| State | 2026 mean salary | Hourly rate | Cost-of-living index |
|---|
| California | $90,000 | $43 | 142, high |
| New York | $83,000 | $40 | 139, high |
| Nevada | $80,000 | $38 | 105, average |
| Washington | $78,000 | $37 | 115, moderate |
| Oregon | $76,000 | $37 | 118, moderate |
| Alaska | $75,000 | $36 | 127, high |
| Massachusetts | $74,000 | $36 | 135, high |
| Connecticut | $73,000 | $35 | 129, high |
| New Jersey | $72,000 | $35 | 128, high |
| Maryland | $70,000 | $34 | 113, moderate |
| Texas | $60,000 | $29 | 99, average |
| Florida | $58,000 | $28 | 103, average |
| Illinois | $61,000 | $29 | 96, below average |
| Ohio | $58,000 | $28 | 91, below average |
| Pennsylvania | $59,000 | $28 | 97, average |
| National median | $60,000 | $29 | 100, baseline |
What works: California, New York, and Massachusetts pay the highest nominal salaries, but the cost of living in those states is 35% to 40% above the national average. Nevada, Washington, and Oregon often deliver the best balance, with pay 25% to 35% above the national median and cost of living at or below 20% above. For early-career surgical techs, Texas and Florida tend to give more take-home pay per dollar, with cost of living below the national average and salary at the national median, per the BLS May 2025 release and the MERIC 2026 cost-of-living index.
Hourly rate for surgical techs
Hourly rates for surgical techs in 2026 run from $22 to $41, with a national median of $28 to $32 per hour. Entry-level rates start at $22 to $26, mid-career rates run $26 to $34, and senior or specialty rates reach $34 to $41. Cardiac surgical techs earn $33 to $41, neurosurgical techs earn $34 to $43, and transplant or trauma surgical techs earn $35 to $46. Travel surgical techs earn $38 to $62 per hour, which is 30% to 50% above staff rates, because the higher hourly rate makes up for the lack of benefits and the disruption of relocation, per the AST 2026 survey and the BLS May 2025 release.
What works: overtime is paid at 1.5x the base rate at most employers, and many hospitals offer call or standby pay of $4 to $8 per hour for surgical techs who cover emergency procedures. What works less well: hourly rates stay flat in the bottom-quartile-paying states regardless of experience. A practical move is to specialize in cardiac, neuro, or transplant, since the specialty differential runs $5 to $10 per hour, and to pick up call shifts when available, because the standby plus activation pay can add $10,000 to $20,000 a year to a mid-career surgical tech.
Highest-paying employers for surgical techs
The highest-paying surgical tech employers in 2026 are HCA Healthcare at $62,000 to $82,000, Kaiser Permanente at $80,000 to $105,000, Cleveland Clinic at $70,000 to $92,000, Mayo Clinic at $75,000 to $98,000, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at $63,000 to $85,000. Hospital systems typically pay more than ambulatory surgery centers, but ambulatory centers offer better hours and lighter call. Travel agencies including AMN Healthcare, Aya Healthcare, and Trusted Nurse Staffing pay the highest gross hourly rates at $38 to $62, but the benefits are minimal, per the AST 2026 survey and employer-reported salary data for 2026.
What works: Kaiser Permanente and the Mayo Clinic offer the highest base salaries with the best benefits, including pension plans, retiree health insurance, and tuition reimbursement for advanced surgical specialties. What works less well: the highest-paying employers are concentrated in California, Minnesota, and Ohio, which means geographic mobility is required. For top pay with career development, Kaiser Permanente in California is often the strongest pick, while a travel contract through Aya or AMN delivers the most flexibility.
Surgical tech career outlook through 2034
The surgical tech job outlook through 2034 is strong. The BLS projects 6% employment growth from 2024 to 2034, faster than the 4% average for all occupations. By 2034, the US will need around 127,000 surgical technologists, an increase of 7,000 from the current base of 120,000. The drivers are the aging US population, increased surgical volume, the expansion of outpatient surgery centers, and the increased complexity of surgical procedures. The role is projected to remain a top-quartile healthcare job for employment stability through 2034, per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2026.
What works: stable employment growth, the option to specialize in higher-paying surgical services, geographic mobility, and a clear path into management, education, or vendor roles. What works less well: shift work including nights, weekends, and holidays is common, the work involves exposure to bloodborne pathogens and surgical smoke, and the pay ceiling without management or specialization is around $85,000. A reliable move is to earn the CST credential within 1 year of graduation, then specialize in cardiac, neuro, or transplant within 2 years, because specialty surgical techs earn 10% to 25% more than general surgical techs at every experience level.
How to maximize your surgical tech salary in 2026
Four levers move the needle. First, earn the CST credential within 1 year of graduation. Second, specialize in cardiac, neuro, or transplant surgery within 2 years, since specialty surgical techs earn 10% to 25% more than general surgical techs. Third, target California, New York, Nevada, Washington, or Oregon, where pay is 25% to 50% above the national median. Fourth, negotiate hard on sign-on bonus and on-call differential, since the spread on offers for the same role can run 15% to 25%. For new graduates, the most useful first step is to start at a level 1 or level 2 trauma center for the strongest clinical experience, then move to a specialty or a travel contract after 2 to 3 years.
What works: multiple paths to higher pay including specialty, geography, employer, and credential. What works less well: it takes 2 to 4 years of focused effort to reach the senior pay band. The fastest route to six figures is to specialize in cardiac or neuro, then target California or a Kaiser Permanente role, since the combination adds $20,000 to $30,000 a year over a staff general surgical tech role in a low-cost state.
Photo: coyot, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/mask-surgical-mask-virus-protection-4898571/)
Fazlur Rahman
