Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons’ assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments. Excludes “Surgical Assistants” (29-9093).
National median · BLS
$64,650
▲ +2.9%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$68,710
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
117,460
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Surgical Technologists
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$45,940
25th
$54,690
Median (50th)
$64,650
75th
$79,750
90th — top pay
$96,940
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
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Weekly—
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Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Surgical Technologists
BLS projects employment of surgical technologists to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 7,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
118,400 → 124,300
+5,900 jobs
Projected change
+5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
7,100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
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Surgical Technologists salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
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Skills & tools
Skills needed for Surgical Technologists
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Monitoring3.6
Active Listening3.3
Operations Monitoring3.3
Reading Comprehension3.1
Service Orientation3.1
Speaking3.1
Time Management3.1
Active Learning3.0
Complex Problem Solving3.0
Coordination3.0
Top knowledge areas
Medicine and Dentistry4.1
English Language4.0
Customer and Personal Service3.8
Education and Training3.3
Production and Processing2.7
Psychology2.7
Computers and Electronics2.6
Biology2.6
Software and technology used
MEDITECH softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordDatabase softwareElectronic medical record EMR softwareEmail softwareGoogle DriveGraphics softwareNursing documentation softwarePatient scheduling softwarePatient tracking softwareSupply documentation softwareSurgery workflow communication software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What surgical technologists do
Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Surgical Technologists, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $64,650.
