Surgical Tech Jobs in Tennessee

Tennessee Surgical Tech Jobs

Nashville is both HCA Healthcare's global headquarters and home to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, putting one of the country's largest for-profit hospital chains and one of its top academic medical centers in the same city, which creates consistent surgical tech demand across a range of employer types and pay levels.

Browse live scrub tech and OR technician openings across Tennessee below.

Where surgical techs work in Tennessee

HCA operates the largest hospital network in Tennessee with facilities concentrated in Nashville and extending statewide. Vanderbilt University Medical Center anchors the academic side of the Nashville market with high-acuity and subspecialty surgical programs. Baptist Memorial Health Care serves Memphis and west Tennessee. Ballad Health is the dominant system in northeast Tennessee covering the Tri-Cities region. Knoxville's market is anchored by University of Tennessee Medical Center and Covenant Health.

Surgical tech salaries in Tennessee

BLS data shows a mean of $53,820 and a median of $52,990. Entry-level techs start around $38,930 with experienced surgical technologists reaching approximately $72,740 at the 90th percentile. Vanderbilt and HCA flagship facilities tend to sit above the state median.

Certification in Tennessee

No mandatory licensure requirement exists. Vanderbilt, HCA, and most major system employers treat CST certification as a standard expectation statewide.

Becoming a surgical tech in Tennessee

CAAHEP and ABHES accredited programs run 12 to 24 months through community and technical colleges statewide. Nashville State Community College and Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis are primary accredited pathways with regional clinical placements.

Cost of living

Nashville housing costs have risen sharply and no longer represent the bargain they once did. Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga remain more affordable and still provide access to major system employment, making them practical alternatives for surgical techs prioritizing purchasing power over proximity to the Nashville market.

Explore active roles in Tennessee.

Nashville, TN Surgical Tech Jobs | State Requirements | Salary Guide | Jobs by Location