Updated for 2026 | Covers all 50 states, 8 specialties, 4 work settings, and travel pay
If you're trying to figure out what you should be earning as a surgical tech, or whether your current pay is competitive, this guide gives you the numbers. National averages, state-by-state breakdowns, specialty differentials, travel pay ranges, and a straight answer on whether CST certification actually moves the needle financially.
The median annual salary for surgical technologists in the United States is $59,100, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. That works out to approximately $28.42 per hour for full-time staff positions.
The range is wide. Entry-level techs in rural markets can land well below $40,000. Experienced techs in high-demand specialties in coastal states regularly clear $80,000 or more. Here's how the full distribution breaks down:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Rate | Who This Represents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,200 | $18.37 | Entry-level, rural markets, non-certified |
| 25th | $48,600 | $23.37 | 1–3 years experience, smaller facilities |
| 50th (Median) | $59,100 | $28.42 | Mid-career, certified, general surgery |
| 75th | $73,400 | $35.29 | 5+ years, specialty setting, CST held |
| 90th | $88,900 | $42.74 | Senior, CVOR or neuro specialty, high-cost market |
A note on total compensation: These figures reflect base pay only. Call pay, evening and weekend shift differentials, and overtime can add $3,000 to $12,000 annually depending on your facility and schedule. When comparing offers, always factor those in.
Location is one of the most powerful variables in surgical tech pay. California, Alaska, and Washington consistently rank at the top. Southern states and the rural Midwest tend to trail the national median, though lower cost of living partially offsets that gap.
| State | Median Annual Salary | Median Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,100 | $25.05 |
| Alaska | $79,600 | $38.27 |
| Arizona | $63,200 | $30.38 |
| Arkansas | $50,400 | $24.23 |
| California | $82,700 | $39.76 |
| Colorado | $66,900 | $32.16 |
| Connecticut | $70,400 | $33.85 |
| Delaware | $63,100 | $30.34 |
| Florida | $57,800 | $27.79 |
| Georgia | $58,600 | $28.17 |
| Hawaii | $73,200 | $35.19 |
| Idaho | $55,300 | $26.59 |
| Illinois | $64,800 | $31.15 |
| Indiana | $55,700 | $26.78 |
| Iowa | $54,200 | $26.06 |
| Kansas | $53,900 | $25.91 |
| Kentucky | $53,100 | $25.53 |
| Louisiana | $54,600 | $26.25 |
| Maine | $60,300 | $28.99 |
| Maryland | $68,700 | $33.03 |
| Massachusetts | $72,800 | $35.00 |
| Michigan | $58,400 | $28.08 |
| Minnesota | $65,900 | $31.68 |
| Mississippi | $49,300 | $23.70 |
| Missouri | $55,200 | $26.54 |
| Montana | $57,100 | $27.45 |
| Nebraska | $54,400 | $26.15 |
| Nevada | $66,300 | $31.88 |
| New Hampshire | $64,100 | $30.82 |
| New Jersey | $73,900 | $35.53 |
| New Mexico | $58,800 | $28.27 |
| New York | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| North Carolina | $57,600 | $27.69 |
| North Dakota | $55,800 | $26.83 |
| Ohio | $57,300 | $27.55 |
| Oklahoma | $52,700 | $25.34 |
| Oregon | $71,600 | $34.42 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,700 | $29.66 |
| Rhode Island | $67,500 | $32.45 |
| South Carolina | $54,800 | $26.35 |
| South Dakota | $51,900 | $24.95 |
| Tennessee | $55,400 | $26.63 |
| Texas | $60,100 | $28.89 |
| Utah | $61,200 | $29.42 |
| Vermont | $62,700 | $30.14 |
| Virginia | $63,400 | $30.48 |
| Washington | $78,300 | $37.64 |
| West Virginia | $50,700 | $24.38 |
| Wisconsin | $60,800 | $29.23 |
| Wyoming | $57,400 | $27.60 |
Highest-paying states: California, Alaska, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Oregon, Connecticut, Nevada
Lowest-paying states: Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, South Dakota, Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma
Not all OR assignments pay the same. Techs who specialize in higher-acuity or technically demanding procedures command a real premium. Here's how specialty breaks down:
| Specialty | Median Annual Salary | Premium Over General |
|---|---|---|
| General Surgery | $57,500 | Baseline |
| Orthopedic Surgery | $62,800 | +$5,300 |
| Robotic Surgery (da Vinci) | $67,400 | +$9,900 |
| Cardiac/CVOR | $74,200 | +$16,700 |
| Neurosurgery | $72,600 | +$15,100 |
| OB/GYN | $58,900 | +$1,400 |
| Ophthalmology | $56,200 | –$1,300 |
| Plastics/Reconstructive | $60,100 | +$2,600 |
CVOR and neuro are where the money is. The acuity, case complexity, and required technical knowledge push those specialties significantly above general. Robotic surgery is catching up quickly as da Vinci case volume continues to grow across health systems.
Ophthalmology pays slightly below the general surgery baseline in most markets, which surprises people who assume more specialized always means higher pay. The difference comes down to case structure: ophthalmology procedures are short, low-acuity, and largely standardized. Most ophthalmology work sits in dedicated ASCs rather than acute care hospitals, and those centers hire at lower rates than hospital systems. It's not a data error — it reflects a genuinely lower-intensity, lower-complexity environment compared to a general OR.
Where you work shapes your paycheck as much as what you specialize in.
| Work Setting | Median Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital (Acute Care) | $62,400 | Highest base pay; shift differentials common |
| Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) | $57,100 | Often no weekend or call obligations |
| Specialty Hospital | $65,800 | Cardiac, ortho, neuro centers pay a premium |
| Physician's Office / Clinic | $49,200 | Lowest pay; limited case variety |
| Military / Federal (VA) | $61,700 | Strong benefits; GS pay scale applies |
| Outpatient Surgery Center | $55,400 | Similar to ASC; varies by ownership |
Hospital vs. ASC tradeoff: Hospitals pay more on base and offer shift differentials, call pay, and overtime. ASCs typically offer better hours with few nights, weekends, or holiday obligations. Many techs with families accept $4,000 to $6,000 less annually for the schedule predictability.
Specialty hospitals (dedicated cardiac, orthopedic, or neurosurgical facilities) often pay above general acute care, and the case complexity builds a resume quickly.
Experience has a predictable and meaningful impact on surgical tech pay. The biggest jumps happen in the first five years.
| Experience Level | Median Annual Salary | Median Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level (0–1 year) | $44,800 | $21.54 |
| Early Career (1–3 years) | $51,600 | $24.81 |
| Mid-Career (3–6 years) | $60,200 | $28.94 |
| Experienced (6–10 years) | $67,900 | $32.64 |
| Senior (10+ years) | $74,500 | $35.82 |
The jump from entry-level to mid-career is roughly $15,000 over five years, assuming CST certification is obtained and specialty skills are developed. Techs who stay in general surgery without adding certifications or specialty exposure tend to plateau closer to the median and see slower annual increases.
Senior techs who move into first assist, charge tech, or OR educator roles can push above the 90th percentile. Those roles are covered separately.
Travel surgical tech assignments pay substantially more than permanent staff positions. Here's the realistic picture.
Typical Weekly Gross Pay: $1,800 to $2,400 for a 40-hour week. That figure combines taxable hourly wages and non-taxable stipends, which is how agencies advertise contracts and how most travelers think about their take-home. Your W-2 will show a significantly lower number. A realistic breakdown looks like this:
The non-taxable stipends are what make travel pay genuinely competitive, but they come with a condition: you must maintain a legitimate tax home at a different location from your assignment to qualify for the tax-free treatment under IRS rules. If you give up your permanent residence to travel full-time, you lose eligibility for the stipends and your effective pay drops substantially. Verify your situation with a tax professional before your first contract if you're unsure.
High-demand or crisis contracts: $2,400 to $3,200+ per week, particularly in California, New York, and Alaska
Stipends: Most travel contracts include a non-taxable housing stipend ($500 to $900/week) and meals/incidentals stipend ($250 to $500/week), which are excluded from tax burden if IRS requirements are met. This is a major reason travel pay looks so high on paper.
Contract length: 13 weeks is standard. Some facilities offer 8-week or 26-week options.
| State | Typical Weekly Pay Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | $2,200–$3,200 | Highest volume of openings; strong rates year-round |
| Alaska | $2,400–$3,100 | Remote stipends add significantly |
| New York | $2,100–$2,900 | NYC metro drives rates up |
| Washington | $1,900–$2,600 | Strong healthcare market |
| Hawaii | $2,000–$2,700 | Housing stipend critical here |
| Texas | $1,700–$2,300 | Large market; volume is high |
| Florida | $1,700–$2,200 | Consistent demand; rates moderate |
| Oregon | $1,900–$2,500 | Solid rates; fewer openings than CA |
What travel actually requires: Most agencies want a minimum of one to two years of OR experience before placing you. You'll need your CST (or at minimum active enrollment) for most hospital systems. Expect to float between service lines in busy facilities. Licensing requirements vary by state, though surgical techs are not individually licensed in most states, which simplifies portability.
Crisis/rapid response rates can be significantly higher but come with less notice, shorter commitments, and often more demanding environments.
Earning the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) credential through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) has a measurable impact on pay, though the actual differential varies considerably by employer and market.
Average pay differential for CST-certified techs: $3 to $6 per hour over non-certified peers
That translates to roughly $6,200 to $12,500 more per year at full-time hours, which far exceeds the cost of exam prep and the $255 exam fee.
Where certification matters most:
Certification also affects career ceiling. Surgical first assistant roles, OR educator positions, and charge tech designations typically require CST as a baseline. Those positions pay $72,000 to $95,000+ annually depending on setting.
CST vs. Tech in Surgery (TS-C): A small number of non-certified experienced techs hold the Tech in Surgery credential through the National Center for Competency Testing. Hospitals recognize this less consistently, and pay differentials are smaller. If you have the option, CST is the stronger credential to pursue.
Most surgical techs accept the first number offered. That's leaving money on the table. Here's how to approach compensation conversations effectively.
Know your number before the conversation. Use this guide, BLS data, and offers you've received from competing facilities to establish a realistic target range. Walking in without a number is how you end up anchored to whatever they offer first.
Negotiate specialty premium separately from base rate. If you're being hired into a CVOR or neuro service, make the case for specialty-specific compensation, not just the general staff rate. Many facilities have separate pay grades for high-acuity service lines. Ask directly whether one applies.
Call pay is negotiable. Most job postings list a call pay rate as if it's fixed. It often isn't. If you're expected to take significant call, that rate is part of your total compensation and worth pushing on before you sign.
Use competing offers. A real competing offer is the single most effective negotiating tool. If you're interviewing at multiple facilities simultaneously, time the offers to overlap. "I have an offer for $X from another facility" carries weight that nothing else does.
Ask about the pay band. Most hospital systems operate on formal salary bands with minimum and maximum values for each job grade. If you can find out what the maximum is, you have a ceiling to push toward. Recruiters rarely lead with the top of the band.
Certifications and specialty experience are leverage. If you hold CST and have documented experience in a specialty they need to staff, make that explicit. It's not bragging; it's giving them a business reason to pay you more.
Don't overlook signing bonuses. In tight OR staffing markets, hospitals that can't budge on base pay often have flexibility to offer a signing bonus or relocation assistance. If salary is capped, ask what else is on the table.
Get everything in writing. Verbal commitments about call rotation, shift schedule, and specialty assignment matter financially. If it's not in the offer letter or employment agreement, it doesn't exist.
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Salary data reflects 2024–2026 figures sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, supplemented with aggregated data from major job boards and staffing agencies. Regional figures are estimates and should be treated as directional benchmarks rather than guarantees.