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Surgical technician salary
Average surgical technician salary
$52,193
Understanding Surgical Technician Salaries
The role of a surgical technician is crucial within the healthcare system, involving preparation for surgeries, assisting surgeons, and ensuring a sterile environment. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at $52,193 per year, translating to about $25 per hour. This figure can vary significantly depending on geographic location, years of experience, and the healthcare setting.
Salary by State
Salaries for surgical technicians differ across states. For example, states like California and New York typically offer higher wages due to the higher cost of living and demand for healthcare services. The following states are noted for offering the highest salaries:
- California: $60,000+
- New York: $58,000+
- Florida: $55,000+
Experience also plays a vital role in determining salary levels. Entry-level surgical technicians may earn around $40,000, while those with several years of experience can see their salaries rise significantly. Additionally, specialization in fields such as cardiovascular or orthopedic surgery often leads to higher earning potentials.
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Where can a Surgical Technician earn more?
Surgical technician salaries by experience level
Surgical technician salary estimates from across the web
Average surgical technician salary by state
The highest-paying states for surgical technicians are California, New York, and Nevada. The lowest average surgical technician salary states are Nebraska, South Dakota, and Indiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for surgical technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $59,212 | $28.47 |
| 2 | Nevada | $64,672 | $31.09 |
| 3 | Alaska | $61,068 | $29.36 |
| 4 | California | $68,117 | $32.75 |
| 5 | New York | $64,829 | $31.17 |
| 6 | Arizona | $56,626 | $27.22 |
| 7 | Idaho | $58,405 | $28.08 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $55,617 | $26.74 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $58,177 | $27.97 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $58,155 | $27.96 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $55,703 | $26.78 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $55,076 | $26.48 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $54,683 | $26.29 |
| 14 | Michigan | $54,902 | $26.40 |
| 15 | Oregon | $57,859 | $27.82 |
| 16 | Kansas | $53,444 | $25.69 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $52,453 | $25.22 |
| 18 | Washington | $57,414 | $27.60 |
| 19 | Georgia | $54,174 | $26.05 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $55,017 | $26.45 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $55,489 | $26.68 |
| 22 | Texas | $51,845 | $24.93 |
| 23 | Vermont | $52,926 | $25.45 |
| 24 | Missouri | $52,411 | $25.20 |
| 25 | Colorado | $52,578 | $25.28 |
| 26 | Maine | $53,903 | $25.91 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $58,915 | $28.32 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $52,837 | $25.40 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $50,813 | $24.43 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $56,593 | $27.21 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $50,432 | $24.25 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $48,712 | $23.42 |
| 33 | Maryland | $54,119 | $26.02 |
| 34 | Delaware | $51,265 | $24.65 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $50,372 | $24.22 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $45,075 | $21.67 |
| 37 | Virginia | $51,095 | $24.56 |
| 38 | Montana | $48,374 | $23.26 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $46,331 | $22.27 |
| 40 | Indiana | $43,856 | $21.08 |
| 41 | North Dakota | $46,125 | $22.18 |
| 42 | Alabama | $45,561 | $21.90 |
| 43 | Ohio | $45,012 | $21.64 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $44,375 | $21.33 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $46,414 | $22.31 |
| 46 | Utah | $45,253 | $21.76 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $44,356 | $21.32 |
| 48 | Iowa | $41,365 | $19.89 |
| 49 | Florida | $46,358 | $22.29 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $43,424 | $20.88 |
| 51 | Pennsylvania | $41,597 | $20.00 |
Highest paying cities for surgical technicians
The highest-paying cities for surgical technicians are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $68,555 | $32.96 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $64,889 | $31.20 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $64,786 | $31.15 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $59,278 | $28.50 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $58,954 | $28.34 |
| 6 | Vancouver, WA | $58,158 | $27.96 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $57,614 | $27.70 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $56,817 | $27.32 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $55,000 | $26.44 |
| 10 | Portland, ME | $54,806 | $26.35 |
| 11 | Grand Rapids, MI | $54,762 | $26.33 |
| 12 | Austin, MN | $54,760 | $26.33 |
| 13 | Baltimore, MD | $54,254 | $26.08 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $54,206 | $26.06 |
| 15 | El Paso, TX | $53,918 | $25.92 |
| 16 | Kansas City, KS | $53,132 | $25.54 |
| 17 | Oklahoma City, OK | $52,980 | $25.47 |
| 18 | Kansas City, MO | $52,785 | $25.38 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $52,583 | $25.28 |
| 20 | Madison, WI | $52,517 | $25.25 |
Surgical Technicians are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Surgical technician salary details
A surgical technician's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $77,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a surgical technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $52,193 | $4,349 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying surgical technician jobs
The highest paying types of surgical technicians are operating room nurse, certified surgical technician/first assistant, and operating room technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Room Nurse | $68,255 | $5,688 | $32.82 | 545,487 |
| Operating Room Technician | $53,636 | $4,470 | $25.79 | 96,065 |
| Anesthesia Technician | $39,640 | $3,303 | $19.06 | 78,132 |
| Technician | $38,045 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 596,842 |
| Obstetrics Technician | $39,513 | $3,293 | $19.00 | 55,214 |
| Scrub Technician | $38,718 | $3,227 | $18.61 | 71,220 |
Top companies hiring surgical technicians now:
Which companies pay surgical technicians the most?
Surgical technician salaries at St. Tammany Health System and Baxter Regional Medical Center are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average surgical technician salary at companies like Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center and Carteret Health Care are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Tammany Health System | $72,829 | $35.01 |
| 2 | Baxter Regional Medical Center | $72,139 | $34.68 |
| 3 | Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center | $70,754 | $34.02 |
| 4 | Carteret Health Care | $70,494 | $33.89 |
| 5 | Neuralink IT Solutions | $69,814 | $33.56 |
| 6 | ProMedica Toledo Hospital | $69,745 | $33.53 |
| 7 | Aspen Valley Hospital | $69,735 | $33.53 |
| 8 | Montrose Memorial Hospital | $69,368 | $33.35 |
| 9 | Beaufort Memorial Hospital | $69,222 | $33.28 |
| 10 | Archbold Medical Center | $69,164 | $33.25 |
| 11 | Self Regional Healthcare | $69,121 | $33.23 |
| 12 | Scotland Memorial Hospital | $69,106 | $33.22 |
| 13 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $69,094 | $33.22 |
| 14 | Oculus | $68,414 | $32.89 |
| 15 | Heartland Home Health Inc. | $68,370 | $32.87 |
| 16 | Methodist Health System | $68,042 | $32.71 |
| 17 | Onslow Memorial Hospital | $67,991 | $32.69 |
| 18 | Student Conservation Association | $67,816 | $32.60 |
| 19 | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | $67,756 | $32.58 |
| 20 | Overlake Medical Center & Clinics | $67,615 | $32.51 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Surgical technician salary trends
The average surgical technician salary has risen by $9,198 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average surgical technician earned $42,995 annually, but today, they earn $52,193 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for surgical technicians over the last decade.
Compare surgical technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average surgical technician salary over time
Compare surgical technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Surgical technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,200 | $25.09 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $50,700 | $24.38 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $49,700 | $23.88 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $48,600 | $23.38 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $47,400 | $22.80 | +1.8% |
Recently added surgical technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmh | Certified Surgical Tech-Temporary | Lewiston, ME | 06/30/2025 | $114,785 |
| Sutterhealth | Surgical Tech II, Operating Room Per Diem | San Jose, CA | 06/30/2025 | $101,491 |
| Trinity Health | Surgical Technologist-Labor and Delivery | Ann Arbor, MI | 06/30/2025 | $52,885 |
| Virtua | Surgical Technologist, Per Diem Days | Marlton, NJ | 06/30/2025 | $58,019 |
| Universal Technical Institute | Surgical Tech Instructor | Aurora, CO | 06/29/2025 | $64,697 |
| ATC Healthcare | OR, Surgical Technician | Bel Air, MD | 06/29/2025 | $60,523 |
| Covenant Health | Senior Surgical Technician-Surgery General | Lubbock, TX | 06/29/2025 | $54,262 |
| Memorial Health System | Surgical Technologist, Main Operating Room | Springfield, IL | 06/29/2025 | $56,349 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Surgical Technologist | New York City | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $78,346 |
| Riverside Community Hospital | Surgical Technician III | Riverside, CA | 06/29/2025 | $83,376 |
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