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The differences between surgical technicians and operating room technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a surgical technician and an operating room technician. Additionally, an operating room technician has an average salary of $53,636, which is higher than the $52,193 average annual salary of a surgical technician.
The top three skills for a surgical technician include patients, surgical technologist and surgical procedures. The most important skills for an operating room technician are patients, patient care, and surgical procedures.
| Surgical Technician | Operating Room Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $52,193 | $53,636 |
| Hourly rate | $25.09 | $25.79 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 70,920 | 96,065 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A Surgical Technician is an essential member of a medical operating team. They serve as an additional hand of a surgeon. Surgical Technicians have the vital responsibility of assisting surgeons during operations, such as passing and providing instruments and tools such as Graspers, Clasps, Suction, and more. Furthermore, Surgical Technicians are also responsible for preparing all of the required surgical devices and instruments, making sure they are all up to the standards of hospital and medical regulations. And post-surgery, their duties include applying bandages to a patient and even cleaning the operating room.
An operating room technician is responsible for assisting in the operating room procedures, ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of the room, inspecting the condition of machines before the operation, and preparing medical tools and equipment accordingly. Operating room technicians guide the patients throughout the surgical procedures, instructing them as necessary regarding the processes. They also monitor the adequacy of surgical supplies inventory and write request reports for purchase. An operating room technician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as the ability to multitask to attend to different patients' needs within a strict, demanding time.
Surgical technicians and operating room technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Surgical Technician | Operating Room Technician | |
| Average salary | $52,193 | $53,636 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $77,000 | Between $35,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Corvallis, OR |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | St. Tammany Health System | Maxim Healthcare Group |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a surgical technician and an operating room technician in terms of educational background:
| Surgical Technician | Operating Room Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | University of Connecticut | New York University |
Here are the differences between surgical technicians' and operating room technicians' demographics:
| Surgical Technician | Operating Room Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |