Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$45,940
- 25th Percentile — Junior$54,690
- 50th Percentile — Median$64,650
- 75th Percentile — Senior$79,750
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$96,940
The top 10% of Surgical Technologists earn $96,940 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $45,940, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $83,820 | +22.0% |
| California | $82,810 | +20.5% |
| New York | $81,990 | +19.3% |
| Oregon | $80,990 | +17.9% |
| Alaska | $79,670 | +16.0% |
| Minnesota | $79,670 | +16.0% |
| Washington | $78,400 | +14.1% |
| Connecticut | $76,710 | +11.6% |
| New Jersey | $75,640 | +10.1% |
| Nevada | $74,880 | +9.0% |
| Rhode Island | $73,920 | +7.6% |
| Hawaii | $73,790 | +7.4% |
| Colorado | $72,820 | +6.0% |
| Arizona | $72,640 | +5.7% |
| Wisconsin | $72,530 | +5.6% |
| New Hampshire | $72,380 | +5.3% |
| Virginia | $71,790 | +4.5% |
| District of Columbia | $70,610 | +2.8% |
| Illinois | $70,070 | +2.0% |
| Idaho | $69,990 | +1.9% |
| Maryland | $69,740 | +1.5% |
| Indiana | $66,930 | -2.6% |
| Texas | $66,640 | -3.0% |
| Utah | $65,620 | -4.5% |
| Nebraska | $65,290 | -5.0% |
| Maine | $65,140 | -5.2% |
| Ohio | $64,770 | -5.7% |
| Georgia | $64,610 | -6.0% |
| Michigan | $64,590 | -6.0% |
| Vermont | $64,550 | -6.1% |
| Florida | $64,360 | -6.3% |
| Delaware | $64,320 | -6.4% |
| Pennsylvania | $63,480 | -7.6% |
| North Carolina | $61,530 | -10.4% |
| Kentucky | $61,370 | -10.7% |
| Missouri | $60,980 | -11.3% |
| North Dakota | $60,860 | -11.4% |
| Iowa | $60,450 | -12.0% |
| Oklahoma | $60,450 | -12.0% |
| Montana | $60,440 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee | $60,110 | -12.5% |
| South Carolina | $60,050 | -12.6% |
| Kansas | $59,880 | -12.9% |
| Wyoming | $59,730 | -13.1% |
| New Mexico | $58,580 | -14.7% |
| South Dakota | $58,390 | -15.0% |
| Arkansas | $57,940 | -15.7% |
| Louisiana | $55,870 | -18.7% |
| Mississippi | $53,190 | -22.6% |
| West Virginia | $52,290 | -23.9% |
| Alabama | $50,680 | -26.2% |
What Factors Affect Surgical Technologists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Surgical Technologists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Massachusetts pays an average of $83,820, while Alabama pays $50,680 — a gap of $33,140 per year.
The middle half of Surgical Technologists earn between $54,690 and $79,750 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $45,940, while the top 10% earn more than $96,940.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Surgical Technologists?
The average salary for Surgical Technologists in the United States is $68,710 per year, with a median of $64,650.
What is the starting salary for Surgical Technologists?
Entry-level Surgical Technologists typically earn between $45,940 and $54,690 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Surgical Technologists the most?
Massachusetts pays Surgical Technologists the most at $83,820 per year on average, followed by California ($82,810) and New York ($81,990).
How much do Surgical Technologists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $68,710, Surgical Technologists earn approximately $33.03 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Surgical Technologists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 117,460 Surgical Technologists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $68,710 and a median of $64,650 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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