Surgical Technologists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for surgical technologists in the U.S. is $64,650 ($31.08 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $64,650
- Mean annual wage
- $68,710
- Median hourly wage
- $31.08
- Employment
- 117,460
117,460 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,940 | $22.09 |
| 25th percentile | $54,690 | $26.29 |
| Median (50th) | $64,650 | $31.08 |
| 75th percentile | $79,750 | $38.34 |
| 90th percentile | $96,940 | $46.61 |
Highest-paying states for surgical technologists
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $82,640 | 290 |
| Oregon | $81,390 | 1,090 |
| California | $81,310 | 11,920 |
| Massachusetts | $80,870 | 2,220 |
| Alaska | $80,380 | 310 |
| Minnesota | $80,210 | 1,770 |
| Connecticut | $79,890 | 1,220 |
| New York | $79,550 | 6,540 |
| District of Columbia | $77,520 | 340 |
| Washington | $77,270 | 2,510 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $49,110 median annual wage
- Alabama: $49,420 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $49,810 median annual wage
- New Mexico: $51,780 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $57,370 median annual wage
About this occupation
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
Typical tasks
- Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
- Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.
- Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
- Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
- Maintain supply of fluids, such as plasma, saline, blood, or glucose, for use during operations.
- Order surgical supplies.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Postsecondary certificate
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 1.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 10.5% |
| Some college, no degree | 33.5% |
| Associate's degree | 40.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 11.5% |
| Master's degree | 2.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.5% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,400
- Pharmacy Technicians$45,750
- Physicians, All Other$265,930
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$62,930
- Nurse Practitioners$132,300
- Pharmacists$140,910
- Physical Therapists$102,760
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.