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The differences between surgical technicians and scrub 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 a scrub technician. Additionally, a surgical technician has an average salary of $52,193, which is higher than the $38,718 average annual salary of a scrub technician.
The top three skills for a surgical technician include patients, surgical technologist and surgical procedures. The most important skills for a scrub technician are patients, BLS, and surgical procedures.
| Surgical Technician | Scrub Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $52,193 | $38,718 |
| Hourly rate | $25.09 | $18.61 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 70,920 | 71,220 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| 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.
Scrub technicians are surgical technologists who are responsible for assisting surgeons and the surgical team in the operating room. These technicians must set out and sterilize the necessary instruments while helping each member of the surgical team put on their gloves and gowns during a surgical procedure. They are required to pass instruments, sponges, and dressings to the surgeon throughout the procedure. Scrub technicians must also ensure that the operating room and reusable instruments are clean before and after each surgery.
Surgical technicians and scrub technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Surgical Technician | Scrub Technician | |
| Average salary | $52,193 | $38,718 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $77,000 | Between $30,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | St. Tammany Health System | Lawrence General Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a surgical technician and a scrub technician in terms of educational background:
| Surgical Technician | Scrub Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | University of Connecticut | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between surgical technicians' and scrub technicians' demographics:
| Surgical Technician | Scrub Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% | Male, 20.5% Female, 79.5% |
| 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% |