Federal Surgical Tech Salary 2026: GS-7 to GS-11 OPM Scale (VA / IHS / Military Civilian)
Federal civilian surgical technologists are paid on the OPM General Schedule, not an occupation-specific wage. BLS does not separately publish a federal-only wage for surgical technologists: federal civilian employment in this occupation is small enough that the figure is suppressed in the OEWS release, so there is no BLS federal mean to quote. Federal CSTs typically sit at GS-7 to GS-9, with senior or specialty roles reaching GS-10 or GS-11, plus locality pay. They work as civilian employees at VA medical centers, Indian Health Service facilities, military hospitals, and the NIH Clinical Center. For national context across all employers, the BLS OEWS median for surgical technologists is $64,650 (May 2025).
OPM General Schedule pay table (illustrative)
Selected GS grades and steps relevant to surgical technologist positions. Locality pay varies by metropolitan area; Washington-Baltimore-Arlington (DCB, 33.94% in 2026) shown as illustration.
| Grade | Step 1 (base) | Step 5 (base) | Step 5 + DCB locality |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-6 | $38,791 | $43,963 | $58,884 |
| GS-7 | $43,106 | $48,854 | $65,435 |
| GS-8 | $47,738 | $54,102 | $72,464 |
| GS-9 | $52,727 | $59,759 | $80,041 |
| GS-10 | $58,064 | $65,804 | $88,138 |
| GS-11 | $63,795 | $72,303 | $96,843 |
Source: OPM 2026 General Schedule (effective January 2026, 1% increase) + 2026 locality pay tables, Washington-Baltimore-Arlington 33.94% locality. opm.gov
Federal employer profiles
- Veterans Health Administration (VA): 171 medical centers, largest federal surgical tech employer. Search USAJobs for series 0640 (Health Aid) or 0601 (Health Specialist) with surgical technologist title.
- Indian Health Service (IHS): Tribal hospitals and clinics. IHS Loan Repayment Program offers up to $50,000 in tax-free loan repayment per 2-year service commitment, often the strongest standalone federal benefit for new-grad CSTs with student loans.
- Military Health System (civilian): Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (Bethesda), Naval Medical Center San Diego, Brooke Army Medical Center (San Antonio), and Madigan Army Medical Center (Tacoma). Civilian-CST roles are usually GS-7 to GS-9.
- NIH Clinical Center (Bethesda): Research-focused, fewer surgical positions but high pay (full DC locality applies).
The benefits side of federal pay
FERS pension typically accrues at 1.0 percent of high-3 average salary per year of service (1.1 percent at age 62+ with 20 years service). Thrift Savings Plan matches employee contributions up to 5 percent. Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage has agency premium contributions averaging 70 percent. Combined, these benefits add an estimated 18 to 25 percent to the headline GS salary in total-compensation terms, which is typically why nominal federal pay can sit below private hospital pay yet deliver competitive total compensation.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 29-2055 national estimates (no separate federal-only line is published for this occupation): bls.gov/oes/current/oes292055.htm
- OPM 2026 General Schedule + locality pay tables: opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages
- IHS Loan Repayment Program: ihs.gov/loanrepayment
- FERS basic benefits summary: opm.gov/retirement-center/fers-information