Surgical Tech Salary, Job Description, Career Outlook

CSTs are among the most sought-after type of travelers. Could this career be perfect for you?

Surgical technicians provide support to surgeons before, during, and after operating room procedures. When a patient is scheduled for surgery, complex routines of staging and support are generally required/ Surgical Technologists typically have a higher level of education and prior training than Surgical Technicians. Plus, technologists are more directly involved in patient assistance, but institutional healthcare employers may use these job titles interchangeably. For this reason, the job description itself is more indicative of the role of this allied health specialty than the job title. Both Surgical Technologists and Surgical Techs support patient safety by adhering to protocol-delineated aseptic techniques, as they create and maintain a sterile surgical environment throughout the surgical procedure in a hospital or outpatient surgery setting.

Other Surgical Tech responsibilities include handling specimens and keeping track of all surgical supplies in order to ensure that everything is ready for the surgeon to use and that all equipment and materials are identified at the end of the surgery. Surgical Technologists may also be called Surgical First Assistants to denote their involvement in direct surgical-related patient assistance such as shaving patients and passing instruments to the surgeon. In contrast, Surgical Techs typically assist in preparing the surgical amphitheater for the operation and other non-patient-focused tasks.

Surgical Techs typically need to hold a certificate, diploma, or Associate's degree from an accredited program. For Surgical Technologists, at least an A.S. from an accredited program is required. Accreditation of the program is provided by either the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). In addition to a demanding curriculum, accredited training programs include supervised clinical practice during which the student receives 'hands-on' direct knowledge of typical job functions.

Following graduation from an accredited program, passing a certification exam is necessary for employment as either a Surgical Technologist or Surgical Tech. The certificate exam is administered by The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting or by the National Center of Competency Testing. Surgical Technologists/Techs are expected to keep their knowledge current by participating in continuing education and/or through retaking of exams. Both Surgical Technologists and Surgical Techs need to hold current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association, and additional certifications may be required by employers.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that the job market for surgical technologists is expected to grow much faster than average in the coming years, with a projected growth of 6 percent from 2021 to 2031. While the majority of Surgical Technologists/Techs are generalists, specializations occur among them with the most occurring in the orthopedic, cardiovascular, neurological, reconstructive, urological, and OB-GYN arenas.

While ensuring that the operating room and instruments are sterile and that the surgical team has all of the necessary instruments for the operation is the typical job description for a Surgical Tech, a Surgical Technologist's job description often includes patient-focused duties during the surgery -- including applying dressings to surgical sites, retracting tissues from the surgical patient during the operation, passing instruments to the surgeon, and/or manipulating the camera or robotic arms during the surgery. Being a Surgical Tech is ranked in the top 25 best healthcare support jobs by U.S. News, and also in their list of highest-paying job for employees who have never attained a college degree.

The median annual Surgical Tech salary nationwide in 2023 was $60,370 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, current annual salaries can be as high as $143,000 or as low as $33,000, per ZipRecruiter. Surgical Tech salaries vary widely depending upon educational attainment, years of experience, type of healthcare facility, and geographic location. If hired for specialization in order to support certain types of highly complex operations such as organ transplant surgeries, salaries tend to be at the high end of the salary spectrum. As of 2022, The best-paying locale at present for Surgical Technologists/Techs is California's Santa Barbara County.

Yes, you can work as a travel Surgical Technologist/Technician. Hospitals and outpatient surgery centers often schedule more surgeries on a seasonal basis, and travel Surgical Techs help facilities cope with the temporary uptick. Most facilities want their travelers to have at least one year of experience in a setting similar to their own. Many healthcare employers, though not all, require traveling Surgical Techs to be certified. Traveling CST positions are among the most frequently posted, with certain locations experiencing seasonal hiring trends. In the Northeast, the winter ski season can necessitate more knee surgeries. Similarly, the winter influx of retirees to sunny spots like Florida and Arizona can translate to a seasonal increase in surgeries in these locales.