Technician Programs

Surgical Technicians

With the over-50 population increasing and advanced surgical procedures becoming more common, employment opportunities for surgical technicians are on the rise.

Surgical Technician Salary Range
In 2002, the lowest 10 percent of surgical technicians earned less than $21,020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest 10 percent earned more than $43,470. The current expected median surgical tech salary is $35,122, reports Salary.com. The Association of Surgical Technologists reports that its members' average hourly pay is $13 to $18, nationally.

According to the BLS, median surgical tech salaries paid by offices of physicians were higher ($33,790) than those paid by general medical and surgical hospitals ($30,590) in 2002.

Starting Surgical Technician Salaries
According to the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST), starting hourly pay for surgical technicians can range from $12.72 to $18 per hour, nationally.

Certification and Surgical Technician Salaries
Most employers prefer to hire technicians holding the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) designation. Certified Surgical Technicians in some states can expect to earn $18 per hour.

Career Description
Surgical technicians, also known as scrubs and operating room technicians, are employed in a variety of medical settings, including hospital operating rooms, cast rooms, emergency departments, and physicians' and dentists' offices. While some manage surgical services departments, others work as private scrubs for surgeons or as surgical first assistants.

A surgical technician's responsibilities include preparing the operating room and patient for surgery, passing instruments to the surgeon or surgeon's assistants during surgery, assisting with preparation and disposal of specimens taken for laboratory analysis, and applying sterile and non-sterile dressings. After surgery, technicians transfer patients to recovery and prepare the operating room.

Educational Requirements
High-school coursework in health, biology, chemistry, and mathematics is recommended for those pursuing a career as a surgical technician. Most surgical technician jobs require a diploma, certificate, or associate degree from a college accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Additionally, most employers prefer technicians holding the CST designation, awarded by the Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist (LCC-ST) upon successful completion of one its national examinations.

Use our technician salary calculator to review surgical technician salaries in your region.