Louisville, KY
Surgical Tech Jobs in Louisville
Surgical tech openings across Louisville's hospital systems, academic ORs, and ambulatory surgery centers. New postings from Jefferson County employers appear in the listings below, refreshed as roles go live.
Curated by
Matthew Sorensen, a recruiter with 15+ years and 500+ healthcare and skilled-trades placements, including OR and perioperative roles. The hiring patterns on this page come from placing techs, not scraping listings.
Where Surgical Techs Work in Louisville
Louisville runs on a few large systems, and where you land shapes your case mix, call schedule, and pay. In my experience placing OR techs, the big academic and system ORs hire year-round and are the most set up to onboard new grads straight out of clinicals; the surgery centers move faster but want techs who can hit a steady, high-volume schedule with less hand-holding.
UofL Health
Academic system anchored by University of Louisville Hospital, staffing ORs across the metro including higher-acuity and specialty cases.
Norton Healthcare
One of the region's largest employers, with surgical services across Norton Hospital and Norton Women's & Children's Hospital.
Baptist Health Louisville
Large hospital OR staffing a broad range of general and specialty procedures across the metro.
Beyond the systems, ambulatory surgery centers and specialty clinics across Jefferson County post surgical tech roles regularly, often with more predictable daytime hours than hospital call.
Surgical Tech Salaries in Kentucky
01
Median annual: $49,610Statewide Kentucky figure from BLS. This sits below the national median of about $60,300, which is typical for Kentucky's lower cost of living rather than a market weakness.
02
Mean annual: $51,740Averages run above the median, pulled up by senior techs and higher-acuity specialty roles.
03
Range: $37,440 to $63,95010th to 90th percentile. Certification, specialty (CVOR, neuro, and robotics pay toward the top), and hospital-vs-ASC setting drive where you land. For a Louisville-specific estimate, use the salary estimator or the salary guide.
Certification in Kentucky
Kentucky does not mandate statewide licensure for surgical techs, but the large systems here often prefer or require the CST credential, and it removes an easy reason to screen you out. Full details are in the state requirements guide.
Common Questions
Do I need to be certified to work as a surgical tech in Louisville?
Kentucky doesn't require it by law, but most large Louisville systems prefer or require the CST. If you're a new grad, getting certified before you apply is the single cleanest way to stay in the pile.
Which pays more, a Louisville hospital OR or a surgery center?
It depends on the role. Hospitals often pay more once call and shift differentials are added and give you higher-acuity experience; ASCs trade some of that for predictable daytime hours. Compare the setting trade-offs in the ASC vs hospital guide.
Can new grads get hired in Louisville with no experience?
Yes. The academic and system ORs are generally the most set up to bring on techs straight out of clinicals. The new-grad hiring guide covers how to position yourself.
