Surgical Tech Salary
Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Surgical Technologists
The median surgical tech salary in the United States is $64,650 per year ($31.08/hour). Salaries range from $45,940 at the entry level to $96,940+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 117,460 surgical tech jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 4.5% through 2034.
Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Salary Distribution
Job Growth (2024-2034)
Annual Openings
Education Required
Surgical Tech Career Guide
Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for surgical techs.
Surgical technologists (surg techs) prep + assist during surgeries. Entry $48-62k; mid-career certified $55-75k; senior/specialty (cardio + neuro + robotic) $75-105k; first assist + lead $85-125k. Certifications (CST) + specialty premium. Growing sector via aging + procedure volume. PSLF at hospitals + academic. Shift + on-call differentials major.
Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For
How to Become a Surgical Tech
- 1Get accredited surg tech programCAAHEP-accredited 12-24 months ($6-25k) or Bachelor's option.
- 2Complete clinical rotations500-1,000 clinical hours during program.
- 3Pass CST certificationNBSTSA CST exam ($290).
- 4Start in hospital OR + ambulatory surgery$48-62k entry + specialty cross-training over 2-3 years.
- 5Advance to specialty + first assist + lead5-10 years + specialty (cardio + neuro + robotic) = $75-105k. First Assistant $85-125k.
Career Progression
- β’Basic OR support
- β’Sterile technique
- β’Instrument prep
- β’Learn specialty procedures
- β’Full OR support + scrubbing
- β’Specialty procedures
- β’Precept students
- β’Cross-train specialties
- β’Complex + specialty surgeries
- β’First assist role
- β’Mentor CSTs
- β’Program development
- β’Team of 15-40 techs
- β’OR operations + scheduling
- β’Vendor + capital
- β’Regulatory + safety
Interview Questions & Answers
5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 13 total plus resume bullets for every level.
Q1. Walk me through prepping for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.technical
Q2. How do you handle a surgeon breaking sterility?situational
Q3. Describe counts + retained item prevention.technical
Q4. Tell me about difficult surgery.behavioral
Q5. Where do you see career in 5 years?closer
Resume Template β Surg Tech (0-2 yrs)
Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.
- βΈAssisted 380+ surgeries across general + orthopedic + gynecology at 400-bed hospital.
- βΈPassed NBSTSA CST + basic robotic + specific specialty certifications within 18 months.
- βΈZero retained instrument events + strong count discipline.
- βΈPrecepted 3 surg tech students + earned Preceptor of the Quarter.
What Gets You Rejected
- βWeak sterile technique.
- βCant handle OR intensity.
- βPoor communication with surgeons.
- βWeak documentation.
- βNo specialty focus.
Salary Negotiation Levers
- βCST + specialty (cardio + neuro + robotic + peds) = $8-20k premium.
- βFirst Assistant = major pay bump.
- βShift + on-call + weekend premiums 15-30% additional.
- βSign-on: $5-20k common due to shortage.
- βTraveling surg tech $2,000-2,800/week = $130-180k equivalent.
- βMetro premium at academic + specialty centers.
Surgical Tech Resume Review β $29
Personalized resume review from someone who has hired surgical techs. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.
- β Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
- β Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
- β Missing skills / keywords flagged
- β Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
- β 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it
Surgical Tech Career Kit β $19
- β All 13 interview questions with expert answers
- β 6 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
- β Interview format intel for 6 top employers
- β 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
- β Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
- β 30β60β90 day plan for your first role
- β Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
- β Detailed salary negotiation script
- β Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
- β Downloadable PDF for offline access
- β Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.
Sample reviews β real customer reviews will appear here as they come in.
βThe interview question bank saved me. I got the exact question about 'walking through a DCF' at my Goldman Sachs superday, verbatim.β
β Anonymous, Financial Analyst
βCopy-paste negotiation emails are worth the price alone. I used the 'accepting with counter' template and got an extra $8k signing bonus.β
β Anonymous, Software Developer
βThe 30-60-90 day plan for a new grad RN was better than the orientation my hospital gave. Wish I'd bought this in nursing school.β
β Anonymous, Registered Nurse
Surgical Tech Salary by State
Best Cities (cost-adjusted) βSalary Map β Click a state for details
Top Paying States
| State | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $82,640 | +27.8% |
| Oregon | $81,390 | +25.9% |
| California | $81,310 | +25.8% |
| Massachusetts | $80,870 | +25.1% |
| Alaska | $80,380 | +24.3% |
| Minnesota | $80,210 | +24.1% |
| Connecticut | $79,890 | +23.6% |
| New York | $79,550 | +23.0% |
| District of Columbia | $77,520 | +19.9% |
| Washington | $77,270 | +19.5% |
Surgical Tech Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $106,840 | +65.3% |
| Vallejo, CA | $105,260 | +62.8% |
| Napa, CA | $102,490 | +58.5% |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $100,130 | +54.9% |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $99,960 | +54.6% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $99,390 | +53.7% |
| Redding, CA | $89,940 | +39.1% |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $87,330 | +35.1% |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $86,790 | +34.2% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $84,120 | +30.1% |