Surgical Tech Jobs in Texas

Type

Location

Salary

Statewide, Certification Required

Texas Surgical Tech Jobs

Texas is one of roughly a dozen states with a mandatory certification law: accredited program completion plus a national credential such as the CST before you scrub a case. It is also one of the deepest surgical tech markets in the country, anchored by the Texas Medical Center in Houston, the largest medical complex in the world. Browse live scrub tech and OR technician openings across Texas below.

Written by Matthew Sorensen, 15+ years in executive recruiting with 500+ skilled trades and healthcare placements including OR and perioperative roles. Author of four books on hiring and interviewing; host of the Hired podcast.

What Texas Pays

Median annual: $53,840 Mean annual runs slightly higher at $54,980, which tells you the top of the market pulls the average up rather than the floor dragging it down.

Entry level: around $39,730 The bottom of the range. New grads land here most often at smaller community hospitals and lower-acuity ASCs.

90th percentile: about $75,850 That $36k spread from floor to ceiling is not seniority alone. It is specialty, call pay, and shift. Specialty pay moves the number faster than tenure does.

Texas sits below the national median on paper, but no state income tax changes the take-home math against coastal metros. Run your setting and specialty through the surgical tech salary estimator for a figure that matches the job you are actually applying to.

Where Surgical Techs Work In Texas

Texas Medical Center SystemsHouston

MD Anderson, Memorial Hermann, Houston Methodist, and several other major systems operate inside a single complex. Volume is high and case mix is broad, so specialty exposure comes faster here than almost anywhere else in the country.

Baylor Scott & White HealthDFW / Central TX

The largest not-for-profit system in the state, with ORs across Dallas, Fort Worth, and Central Texas. Wide geographic footprint means internal transfers without leaving the system.

UT Southwestern Medical CenterDallas

Anchors the Dallas academic market. Teaching hospitals are generally better set up to onboard new grads straight out of clinicals than a specialty hospital screening for a specific case type.

HCA HealthcareMulti-metro

Operates a large network across multiple Texas metros. One application system, many facilities, which is useful if you are open on location.

University Health & Methodist HealthcareSan Antonio

The two anchors of the San Antonio surgical market, staffing ORs across the metro.

Certification And Training

Texas law requires completion of a CAAHEP or ABHES accredited program plus a national credential such as the CST before you work in a Texas operating room, and facilities verify it. Limited exceptions apply to techs trained before the law took effect; confirm your standing against the state requirements page before you apply, especially if you are relocating from a voluntary state.

Accredited programs run 12 to 24 months through community colleges statewide, with Houston Community College and Lone Star College feeding clinical placements into Texas Medical Center affiliated facilities. Full pathway in the CST certification guide.

Texas Surgical Tech FAQ

Do I need to be certified to work as a surgical tech in Texas?

Yes. Texas requires completion of an accredited surgical technology program and a national certification such as the CST before working in a Texas operating room. Limited exceptions apply to techs who trained before the law took effect.

Where are the most surgical tech jobs in Texas?

Houston, driven by the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world. Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin all carry substantial volume behind it.

Will my certification from another state transfer to Texas?

A national credential like the CST is recognized in Texas, but if you trained in a state with no certification requirement, verify that your program was CAAHEP or ABHES accredited before you apply. Texas facilities check.

How long does it take to become a surgical tech in Texas?

Accredited programs run 12 to 24 months, most commonly through community colleges. Add time for the certification exam after graduation.