Surgical Technologists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for surgical technologists is $64,650, or $31.08 per hour. About 117,460 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $82,640 in Hawaii to $49,110 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $82,640 | $39.73 | 290 | 0.60 |
| 2 | Oregon | $81,390 | $39.13 | 1,090 | 0.74 |
| 3 | California | $81,310 | $39.09 | 11,920 | 0.87 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $80,870 | $38.88 | 2,220 | 0.81 |
| 5 | Alaska | $80,380 | $38.65 | 310 | 1.28 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $80,210 | $38.56 | 1,770 | 0.80 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $79,890 | $38.41 | 1,220 | 0.95 |
| 8 | New York | $79,550 | $38.25 | 6,540 | 0.89 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $77,520 | $37.27 | 340 | 0.63 |
| 10 | Washington | $77,270 | $37.15 | 2,510 | 0.94 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $77,200 | $37.12 | 2,780 | 0.86 |
| 12 | Colorado | $75,740 | $36.41 | 2,100 | 0.97 |
| 13 | Nevada | $75,480 | $36.29 | 1,110 | 0.94 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $75,040 | $36.08 | 370 | 0.71 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $74,130 | $35.64 | 240 | 0.63 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $74,120 | $35.64 | 2,180 | 0.98 |
| 17 | Idaho | $72,550 | $34.88 | 1,100 | 1.70 |
| 18 | Arizona | $72,260 | $34.74 | 2,410 | 0.98 |
| 19 | Maryland | $68,970 | $33.16 | 1,880 | 0.90 |
| 20 | Virginia | $67,580 | $32.49 | 1,910 | 0.62 |
| 21 | Texas | $65,220 | $31.35 | 10,160 | 0.96 |
| 22 | Illinois | $64,650 | $31.08 | 3,570 | 0.78 |
| 23 | Indiana | $64,240 | $30.89 | 2,680 | 1.11 |
| 24 | Georgia | $64,010 | $30.77 | 4,380 | 1.19 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $63,880 | $30.71 | 770 | 0.99 |
| 26 | Michigan | $63,320 | $30.44 | 3,840 | 1.15 |
| 27 | Maine | $62,860 | $30.22 | 470 | 0.98 |
| 28 | Utah | $62,720 | $30.15 | 1,170 | 0.89 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $62,680 | $30.14 | 4,490 | 0.98 |
| 30 | Florida | $62,440 | $30.02 | 9,120 | 1.22 |
| 31 | Ohio | $62,420 | $30.01 | 3,730 | 0.89 |
| 32 | Delaware | $62,250 | $29.93 | 340 | 0.93 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $62,160 | $29.89 | 2,680 | 1.54 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $61,640 | $29.63 | 370 | 1.14 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $61,190 | $29.42 | 1,940 | 1.51 |
| 36 | Missouri | $61,120 | $29.39 | 2,100 | 0.95 |
| 37 | Montana | $60,970 | $29.31 | 490 | 1.26 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $60,920 | $29.29 | 4,400 | 1.18 |
| 39 | Vermont | $60,660 | $29.17 | 140 | 0.60 |
| 40 | Kansas | $60,600 | $29.13 | 1,200 | 1.10 |
| 41 | Iowa | $60,540 | $29.11 | 950 | 0.81 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $60,530 | $29.10 | 3,310 | 1.34 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $60,490 | $29.08 | 1,440 | 0.96 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $59,870 | $28.79 | 600 | 1.73 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $58,850 | $28.29 | 210 | 1.00 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $57,400 | $27.60 | 1,640 | 1.66 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $57,370 | $27.58 | 2,230 | 1.53 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $51,780 | $24.90 | 540 | 0.83 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $49,810 | $23.95 | 1,110 | 1.26 |
| 50 | Alabama | $49,420 | $23.76 | 2,480 | 1.56 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $49,110 | $23.61 | 580 | 1.10 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do surgical technologists make?
The median annual wage for surgical technologists in the United States is $64,650, or $31.08 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $45,940, and the top 10% earn $96,940.
How many surgical technologists are employed in the U.S.?
About 117,460 people work as surgical technologists nationwide.
Which state pays surgical technologists the most?
Hawaii pays the most at a median of $82,640, followed by Oregon ($81,390) and California ($81,310).
Which state pays surgical technologists the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $49,110.
Where are surgical technologists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is South Dakota at 1.73×.