Surgical technologists (also called operating room techs, scrubs techs, or surgical assistants) assist healthcare professions during surgical operations. Surgical techs earn competitive salaries considering the relatively low education requirements, and they perform a variety of duties on the job.
In this article, you’ll learn the job duties of a surgical tech (“a day in the life”), the education requirements (“how to become a surgical tech”), certification options, the job likes and dislikes, and the detailed salary statistics for all 50 states for this profession.
Surgical Tech Job Duties and Overview
Surgical techs assist with many aspects of the surgical process. Some of the daily tasks include the following:
- Prepare operating rooms for surgery
- Sterilize equipment and make sure that there are adequate supplies for surgery
- Ready patients for surgery, such as by washing and disinfecting incision sites, positioning the patient on the table, and applying sterile drapes.
- Help surgeons during surgery by passing them instruments and other sterile supplies
- Assist in holding organs in place and preparing robotic equipment or new technology
- Apply bandages to wounds
- Count supplies, such as sponges and instruments
- Transport specimens for lab analysis
- Transport patients to recovery room after the operation
- Maintain a sterile environment
Surgical Tech Education Requirements and Programs
To become a surgical tech, you’ll first need a high school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent. Next, you’ll need to attend an accredited program for surgical technologists. You can do this through a certificate or diploma program (sometimes offered directly by hospitals), or you can complete an associate degree program (offered at community colleges or technical schools).
It can take between nine months to two years to become a surgical technologist, depending on the type of program or state requirements.
Surgical Tech Certification
Certification can increase the job prospects for surgical technologists, and there are a couple of different options for becoming certified. You can become a “Certified Surgical Technologists (CST)” by completing the education and testing requirements for The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.
In addition, certification is possible through the National Center for Competency Testing, which allows the use of the title “Tech in Surgery – Certified (NCCT).”
These certification programs generally require continuing education.
Do Surgical Technologists Like Their Jobs?
Many surgical technologists report job satisfaction. However, like all jobs, there are some “likes and dislikes” in this profession. Here are some things that many surgical techs like about their job:
Job Likes:
- Competitive salary considering the fact that the education requirements are not extensive
- Surgeries are extremely fascinating to observe
- Great experience can be obtained in this profession, and some surgical techs go on to become nurses or doctors.
Job Dislikes:
- It can be physically exhausting standing on your feet all day (and you’ll want to invest in good shoes, foam inserts, and compression stockings)
- Unpredictable or long hours at some facilities, or erratic schedule
- Surgeons can be rude
- It can be difficult to take restroom breaks given the urgency of surgery
Average Salary Income for Surgical Techs
Surgical techs earn a competitive salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2014, surgical techs earned an average salary of $45,010 and an average hourly wage of $21.64 in the United States. Those numbers are only averages, and you may make more or less, depending on your job experience, the state in which you live, the industry in which you work, and more.
Surgical technologists held about 99,800 jobs in 2014. About 70 percent of surgical technologists worked in hospitals in 2014. Some work in outpatient care centers or in offices of physicians who perform outpatient surgery.
Employment of surgical technologists is projected to grow 15 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for surgical techs:
| Employment | Employment RSE | Mean hourly wage | Mean annual wage | Wage RSE |
| 98,450 | 1.2 % | $21.64 | $45,010 | 0.3 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $14.80 | $17.11 | $20.84 | $25.43 | $29.89 |
| Annual Wage | $30,780 | $35,580 | $43,350 | $52,890 | $62,170 |
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 67,950 | 1.29 | $21.45 | $44,620 |
| Offices of Physicians | 11,710 | 0.48 | $21.99 | $45,730 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 9,620 | 1.38 | $22.16 | $46,090 |
| Offices of Dentists | 4,000 | 0.45 | $20.64 | $42,920 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 1,540 | 0.63 | $23.00 | $47,840 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Home Health Care Services | n/a | n/a | $30.01 | $62,420 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 440 | 0.01 | $25.55 | $53,130 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 560 | 0.07 | $25.22 | $52,460 |
| Employment Services | 1,370 | 0.04 | $23.00 | $47,850 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 1,540 | 0.63 | $23.00 | $47,840 |
Top paying states for this occupation:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Nevada | 870 | 0.73 | 1.00 | $27.64 | $57,500 |
| District of Columbia | 250 | 0.38 | 0.52 | $27.49 | $57,170 |
| California | 9,710 | 0.64 | 0.88 | $27.47 | $57,140 |
| Hawaii | 350 | 0.58 | 0.79 | $27.05 | $56,270 |
| Connecticut | 1,040 | 0.63 | 0.87 | $26.28 | $54,660 |
Lowest paying states for surgical technologists:
| State: | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Annual median wage |
| Puerto Rico | 9.71 | 20,190 | 18,480 |
| Alabama | 16.49 | 34,300 | 33,350 |
| Mississippi | 17.20 | 35,780 | 35,140 |
| West Virginia | 17.68 | 36,780 | 35,900 |
| South Carolina | 17.74 | 36,900 | 36,030 |
| Oklahoma | 18.28 | 38,030 | 36,610 |
Surgical tech salaries for all 50 states:
| State: | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Annual median wage |
| Alabama | 16.49 | 34,300 | 33,350 |
| Alaska | 25.21 | 52,440 | 53,030 |
| Arizona | 23.55 | 48,990 | 48,120 |
| Arkansas | 19.35 | 40,240 | 38,320 |
| California | 27.47 | 57,140 | 55,870 |
| Colorado | 24.18 | 50,300 | 50,270 |
| Connecticut | 26.28 | 54,660 | 54,940 |
| Delaware | 21.02 | 43,730 | 42,990 |
| District of Columbia | 27.49 | 57,170 | 57,450 |
| Florida | 19.15 | 39,820 | 39,000 |
| Georgia | 18.83 | 39,160 | 38,360 |
| Hawaii | 27.05 | 56,270 | 57,170 |
| Idaho | 20.04 | 41,670 | 40,250 |
| Illinois | 21.30 | 44,310 | 42,960 |
| Indiana | 20.04 | 41,680 | 40,930 |
| Iowa | 18.69 | 38,870 | 38,250 |
| Kansas | 19.35 | 40,260 | 38,150 |
| Kentucky | 18.59 | 38,680 | 37,320 |
| Louisiana | 18.73 | 38,950 | 38,680 |
| Maine | 20.94 | 43,560 | 42,210 |
| Maryland | 23.18 | 48,220 | 47,670 |
| Massachusetts | 23.88 | 49,670 | 47,460 |
| Michigan | 20.38 | 42,400 | 42,480 |
| Minnesota | 24.25 | 50,450 | 50,600 |
| Mississippi | 17.20 | 35,780 | 35,140 |
| Missouri | 19.69 | 40,950 | 39,230 |
| Montana | 20.69 | 43,030 | 40,300 |
| Nebraska | 19.90 | 41,390 | 40,510 |
| Nevada | 27.64 | 57,500 | 57,160 |
| New Hampshire | 22.91 | 47,650 | 46,700 |
| New Jersey | 22.99 | 47,830 | 47,170 |
| New Mexico | 20.00 | 41,590 | 41,010 |
| New York | 24.04 | 49,990 | 48,880 |
| North Carolina | 19.16 | 39,850 | 38,870 |
| North Dakota | 18.68 | 38,860 | 38,300 |
| Ohio | 20.39 | 42,420 | 41,450 |
| Oklahoma | 18.28 | 38,030 | 36,610 |
| Oregon | 23.53 | 48,950 | 48,970 |
| Pennsylvania | 19.49 | 40,530 | 39,890 |
| Puerto Rico | 9.71 | 20,190 | 18,480 |
| Rhode Island | 23.83 | 49,570 | 48,600 |
| South Carolina | 17.74 | 36,900 | 36,030 |
| South Dakota | 18.46 | 38,390 | 37,650 |
| Tennessee | 18.57 | 38,620 | 37,470 |
| Texas | 21.18 | 44,050 | 43,150 |
| Utah | 18.30 | 38,060 | 36,160 |
| Vermont | 18.78 | 39,060 | 37,640 |
| Virginia | 22.81 | 47,450 | 44,400 |
| Washington | 24.18 | 50,290 | 50,310 |
| West Virginia | 17.68 | 36,780 | 35,900 |
| Wisconsin | 23.76 | 49,420 | 48,950 |
| Wyoming | 22.05 | 45,870 | 44,700 |
Other References:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Surgical Technologists, on the Internet at bls.gov.