BLS 2025-2035 projections | reviewed October 2026
Surgical technologist job outlook
BLS projects employment of surgical technologists to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 118,400 to 124,300 workers. It projects roughly 5,900 openings per year on average for this occupation. These are national projections, not current postings or a forecast for any state, specialty, or employer.
Which workers are counted?
The projection is for SOC 29-2055, Surgical Technologists. It includes scrub and OR technologist roles across settings and excludes surgical assistants, nurses, and sterile processing staff. BLS also publishes a combined surgical assistants and technologists headline; that broader group has different totals. Read the BLS occupation profile and 2025-2035 table.
What the outlook can and cannot tell you
Setting
BLS identifies hospitals as the largest employer group for surgical technologists and notes outpatient care as a growing setting. It does not say every hospital or ASC is hiring now.
Specialty
The projection does not provide separate demand estimates for CVOR, neuro, robotics, or ortho. Review actual postings for case experience, equipment, orientation, and call.
Geography
A national rate can hide very different local conditions. Search the desired city or state and verify the facility address and the age of each listing.
Qualifications
Credential and education requirements depend on state rules and employer policy. Read the posting and the current state requirements guide before applying.
How to use this in a job search
- Find active roles by location and service line.
- Compare orientation, call, and credential wording in individual postings.
- Ask whether the opening is for a new service line or to replace a departing teammate; neither automatically predicts negotiating room.
- Use the May 2025 wage guide for a separate pay benchmark.