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 Surgical Technologist Salary
$38.41/hour
The average salary for a Surgical Technologist is $38.41 per hour. This is 12% lower than the practicing US average of $42.98.
Last updated on April 15, 2024. Based on active jobs on Vivian.com.
Salaries for Surgical Technologist compared to Allied Health Professional National Averages
$38.41/hour
12% lower than the practicing US average.
$42.98/hour
United States
What are the highest paying Employers and Agencies for Surgical Technologist jobs?
| Average Hourly Salary | Max Hourly Salary | |
|---|---|---|
| Sutter Health | $48 | $56 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $42 | $42 |
| Inova Health System | $42 | $42 |
| Insight Hospital and Medical Center | $40 | $40 |
| Netpace Health | $38 | $40 |
| Adventist Health | $37 | $48 |
| Community Health System | $33 | $34 |
| Advocate Aurora Health | $32 | $34 |
| George Washington University Hospital | $31 | $35 |
Last updated on April 15, 2024. Information based on active jobs on Vivian.com and pay data from BLS and around the web.
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 Surgical Technologist Jobs
Level II - Surgical Technologist
- Mequon, WI - 12203 N Corporate Pkwy
- Mequon, WI
- Days
Level II - Surgical Technologist
- Mequon, WI - 12203 N Corporate Pkwy
- Mequon, WI
- Days
Surgical Technologist
- Aurora St Lukes Medical Center - 2900 W Oklahoma Ave
- Milwaukee, WI
- Flexible
Level I - Surgical Technologist
- Aurora St Lukes Medical Center - 2900 W Oklahoma Ave
- Milwaukee, WI
- Days
- Sign-On Bonus
Level II - Surgical Technologist
- Aurora St Lukes Medical Center - 2900 W Oklahoma Ave
- Milwaukee, WI
- Days
- Sign-On Bonus
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How can you increase your pay as a certified surgical technologist?
If you entered the field with a certificate, another way to increase your earnings is to return to school for a 2-year or 4-year degree. According to the 2022 Education Pays report from the BLS, the median weekly wage for any professional with an associate's degree is 7.1% higher than the median rate for someone who took college courses but didn't complete their degree.
You may also be able to increase your earnings by focusing on a subspecialty, as specialization typically comes with higher wages. For example, Vivian Health’s April 8, 2023 salary data showed that staff cardiovascular technologist pay averaged $38.51 per hour, a difference of $2.04. If you multiply the hourly difference by 2,080 hours, that's an extra $4,243.20.
How much does a staff certified surgical technologist make?
Vivian Health's salary data for the week ending April 8, 2023, showed that certified surgical technologists earned an average of $36.47 per hour in staff jobs. If you work 40 hours each week, that's a weekly salary of just under $1,459.
Is certified surgical technologist a growing career?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects the demand for certified surgical technologists to increase by 6% between 2021 and 2031. As a result of this growth, about 6,500 additional jobs should be available by the end of the 10-year period. Employers may need additional certified surgical technologists to replace retirees, meet the increased demand for healthcare services and staff brand-new medical facilities.
What types of employers/facilities have the most certified surgical technologists employed?
The greatest percentage of certified surgical technologists, 41%, work in general medical and surgical hospitals, according to the BLS. These hospitals may be owned by state and local governments, for-profit businesses or nonprofit organizations. Physician offices employ about 25% of all certified surgical technologists, while dental offices employ 20%. Certified surgical technologists also work in outpatient care centers and the offices of other healthcare practitioners, but these employers only account for 5% of all certified surgical technologist employment.
Which employers/facilities have the highest pay?
Although outpatient care centers make up a small percentage of total employment, they offer the highest wages, followed by physician offices and general medical and surgical hospitals. Dental offices offer about the same pay as physician offices. Companies in the administrative and support services industry offer the lowest salaries to certified surgical technologists.
How does certified surgical technologist pay compare to similar healthcare jobs?
Compared to the pay for other allied health professions, certified surgical technologist pay was higher for staff jobs but lower for travel jobs on April 8, 2023. Vivian Health's salary data showed that staff cardiac catheterization technologist (CCT) wages were $28.66 per hour, which was $7.81 per hour less than the average for certified surgical technologists. In contrast, travel CCTs earned an average of $2,666 per week, or $572 per week more than certified surgical technologists who accepted travel assignments.
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