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The role of an operating room technician (ORT) is crucial in the healthcare sector. These professionals assist during surgeries, ensuring that the operating room is properly prepared and that surgical instruments are sterile. As of October 2025, the average salary for an ORT is $53,636 annually. Factors influencing this salary include geographical location, years of experience, and the type of healthcare facility.
In terms of experience, entry-level positions typically earn lower salaries, while those with several years of experience can significantly increase their earnings. For instance, ORTs with five or more years in the field may earn upwards of $60,000 per year, depending on their location and specialization.
Additionally, certain states offer higher compensation for ORTs. States like California and New York often present the most lucrative opportunities due to a higher cost of living and robust healthcare systems. For those considering this career path, it’s essential to research local job markets to identify potential earnings and job availability.
Overall, becoming an operating room technician can lead to a rewarding career with competitive salary potential, especially for those who seek further education and specialization.
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The highest-paying states for operating room technicians are Oregon, Nevada, and New York. The lowest average operating room technician salary states are West Virginia, Nebraska, and Indiana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $61,047 | $29.35 |
| 2 | Nevada | $68,303 | $32.84 |
| 3 | Illinois | $63,188 | $30.38 |
| 4 | Oregon | $70,904 | $34.09 |
| 5 | Michigan | $58,253 | $28.01 |
| 6 | Alaska | $63,669 | $30.61 |
| 7 | Washington | $65,853 | $31.66 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $58,398 | $28.08 |
| 9 | New York | $67,236 | $32.33 |
| 10 | Idaho | $61,051 | $29.35 |
| 11 | Missouri | $56,001 | $26.92 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $60,615 | $29.14 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $53,988 | $25.96 |
| 14 | Kansas | $56,270 | $27.05 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $56,980 | $27.39 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $61,904 | $29.76 |
| 17 | Georgia | $56,569 | $27.20 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $52,682 | $25.33 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $56,553 | $27.19 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $66,880 | $32.15 |
| 21 | Arkansas | $53,557 | $25.75 |
| 22 | Colorado | $55,636 | $26.75 |
| 23 | Texas | $53,551 | $25.75 |
| 24 | California | $63,104 | $30.34 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $53,166 | $25.56 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $57,974 | $27.87 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $58,273 | $28.02 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $50,436 | $24.25 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $54,531 | $26.22 |
| 30 | Maine | $49,956 | $24.02 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $55,617 | $26.74 |
| 32 | Montana | $51,563 | $24.79 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $61,813 | $29.72 |
| 34 | Maryland | $56,827 | $27.32 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $50,578 | $24.32 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $49,994 | $24.04 |
| 37 | Utah | $51,321 | $24.67 |
| 38 | Indiana | $46,466 | $22.34 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $48,260 | $23.20 |
| 40 | Delaware | $53,703 | $25.82 |
| 41 | Florida | $46,392 | $22.30 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $47,385 | $22.78 |
| 43 | Vermont | $50,855 | $24.45 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $48,791 | $23.46 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $47,475 | $22.82 |
| 46 | Iowa | $44,170 | $21.24 |
| 47 | Alabama | $47,839 | $23.00 |
| 48 | Ohio | $47,461 | $22.82 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $45,923 | $22.08 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $46,816 | $22.51 |
| 51 | Virginia | $47,670 | $22.92 |
The highest-paying cities for operating room technicians are Corvallis, OR, New York, NY, and Olympia, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corvallis, OR | $71,087 | $34.18 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $67,381 | $32.39 |
| 3 | Olympia, WA | $65,986 | $31.72 |
| 4 | Anchorage, AK | $63,511 | $30.53 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $63,259 | $30.41 |
| 6 | Minneapolis, MN | $61,885 | $29.75 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $61,847 | $29.73 |
| 8 | Stockton, CA | $61,442 | $29.54 |
| 9 | Hoboken, NJ | $60,581 | $29.13 |
| 10 | Tucson, AZ | $60,024 | $28.86 |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | $58,309 | $28.03 |
| 12 | Gainesville, GA | $56,961 | $27.39 |
| 13 | Baltimore, MD | $56,901 | $27.36 |
| 14 | Kansas City, KS | $56,247 | $27.04 |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO | $56,181 | $27.01 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $55,667 | $26.76 |
| 17 | Brockton, MA | $54,817 | $26.35 |
| 18 | San Antonio, TX | $54,024 | $25.97 |
| 19 | Chattanooga, TN | $52,849 | $25.41 |
| 20 | Portland, ME | $50,975 | $24.51 |
Operating Room Technicians are the most in-demand in these five cities:
An operating room technician's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $81,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| Average | $53,636 | $4,470 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
The highest paying types of operating room technicians are operating room nurse, certified surgical technician/first assistant, and surgical scrub technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgical Scrub Technician | $52,701 | $4,392 | $25.34 | 40,168 |
| Anesthesia Technician | $39,640 | $3,303 | $19.06 | 78,132 |
| Technician | $38,045 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 596,842 |
| Scrub Technician | $38,718 | $3,227 | $18.61 | 71,220 |
| Surgical Technician | $52,193 | $4,349 | $25.09 | 70,920 |
| Obstetrics Technician | $39,513 | $3,293 | $19.00 | 55,214 |
Top companies hiring operating room technicians now:
Operating room technician salaries at Maxim Healthcare Group and Dignity Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average operating room technician salary at companies like Soliant and Planned Systems International are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $87,518 | $42.08 |
| 2 | Dignity Health | $75,346 | $36.22 |
| 3 | Soliant | $71,968 | $34.60 |
| 4 | Planned Systems International | $71,571 | $34.41 |
| 5 | Ventura County Community Foundation | $70,711 | $34.00 |
| 6 | MAS Medical Staffing | $69,564 | $33.44 |
| 7 | Regional Medical Center- Orangeburg | $68,867 | $33.11 |
| 8 | Self Regional Healthcare | $67,970 | $32.68 |
| 9 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $67,545 | $32.47 |
| 10 | Halifax Health | $67,535 | $32.47 |
| 11 | Aspen Valley Hospital | $67,442 | $32.42 |
| 12 | UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital | $67,140 | $32.28 |
| 13 | Lake Charles Memorial Health System | $66,486 | $31.96 |
| 14 | NETA | $65,757 | $31.61 |
| 15 | Virginia Hospital Center | $64,307 | $30.92 |
| 16 | Green Janet Lynne | $64,209 | $30.87 |
| 17 | West Suburban Medical Center | $64,178 | $30.85 |
| 18 | Integrated Resources | $64,085 | $30.81 |
| 19 | South Central Regional Medical Center | $64,075 | $30.81 |
| 20 | Sigma | $63,855 | $30.70 |
The average operating room technician salary has risen by $9,452 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average operating room technician earned $44,184 annually, but today, they earn $53,636 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for operating room technicians over the last decade.
Compare operating room technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare operating room technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $53,600 | $25.79 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $52,100 | $25.06 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $51,000 | $24.54 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $50,000 | $24.02 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $48,700 | $23.43 | +1.8% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guthrie North America Inc. | Operating Room Tech I-Operating Room | Binghamton, NY | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Steris Corporation | Operating Room Equipment Service Technician | Phoenix, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $60,138 |
| Kindred Healthcare | Surgical Technician/Operating Room Tech | Chicago, IL | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Premier, Inc. | Operating Room Materials Technician | Lowell, MA | 06/26/2025 | $34,000 |
| Kindred | Surgical Technician/Operating Room Tech | Chicago, IL | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Mount Sinai Medical Center | Certified Surgical Technician-Operating Room Tech-Mount Sinai Hospital AM P | Pavilion, NY | 06/25/2025 | $87,904 |
| Leaderstat | Travel Operating Room Surgical Technologist | Los Angeles, CA | 06/25/2025 | $75,235 |
| Viemed Healthcare Staffing | Operating Room Technician | Driggs, ID | 06/25/2025 | $110,465 |
| Navitspartners | Surgical/Operating Room Tech-Sort | Syracuse, NY | 06/25/2025 | $98,506 |
| Scionhealth | Surgical Technician/Operating Room Tech | Chicago, IL | 06/25/2025 | $43,827 |
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