other specialties are available to surgical techs. - Take Up First Assistant Work
Surgical technicians can become surgical first assistants as they get more expertise. These technicians frequently require more training and have more complex skill requirements, such as assisting surgeons in controlling blood flow and keeping tissues and organs out of the way.
4) Keep Up with Emerging Technologies and the Industry
One of the best ways to become a valuable member of the surgical team is to stay current on new technologies and methods. You can become the greatest surgical technician you can be by taking continuing education classes and subscribing to journal publications.
5) Request Opportunities for Advancement
You will be well-positioned to approach your supervisors about a promotion chance once you have obtained certification, gained some experience, and demonstrated to your employer that you are prepared to put in a lot of effort and stay up to date with the most recent advancements in surgical technician technology.
Becoming a manager for other surgical technicians or a trainer for new hires are some of the more typical career progression options.
6) Move
Surgical technicians are paid more in some cities than others, much like all other occupations. But it’s crucial to remember that when average salaries increase, so does the cost of living.
When searching for a new work, be careful to take into account the difference between your income and living expenses. Additionally, review the surgical tech job description to find out the pay scale.
7) Think About Taking a Trip
Compared to surgical techs with permanent jobs, traveling techs are paid more.
Becoming a traveling contract worker could be a fantastic choice for you if you don’t mind working short contracts and relocating.
Usually, travel surgical techs have contracts that last eight to twelve weeks before they need to locate another job or extend their current one.
8) Transfer to a Bigger Medical Facility
Larger surgical centers are more likely to pay more than smaller hospitals since they do more surgery.
Larger hospitals also frequently have more resources available to offer greater benefits, more equipment, and more flexibility and time off.
9) Put in Odd Hours of Work
Employees in many healthcare positions must work weekends and nights.
Most companies provide a salary premium for working on the weekends, evenings, and nights, even though these are frequently seen as the less desired hours.
Depending on where you work, differentials can be anything from 5% to 25%.
10) Take Up Teaching
You can teach surgical tech at a college or certification program if you have some expertise.
A minimum of three years of experience as a surgical technologist in an operating room is usually required to teach in one of these programs.
Surgical Tech Salary FAQ
- How much does a surgical tech typically make?
Depending on region, experience, and qualification, the average surgical tech compensation in the US is from $50,000 to $55,000 per year, or $24 to $27 per hour. - Does experience increase a surgical tech’s pay?
Indeed, pay tends to rise with experience.
Entry-level: between $35,000 and $45,000 annually
Mid-career (five to ten years): $55,000 to $65,000 annually
Experienced (10+ years): at least $65,000 per year
- Are bonuses or overtime possible for surgical techs?
Indeed, extra hours worked by surgical techs frequently result in overtime pay, and they may also be eligible for bonuses for on-call work or performance-based goals.
- Do surgical technologists who travel get paid more?
Because of their temporary assignments, travel surgical technologists usually make more money, with hourly rates ranging from $30 to $50 plus benefits like housing stipends. - Are there benefits for surgical techs?
Indeed, the majority of firms provide benefits like:
Health coverage
Plans for retirement (401k)
Paid time off
Opportunities for continuing education
