Travel Certified Surgical Technologist Salary Guide
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A certified surgical technologist is an allied health professional who works in the operating room. Job duties include sterilizing equipment, passing tools to the surgeon and other team members, retracting tissue to give the surgeon a better view of the surgical site, applying dressings and maintaining a sterile field. Certified surgical technologists also prepare patients for surgery, which typically involves cleaning and disinfecting the operative site to prevent infection. Experienced certified surgical technologists may specialize in cardiology, neurology or other disciplines.
How do you become a certified surgical technologist?
To become a certified surgical technologist, you must complete a 12-month certificate or a 2-year associate degree in surgical technology. Program requirements vary by school, but you should expect to take classes in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, biomedical ethics and principles of surgical technology. If you decide to pursue a 2-year degree, your school may also require you to complete general education courses in English, math and humanities.
In Arkansas, certified surgical technologists must earn licensure through the Arkansas Medical Board to use the Registered Surgical Technologist title. To qualify for a license, you must graduate from a nationally accredited surgical technology program and pass the certification exam offered by the National Center for Competency Testing or the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).
What credentials/licensing does a certified surgical technologist require?
Arkansas is the only state that requires a license, but three states require certified surgical technologists to register with a government agency:
Colorado: Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies
North Dakota: North Dakota Board of Nursing Unlicensed Assistive Person & Medication Assistant Registry
Washington: Washington Department of Health
Depending on where you live, you may have to pass the NBSTSA exam before working as a certified surgical technologist. The following states require you to earn the NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist credential:
Idaho
Indiana
Massachusetts
Nevada
Oregon
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
In Arkansas, Illinois and Virginia, the NBSTSA credential is only necessary if you want to use the Registered Surgical Technologist title.
Average Travel Certified Surgical Technologist Salary
$1,905/week
The average salary for a Travel Certified Surgical Technologist is $1,905 per week. This is 30% lower than the practicing US average of $2,468.
Last updated on December 26, 2025. Based on 2,869 active jobs on Vivian.com in the last 7 days.
Salaries for Travel Certified Surgical Technologist compared to Allied Health Professional National Averages
$1,905/week
30% lower than the practicing US average.
$2,468/week
United States
Where do Travel Certified Surgical Technologists get paid the most?
| State | Average Weekly Salary | Max Weekly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho | $2,287 | $2,571 |
| Alaska | $2,264 | $2,824 |
| Massachusetts | $2,239 | $3,196 |
| Missouri | $2,174 | $2,732 |
| Montana | $2,162 | $3,024 |
| New Hampshire | $2,159 | $2,992 |
| Iowa | $2,150 | $2,480 |
| Oregon | $2,145 | $2,720 |
| Ohio | $2,099 | $2,856 |
| Washington | $2,080 | $2,676 |
| Arizona | $2,075 | $2,686 |
| Maine | $2,035 | $2,863 |
| Alabama | $1,999 | $2,432 |
| Virginia | $1,975 | $2,897 |
What cities pay the most for Travel Certified Surgical Technologists?
| City | Average Weekly Salary | Max Weekly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Everett, Massachusetts | $2,770 | $2,770 |
| Manhattan, New York | $2,716 | $2,716 |
| Cambridge, Massachusetts | $2,604 | $3,196 |
| Columbus, Ohio | $2,481 | $2,481 |
| Saint Louis, Missouri | $2,379 | $2,732 |
| Burlington, Vermont | $2,361 | $2,541 |
| Bozeman, Montana | $2,351 | $3,024 |
| Berkeley, California | $2,346 | $2,346 |
What are the highest paying Employers and Agencies for Travel Certified Surgical Technologist jobs?
| Average Weekly Salary | Max Weekly Salary | |
|---|---|---|
| The Judge Group | $3,061 | $3,307 |
| Refined Medical Staffing | $2,696 | $2,696 |
| eTeam Inc - Secondary | $2,624 | $2,624 |
| Pulse Healthcare Services | $2,560 | $2,560 |
| TravSource | $2,556 | $2,556 |
| Commonwealth Healthcare LLC | $2,520 | $2,520 |
| Bestica | $2,473 | $2,526 |
| MedSource LLC | $2,461 | $2,466 |
| Infojini Healthcare I | $2,400 | $2,400 |
| Surgical Specialty Staffing | $2,400 | $2,400 |
Last updated on December 26, 2025. Information based on active jobs on Vivian.com.
Travel Certified Surgical Technologist Career Guide
Use our exclusive Career Guides to research the education, qualifications, skills and responsibilities for a variety of healthcare disciplines and specialties employers are hiring now.
Go to the guideTop Travel Certified Surgical Technologist Jobs
Certified Surgical Technologist – Operating Room
- Portland, Maine
- Maine Medical Center Bramhall
- TRS Healthcare and 6 others
$1,863-2,863/week
Certified Surgical Technologist – Cardiovascular OR
- Columbus, Ohio
- Ohio State's Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital
- PRN Healthcare and 11 others
$2,312-2,791/week
Estimated pay packageSurgical Technologist First Assistant (CST-FA)
- Saint Louis, Missouri
- Mercy Hospital Saint Louis
- Ethos Medical Staffing and 10 others
$1,879-2,732/week
Operating Room Surgical Technologist
- Springfield, Oregon
- McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center
- TRS Healthcare and 2 others
$1,120-2,707/week
Open Heart Surgical Technologist
- Lancaster, Ohio
- Fairfield Medical Center
- Catalytic Solutions and 23 others
$2,020-2,675/week
Estimated pay packageGet alerts about new jobs and salary trends
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How can you increase your pay as a travel certified surgical technologist?
Accepting travel assignments is probably the fastest route to higher earnings, as you can get a travel job without taking additional exams or enrolling in a degree program.
How much does a travel certified surgical technologist make?
Vivian Health's salary data for the week ending April 8, 2023, showed that travel certified surgical technologists earned an average of $2,094 per week, about $635 more per week than certified surgical technologists on staff. For each 13-week assignment, that's a total of $27,222 for travelers.
Do travel certified surgical technologists earn more than staff certified surgical technologists?
The average hourly rate for staff certified surgical technologist jobs was $36.47 per hour, per Vivian Health’s salary data on April 8, 2023. If you multiply that by 40 hours in a standard workweek, it comes to $1,458.80. In contrast, travel certified surgical technologists earned an average of $2,094 per week, about 43.5% more.
What states employ the most certified surgical technologists?
According to the BLS data for 2021, these five states have the most working certified surgical technologists:
California: 11,390
Texas: 10,820
Florida: 7,370
New York: 5,720
Michigan: 4,130
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