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
$1,893/week
The average salary for a Travel Certified Surgical Technologist is $1,893 per week. This is 30% lower than the practicing US average of $2,470.
Last updated on December 4, 2025. Based on 3,108 active jobs on Vivian.com in the last 7 days.
Salaries for Travel Certified Surgical Technologist compared to Allied Health Professional National Averages
$1,893/week
30% lower than the practicing US average.
$2,470/week
United States
Where do Travel Certified Surgical Technologists get paid the most?
| State | Average Weekly Salary | Max Weekly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $2,314 | $2,825 |
| Massachusetts | $2,173 | $2,770 |
| Arizona | $2,165 | $2,607 |
| Oregon | $2,165 | $2,960 |
| Wisconsin | $2,163 | $3,521 |
| Washington | $2,062 | $2,620 |
| Virginia | $2,062 | $3,096 |
| Iowa | $2,061 | $2,480 |
| Montana | $2,054 | $2,422 |
| Ohio | $2,043 | $2,675 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,024 | $2,448 |
| Maine | $1,998 | $2,667 |
What cities pay the most for Travel Certified Surgical Technologists?
| City | Average Weekly Salary | Max Weekly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Falls Church, Virginia | $3,096 | $3,096 |
| Manhattan, New York | $2,716 | $2,716 |
| Everett, Massachusetts | $2,679 | $2,770 |
| Cambridge, Massachusetts | $2,566 | $2,684 |
| Berkeley, California | $2,505 | $2,584 |
| Hickory, North Carolina | $2,409 | $2,598 |
| San Francisco, California | $2,406 | $2,406 |
What are the highest paying Employers and Agencies for Travel Certified Surgical Technologist jobs?
| Average Weekly Salary | Max Weekly Salary | |
|---|---|---|
| Excel Medical Staffing | $2,784 | $3,080 |
| Mader MedX | $2,765 | $2,765 |
| TravSource | $2,680 | $2,769 |
| ICONMA | $2,650 | $2,650 |
| Refined Medical Staffing | $2,637 | $2,637 |
| E-SolHealth | $2,522 | $2,560 |
| Source Medical Staffing | $2,520 | $2,520 |
| Continuum Medical Staffing | $2,513 | $2,513 |
| Froedtert Health | $2,475 | $2,475 |
| ADEX Healthcare Staffing LLC | $2,456 | $2,456 |
Last updated on December 4, 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
OR Surgical Technologist (CST)
- Nyc, New York
- Mount Sinai West
- Voca Healthcare and 1 other
$2,615-2,798/week
Estimated pay packageSurgical Technologist (CST) – Operating Room, Trauma & Robotics
- Portland, Maine
- Maine Medical Center Bramhall
- TRS Healthcare and 4 others
$2,162-2,525/week
Certified Surgical Technologist – First Assist
- Fort Mohave, Arizona
- Valley View Medical Center
- TRS Healthcare and 5 others
$2,323-2,520/week
CVOR Technologist
- Davenport, Iowa
- Genesis Medical Center East, Davenport
- Health Carousel - Travel Allied and 15 others
$1,507-2,480/week
Certified Surgical Technologist First Assistant – Operating Room
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Mission Hospital - Memorial Campus
- American Medical Staffing and 12 others
$1,712-2,436/week
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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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