How much does a surgical tech make? Surgical Tech salary and hourly pay
A surgical tech in the US earns a median of $64,650 a year, about $31.08 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $45,940 and the top 10% earn over $96,940. Pay depends heavily on the state: the top-paying state, Hawaii, has a median of $82,640.
Surgical Tech pay calculator
Gross pay before taxes. If you enter your own hourly rate, it replaces the BLS figure. Otherwise hourly rate = BLS annual figure ÷ 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks), the same convention BLS uses.
How much does a surgical tech make an hour?
The median surgical tech earns $31.08 an hour. Hourly pay ranges from about $22.09 for the lowest-paid 10% to $46.61 for the highest-paid 10%.
| Pay level | Per year | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (bottom 10%) | $45,940 | $22.09 |
| Lower 25% | $54,690 | $26.29 |
| Median (typical) | $64,650 | $31.08 |
| Upper 25% | $79,750 | $38.34 |
| Top 10% | $96,940 | $46.61 |
Surgical Tech salary by state
Median annual pay for surgical techs in every state, from BLS May 2025 data.
| State | Median per year | ≈ Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $49,420 | $23.76 |
| Alaska | $80,380 | $38.64 |
| Arizona | $72,260 | $34.74 |
| Arkansas | $57,400 | $27.60 |
| California | $81,310 | $39.09 |
| Colorado | $75,740 | $36.41 |
| Connecticut | $79,890 | $38.41 |
| Delaware | $62,250 | $29.93 |
| District of Columbia | $77,520 | $37.27 |
| Florida | $62,440 | $30.02 |
| Georgia | $64,010 | $30.77 |
| Hawaii | $82,640 | $39.73 |
| Idaho | $72,550 | $34.88 |
| Illinois | $64,650 | $31.08 |
| Indiana | $64,240 | $30.88 |
| Iowa | $60,540 | $29.11 |
| Kansas | $60,600 | $29.13 |
| Kentucky | $60,490 | $29.08 |
| Louisiana | $57,370 | $27.58 |
| Maine | $62,860 | $30.22 |
| Maryland | $68,970 | $33.16 |
| Massachusetts | $80,870 | $38.88 |
| Michigan | $63,320 | $30.44 |
| Minnesota | $80,210 | $38.56 |
| Mississippi | $49,810 | $23.95 |
| Missouri | $61,120 | $29.38 |
| Montana | $60,970 | $29.31 |
| Nebraska | $63,880 | $30.71 |
| Nevada | $75,480 | $36.29 |
| New Hampshire | $75,040 | $36.08 |
| New Jersey | $77,200 | $37.12 |
| New Mexico | $51,780 | $24.89 |
| New York | $79,550 | $38.25 |
| North Carolina | $60,920 | $29.29 |
| North Dakota | $61,640 | $29.63 |
| Ohio | $62,420 | $30.01 |
| Oklahoma | $61,190 | $29.42 |
| Oregon | $81,390 | $39.13 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,680 | $30.13 |
| Rhode Island | $74,130 | $35.64 |
| South Carolina | $62,160 | $29.88 |
| South Dakota | $59,870 | $28.78 |
| Tennessee | $60,530 | $29.10 |
| Texas | $65,220 | $31.36 |
| Utah | $62,720 | $30.15 |
| Vermont | $60,660 | $29.16 |
| Virginia | $67,580 | $32.49 |
| Washington | $77,270 | $37.15 |
| West Virginia | $49,110 | $23.61 |
| Wisconsin | $74,120 | $35.63 |
| Wyoming | $58,850 | $28.29 |
Highest-paying states for surgical techs
- Hawaii: $82,640 median
- Oregon: $81,390 median
- California: $81,310 median
- Massachusetts: $80,870 median
- Alaska: $80,380 median
The lowest medians are in West Virginia ($49,110), Alabama ($49,420), Mississippi ($49,810), New Mexico ($51,780), Louisiana ($57,370). The most surgical tech jobs are in California (11,920 jobs), Texas (10,160 jobs), Florida (9,120 jobs), New York (6,540 jobs), Pennsylvania (4,490 jobs).
How much does a surgical tech make a month?
At the median salary of $64,650, a surgical tech earns about $5,388 a month, $2,487 every two weeks or $1,243 a week, before taxes.
Entry-level vs. experienced surgical tech pay
New surgical techs typically start near the bottom of the range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $45,940 a year and the lowest 25% under $54,690. The top 25% earn over $79,750 and the top 10% over $96,940. BLS does not break pay down by years of experience; these percentiles are the closest official measure.
Surgical Tech salary vs. similar jobs
| Job | Median per year |
|---|---|
| Surgical tech | $64,650 |
| Medical assistant | $45,690 |
| Radiology tech | $80,110 |
| Ultrasound tech | $96,590 |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 |
| Pharmacy tech | $45,750 |
Common questions
How much does a surgical tech make?
The US median is $64,650 a year ($31.08 an hour), based on BLS May 2025 data.
How much does a surgical tech make an hour?
The median is about $31.08 an hour. The bottom 10% earn about $22.09 and the top 10% about $46.61 an hour.
Which state pays surgical techs the most?
Hawaii has the highest median at $82,640, followed by Oregon ($81,390) and California ($81,310).
How much does a surgical tech make a month?
At the US median of $64,650 a year, about $5,388 a month or $2,487 every two weeks, before taxes.
How much does an entry-level surgical tech make?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $45,940 a year and the lowest 25% under $54,690, the closest official measure of starting pay.
How much do the top 10% of surgical techs make?
The top 10% earn over $96,940 a year; the top 25% earn over $79,750.
How much does a surgical tech make in California, Texas, Florida and New York?
Median annual pay is $81,310 in California, $65,220 in Texas, $62,440 in Florida, $79,550 in New York, per BLS May 2025 data.
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. All figures are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 survey (occupation code 29-2055, “Surgical Technologists”), the most recent official release; “median” means half earn more and half earn less. Figures are gross pay before taxes and benefits. See the BLS OEWS tables and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. This page is general information, not career or financial advice.