The short answer
How much does a surgical tech make?
Surgical technologists earn a national median of $64,650 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) — about $31.08 per hour on a standard 2,080-hour full-time year, roughly $5,388 per month before taxes. Where you work changes the real number: every state's median and cost-of-living-adjusted rank is in the table below.
Minnesota $84,789 · Wisconsin $75,865 · Nevada $75,329 · Colorado $73,749 · Oregon $72,800
Hawaii leads on the raw paycheck ($82,640) and ranks #51 once cost of living is applied. Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts lose the most purchasing power of any states.
The U.S. median surgical technologist wage is $64,650 (BLS, May 2025). Lowest adjusted pay lands in Hawaii (~$44,670).
Surgical tech pay in all 50 states + DC
Ranked by cost-of-living-adjusted pay (highest real pay first). “Adjusted pay” = median wage ÷ (state cost-of-living index ÷ 100). Select a state for its full breakdown.
| # | State | Median wage (BLS 2025) | Cost-of-living index | Adjusted (real) pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $80,210 | 94.6 | $84,789 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $74,120 | 97.7 | $75,865 |
| 3 | Nevada | $75,480 | 100.2 | $75,329 |
| 4 | Colorado | $75,740 | 102.7 | $73,749 |
| 5 | Oregon | $81,390 | 111.8 | $72,800 |
| 6 | Idaho | $72,550 | 99.9 | $72,623 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | $61,190 | 86.0 | $71,151 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $79,890 | 112.7 | $70,887 |
| 9 | Texas | $65,220 | 92.1 | $70,814 |
| 10 | Indiana | $64,240 | 91.0 | $70,593 |
| 11 | Michigan | $63,320 | 90.1 | $70,277 |
| 12 | Georgia | $64,010 | 92.5 | $69,200 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $63,880 | 92.6 | $68,985 |
| 14 | Missouri | $61,120 | 89.0 | $68,674 |
| 15 | Illinois | $64,650 | 94.7 | $68,268 |
| 16 | Kansas | $60,600 | 88.8 | $68,243 |
| 17 | Washington | $77,270 | 114.1 | $67,721 |
| 18 | Iowa | $60,540 | 89.7 | $67,492 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $61,640 | 91.4 | $67,440 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $75,040 | 111.4 | $67,361 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $77,200 | 115.1 | $67,072 |
| 22 | Virginia | $67,580 | 100.8 | $67,044 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $60,530 | 90.3 | $67,032 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $74,130 | 110.6 | $67,025 |
| 25 | Ohio | $62,420 | 94.3 | $66,193 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $62,160 | 94.7 | $65,639 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $60,490 | 92.5 | $65,395 |
| 28 | Arizona | $72,260 | 110.7 | $65,276 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $59,870 | 91.9 | $65,147 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $62,680 | 97.2 | $64,486 |
| 31 | Alaska | $80,380 | 124.9 | $64,355 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $57,400 | 89.6 | $64,063 |
| 33 | Montana | $60,970 | 95.5 | $63,843 |
| 34 | New York | $79,550 | 125.1 | $63,589 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $58,850 | 93.7 | $62,807 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $60,920 | 97.8 | $62,290 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $57,370 | 92.3 | $62,156 |
| 38 | Utah | $62,720 | 102.2 | $61,370 |
| 39 | Florida | $62,440 | 102.2 | $61,096 |
| 40 | Delaware | $62,250 | 101.9 | $61,089 |
| 41 | Maryland | $68,970 | 115.4 | $59,766 |
| 42 | Massachusetts | $80,870 | 141.2 | $57,273 |
| 43 | California | $81,310 | 142.3 | $57,140 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $49,810 | 87.3 | $57,056 |
| 45 | District of Columbia | $77,520 | 138.8 | $55,850 |
| 46 | Alabama | $49,420 | 88.6 | $55,779 |
| 47 | Maine | $62,860 | 113.0 | $55,628 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $49,110 | 88.3 | $55,617 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $51,780 | 93.7 | $55,261 |
| 50 | Vermont | $60,660 | 113.6 | $53,398 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $82,640 | 185.0 | $44,670 |
How we calculated this
- Median wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, for Surgical Technologists (SOC 29-2055). We use the median (the typical surgical tech) rather than the mean, which a few very high earners can pull upward.
- Cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100) is from World Population Review's 2025-2026 Cost of Living Index by State — the same index we use for our medical assistant pay analysis and phlebotomist pay analysis, so all three occupations are directly comparable.
- Adjusted (real) pay = median wage ÷ (state cost-of-living index ÷ 100). A state with an index of 110 is 10% more expensive than the national average, so a $65,000 wage there has the buying power of about $59,000.
- Figures are rounded and meant for comparison, not as an offer or a guarantee. Individual pay depends on setting (hospital OR vs. ASC vs. specialty service line), call and shift coverage, certification (CST or TS-C), and experience.
What this means for your next move
Use adjusted pay, not the sticker wage, when you compare offers across states — and then make sure your resume actually earns the top of that range. Surgical tech hiring rewards the same things this data hints at: specialty service-line depth (CVOR, neuro, ortho, transplant), documented sterile technique and instrument-setup scope, call and trauma experience, robotic and laparoscopic case familiarity, and the CST credential stated plainly — all presented in a format a hiring manager can scan in seconds.
That's exactly what a Pharm rewrite surfaces. See the early-career and mid-career tracks, or drop your resume for a free 60-second read.
More surgical tech and allied-health career resources
Pay data is only part of the picture. These guides cover the credential and positioning moves that push surgical technologists and other allied-health professionals toward the top of the wage band.
- The Pharm vs. MyPerfectResume — flat-fee healthcare rewrite or DIY builder? The honest side-by-side.
- Compare: medical assistant pay by state
- Compare: phlebotomist pay by state
- Compare: pharmacy technician pay by state
- Allied health resume examples
- Early-career healthcare resume track
- Mid-career healthcare resume track
Frequently asked questions
Which state pays surgical technologists the most after cost of living?
After adjusting for cost of living, Minnesota offers surgical technologists the strongest real pay — about $84,789 in cost-of-living-adjusted terms. The top five for adjusted pay are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon. Hawaii has the highest sticker wage ($82,640) but ranks lower once its cost of living is applied.
What is the average surgical tech salary in 2025?
The national median annual wage for surgical technologists is $64,650 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025). State medians range from the high $40,000s to over $80,000 before any cost-of-living adjustment.
Does a higher surgical tech salary mean more buying power?
Not always. A high sticker wage in an expensive state can buy less than a lower wage in an affordable one. Hawaii pays well nominally but loses the most purchasing power once cost of living is factored in. Cost-of-living-adjusted pay is the more honest comparison when you are deciding where to work.
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Reviewed by Keyerrá Buckley, CPhT, CLSSGB — Allied Healthcare Educator and founder of The Pharm.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025; cost-of-living index from World Population Review (2025-2026). Last verified June 2026.
See the full 2026 Allied Health Pay & Licensure Report — all four roles, national and cost-of-living-adjusted state pay, plus state licensure, in one place.
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