Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of surgical technician salary by state for the United States in 2026:
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California has the highest surgical technician salary of $68,117
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Iowa has the lowest surgical technician salary of $41,365
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The national average salary for surgical technicians is $52,193
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The national hourly pay for surgical technicians is $25.09
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In 2026, the most crucial factor in job selection remains salary. Many individuals query, “How much do surgical technicians earn in my area?” Understanding the salary landscape is vital for prospective surgical technicians.
While numerous factors influence individual earnings, comprehensive data is available on average salaries for surgical technicians by state, reflecting variations based on seniority and specialization. Although local salaries may fluctuate, these averages provide a reliable benchmark for expectations.
As of 2026, California remains the state offering the most competitive salaries for surgical technicians.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for surgical technician salaries:
Let’s take a look at how we got here and a full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Surgical Technicians By State
| Rank | State | Average Surgical Technician Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $68,117 | $45,000 | $102,000 |
| 2 | New York | $64,829 | $42,000 | $99,000 |
| 3 | Nevada | $64,672 | $42,000 | $97,000 |
| 4 | Alaska | $61,068 | $53,000 | $69,000 |
| 5 | Illinois | $59,212 | $40,000 | $86,000 |
| 6 | Idaho | $58,405 | $41,000 | $82,000 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $58,177 | $37,000 | $89,000 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $58,155 | $37,000 | $90,000 |
| 9 | Oregon | $57,859 | $41,000 | $80,000 |
| 10 | Washington | $57,414 | $42,000 | $78,000 |
| 11 | Arizona | $56,626 | $37,000 | $85,000 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $56,593 | $43,000 | $74,000 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $55,703 | $36,000 | $85,000 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $55,617 | $37,000 | $82,000 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $55,489 | $36,000 | $85,000 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $55,076 | $38,000 | $78,000 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $55,017 | $35,000 | $84,000 |
| 18 | Michigan | $54,902 | $37,000 | $81,000 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $54,683 | $38,000 | $77,000 |
| 20 | Georgia | $54,174 | $36,000 | $80,000 |
| 21 | Maryland | $54,119 | $35,000 | $82,000 |
| 22 | Maine | $53,903 | $34,000 | $83,000 |
| 23 | Kansas | $53,444 | $37,000 | $77,000 |
| 24 | Vermont | $52,926 | $34,000 | $80,000 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $52,837 | $36,000 | $76,000 |
| 26 | Colorado | $52,578 | $36,000 | $76,000 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $52,453 | $36,000 | $75,000 |
| 28 | Missouri | $52,411 | $36,000 | $75,000 |
| 29 | Texas | $51,845 | $34,000 | $77,000 |
| 30 | Delaware | $51,265 | $33,000 | $78,000 |
| 31 | Virginia | $51,095 | $33,000 | $77,000 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $50,813 | $34,000 | $74,000 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $50,432 | $34,000 | $74,000 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $50,372 | $33,000 | $75,000 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $48,712 | $32,000 | $73,000 |
| 36 | Montana | $48,374 | $34,000 | $67,000 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $46,414 | $30,000 | $70,000 |
| 38 | Florida | $46,358 | $29,000 | $71,000 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $46,331 | $31,000 | $69,000 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $46,125 | $33,000 | $63,000 |
| 41 | Alabama | $45,561 | $30,000 | $67,000 |
| 42 | Utah | $45,253 | $31,000 | $65,000 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $45,075 | $30,000 | $67,000 |
| 44 | Ohio | $45,012 | $30,000 | $67,000 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $44,375 | $31,000 | $63,000 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $44,356 | $31,000 | $62,000 |
| 47 | Indiana | $43,856 | $29,000 | $64,000 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $43,424 | $29,000 | $64,000 |
| 49 | Pennsylvania | $41,597 | $27,000 | $63,000 |
| 50 | Iowa | $41,365 | $28,000 | $59,000 |
Methodology: Surgical Technician Salary By State
To understand surgical technician pay by state, Zippia aggregated data from various sources including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. This data is supplemented with actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to derive the average pay for surgical technicians by state.
We ranked every state based on the average annual salary data for surgical technicians.
Surgical Technician Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for surgical technicians?
The highest-paid state for surgical technicians is California with an average salary of $68,117 per year.
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What city pays surgical technicians the most?
San Francisco, CA pays surgical technicians the most with an average salary of $68,555 per year.
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What is the worst state for surgical technicians?
The worst state for surgical technicians is Iowa with an average salary of $41,365 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
