Surgical Tech Jobs in Texas

Type

Location

Salary

Texas Surgical Tech Jobs

Texas is one of roughly a dozen states with a mandatory CST law, requiring surgical technologists to complete an accredited program and hold national certification before working in a Texas operating room, and with the Texas Medical Center in Houston ranking as the largest medical complex in the world, the state combines regulatory accountability with one of the deepest surgical tech job markets in the country.

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

Certification in Texas

State law requires accredited program completion and national certification such as the CST before working in a Texas operating room. Facilities verify compliance. Limited exceptions apply to techs trained before the law took effect. Candidates relocating from voluntary states need credentials confirmed before applying.

Where surgical techs work in Texas

Houston's Texas Medical Center alone employs more surgical technologists than many entire states, with MD Anderson, Memorial Hermann, Houston Methodist, and multiple other major systems operating within the same complex. Baylor Scott & White Health is the largest not-for-profit system in Texas, with facilities across Dallas, Fort Worth, and Central Texas. UT Southwestern Medical Center anchors the Dallas academic market. HCA operates a large network across multiple Texas metros. San Antonio's market is anchored by University Health and the Methodist Healthcare system.

Surgical tech salaries in Texas

BLS data shows a mean of $54,980 and a median of $53,840. Entry-level techs start around $39,730 with experienced surgical technologists reaching approximately $75,850 at the 90th percentile.

Becoming a surgical tech in Texas

CAAHEP and ABHES accredited programs run 12 to 24 months through community colleges statewide. Houston Community College and Lone Star College are primary accredited pathways with clinical placements at Texas Medical Center affiliated facilities.

Cost of living

Austin housing has risen sharply and no longer offers the affordability it once did. Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston remain more moderate and provide access to the state's largest surgical tech job markets at costs well below comparable coastal metros. Texas has no state income tax.

See who's hiring now in Texas.