How much does a surgical technician make?
a year · about $31 an hour
A typical surgical technician in the United States makes $64,650 a year, about $31 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They review the surgery list, sterilize and arrange instruments, then pass tools to surgeons and count supplies during operations. They help position patients and clean or reset the room between cases.
Did you know? A surgical tech can call a pause—even if the surgeon caused the problem—when something contaminates the sterile area, until it is fixed.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $45,940 and $96,940How do you become one?
Complete a certificate or associate degree in surgical technology, with clinical practice. Graduates of CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited programs can take the CST exam; employers may require certification, and some states regulate the job.
School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience and CST certification can help surgical techs earn more. Pay also varies by location, employer, and hours: hospital jobs may include long shifts, nights, weekends, holidays, or being on call.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Oregon ($81,390), lowest in West Virginia ($49,110).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $45,940 | $64,650 | $96,940 | about 117,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $81,390 | about 1,000 |
| California | $81,310 | about 12,000 |
| Massachusetts | $80,870 | about 2,000 |
| Minnesota | $80,210 | about 2,000 |
| Connecticut | $79,890 | about 1,000 |
Official definition: 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. Excludes “Surgical Assistants” (29-9093).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/surgical-technologists.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2019/interview/surgical-technologist.htm
- www.nbstsa.org/cst-eligibility
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY