Surgical Technician demographics and statistics in the US
Surgical technician demographics research summary. Zippia estimates surgical technician demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our surgical technician estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about surgical technicians after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 102,187 surgical technicians currently employed in the United States.
- 73.4% of all surgical technicians are women, while 26.6% are men.
- The average surgical technician age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of surgical technicians is White (63.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.4%), Black or African American (13.2%) and Asian (4.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 87% of what men earned.
- 13% of all surgical technicians are LGBT.
- Surgical technicians are 89% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On This Page
Surgical Technician demographics by:
Surgical Technician gender statistics
73.4% of surgical technicians are women and 26.6% of surgical technicians are men.
- Female, 73.4%
- Male, 26.6%
Surgical Technician gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 73.4% |
| Male | 26.6% |
Surgical Technician gender pay gap
Women earn 87¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$57,019
Female Income
$49,837
Surgical Technician gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in surgical technician positions over time. Currently, 73.4% of surgical technicians are female.
Surgical Technician gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 20.66% | 79.34% |
| 2011 | 20.34% | 79.66% |
| 2012 | 20.40% | 79.60% |
| 2013 | 20.80% | 79.20% |
| 2014 | 23.65% | 76.35% |
| 2015 | 20.65% | 79.35% |
| 2016 | 20.91% | 79.09% |
| 2017 | 22.78% | 77.22% |
| 2018 | 27.09% | 72.91% |
| 2019 | 26.11% | 73.89% |
| 2020 | 25.44% | 74.56% |
| 2021 | 26.58% | 73.42% |
Surgical Technician related jobs gender ratio
We compared surgical technicians with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, guitar technician and armorer technician have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Radiographer, Mammographer | 2% | 98% |
| Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Lead Mammographer | 3% | 97% |
| Surgical Technician | 27% | 73% |
| Driver/Technician | 93% | 7% |
| Armorer Technician | 95% | 5% |
| Guitar Technician | 96% | 4% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Surgical Technician demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among surgical technicians is White, which makes up 63.0% of all surgical technicians. Comparatively, 14.4% of surgical technicians are Hispanic or Latino and 13.2% of surgical technicians are Black or African American.
- White, 63.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.4%
- Black or African American, 13.2%
- Asian, 4.8%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Surgical Technician Race
| Surgical Technician Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.4% |
| Black or African American | 13.2% |
| Asian | 4.8% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Surgical Technician race and ethnicity over time
See how surgical technician racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Surgical Technician race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.00% | 9.36% | 6.16% | 8.76% |
| 2011 | 71.85% | 10.55% | 5.93% | 9.55% |
| 2012 | 70.15% | 10.26% | 6.54% | 10.33% |
| 2013 | 70.04% | 9.57% | 6.93% | 11.02% |
| 2014 | 69.81% | 9.42% | 7.57% | 10.60% |
| 2015 | 69.23% | 10.93% | 6.73% | 10.81% |
| 2016 | 69.25% | 9.82% | 7.19% | 10.91% |
| 2017 | 68.54% | 9.25% | 6.96% | 12.14% |
| 2018 | 69.37% | 11.40% | 4.06% | 13.04% |
| 2019 | 67.56% | 12.24% | 3.40% | 13.76% |
| 2020 | 65.88% | 12.09% | 3.67% | 12.44% |
| 2021 | 62.98% | 13.24% | 4.84% | 14.36% |
Surgical Technician wage gap by race
According to our data, asian surgical technicians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american surgical technicians have the lowest average salary at $52,024.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $52,896 |
| White | $55,685 |
| Black or African American | $52,024 |
| Asian | $65,078 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $60,437 |
Average surgical technician age
See how the average age of surgical technicians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Surgical Technician age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 37.5 | |
| White | 43 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 44 | 45 |
| Asian | 45 | 39.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 35 |
Surgical Technician age breakdown
The average age of surgical technicians is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the surgical technician population.
Surgical Technician age breakdown
| Surgical Technician Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Surgical Technician educational attainment
The most common degree for surgical technicians is associate degree, with 49% of surgical technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 18% and diploma degree at 17%.
- Associate, 49%
- Diploma, 18%
- Bachelor's, 17%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Surgical Technicians by degree level
| Surgical Technician Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 49% |
| Diploma | 18% |
| Bachelor's | 17% |
| High School Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Surgical Technician Jobs You Might Like
Surgical Technician wage gap by degree level
According to the data, surgical technicians with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $60,627 annually. With a Associate degree, surgical technicians earn a median annual income of $59,796 compared to $56,689 for surgical technicians with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $56,689 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $60,627 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $59,796 |
Surgical Technician employment statistics
Most surgical technicians work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where surgical technicians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where surgical technicians work.
Surgical Technician jobs by employer size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 46% |
| > 10,000 employees | 19% |
Surgical Technician jobs by company type
Employees with the surgical technician job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most surgical technicians prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Surgical Technician jobs by sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 89% |
| Government | 3% |
Surgical Technician jobs by industry
The most common industries for surgical technicians are health care, education and professional.
Surgical Technician industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 84% |
| Education | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Government | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Surgical Technician turnover and employment statistics
Surgical Technician unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for surgical technicians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Surgical Technician unemployment rate by year
| Year | Surgical Technician Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.11% |
| 2011 | 5.06% |
| 2012 | 4.43% |
| 2013 | 3.96% |
| 2014 | 3.13% |
| 2015 | 3.08% |
| 2016 | 2.16% |
| 2017 | 2.36% |
| 2018 | 2.71% |
| 2019 | 1.11% |
| 2020 | 2.25% |
| 2021 | 1.29% |
Average surgical technician tenure
The average surgical technician stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 33,391 surgical technicians resumes in Zippia's database.
Surgical Technician tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Surgical Technician LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of surgical technicians that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Guitar Technician | 5.02% | 29,832 |
| Implant Coordinator | 6.89% | 17,619 |
| Senior Laboratory Assistant | 8.24% | 39,606 |
| Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist | 9.29% | 66,130 |
| Optician Manager | 12.53% | 4,803 |
| Surgical Technician | 12.80% | - |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | 21.93% | 56,975 |
Similar surgical technician jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Guitar Technician | 5.02% | 29,832 |
| Implant Coordinator | 6.89% | 17,619 |
| Senior Laboratory Assistant | 8.24% | 39,606 |
| Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist | 9.29% | 66,130 |
| Optician Manager | 12.53% | 4,803 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | 21.93% | 56,975 |
Foreign languages spoken by surgical technicians
The most common foreign language among surgical technicians is Spanish at 74.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.5% and Russian is the third-most popular at 2.9%.
- Spanish, 74.8%
- French, 4.5%
- Russian, 2.9%
- Tagalog, 2.1%
- Portuguese, 1.7%
- Other, 14.0%
Surgical Technician languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 74.8% |
| French | 4.5% |
| Russian | 2.9% |
| Tagalog | 2.1% |
| Portuguese | 1.7% |
| Other | 14.0% |
