BLS Surgical Technologist Median Salary 2024 (May 2024 OEWS)
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program publishes annual wage estimates for every US occupation, indexed by Standard Occupational Classification code. Surgical technologists are SOC 29-2055. The May 2024 dataset, released 26 March 2025, is the most recent authoritative federal source. May 2025 data is expected approximately 25 March 2026.
BLS OEWS May 2024 percentile table (SOC 29-2055)
National cross-industry estimates for the entire occupation. Hourly and annual figures both published by BLS.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,740 | $18.62 |
| 25th percentile | $47,960 | $23.06 |
| Median (50th) | $60,610 | $29.14 |
| Mean | $63,060 | $30.32 |
| 75th percentile | $72,180 | $34.70 |
| 90th percentile | $89,740 | $43.14 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 release. bls.gov/oes/current/oes292055.htm
Year-over-year median pay trend
BLS publishes a fresh OEWS release each spring covering the prior May reference period. Trend across the last three releases:
| Reference month | Median annual | Mean annual | YoY change (median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2022 | $55,960 | $57,490 | baseline |
| May 2023 | $58,330 | $60,610 | +4.2% |
| May 2024 | $60,610 | $63,060 | +3.9% |
Two-year cumulative median wage growth: approximately 8.3%. Source: BLS OEWS May 2022, May 2023, May 2024 archive releases.
BLS May 2024 industry breakdown
Top-paying industries that employ surgical technologists, mean annual wage:
| Industry | Mean annual | Mean hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (VA, DoD, IHS) | $71,820 | $34.53 |
| Specialty (except psychiatric) hospitals | $67,940 | $32.66 |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | $62,140 | $29.87 |
| Outpatient care centers | $58,570 | $28.16 |
| Ambulatory surgical centers | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Offices of physicians | $55,340 | $26.61 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, industry cross-tab for SOC 29-2055.
How the BLS OEWS data is collected
BLS samples approximately 200,000 establishments every six months and pools three years of survey panels to produce annual May estimates. The May 2024 release blends survey responses from May 2024, November 2023, May 2023, November 2022, May 2022, and November 2021, wage-adjusted to the May 2024 reference period. This wide sample explains why BLS figures move more slowly than crowdsourced sites such as Glassdoor or ZipRecruiter.
For surgical technologists specifically, BLS includes only employees coded under SOC 29-2055. Surgical first assistants (no separate SOC), surgical assistants (sometimes 29-1290 ambiguous), and CSFAs in independent contractor arrangements may be undercounted. That undercount is one reason BLS figures look slightly below specialty-aggregator reports for senior CST roles.
Next release: May 2025 OEWS expected late March 2026
BLS released May 2024 OEWS on 26 March 2025. The May 2025 update is expected approximately 25 March 2026. This page will refresh with the new percentile and industry tables when that release lands. Until then, May 2024 remains the authoritative federal source for surgical technologist wages. Any source citing 2025 BLS data before that date is using projections, not published OEWS figures.