Surgical Technologist Salary by State (2026)
Pay varies by more than $35,000 between the highest and lowest states. Alaska leads with $82,640 while Mississippi sits at $47,360. Click any column header to sort. The COL-adjusted column shows real purchasing power indexed to the US average (100).
| State ↕ | Annual Salary ↓ | Hourly Rate ↕ | Employment ↕ | COL-Adjusted ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AKAlaska | $82,640 | $39.73 | 480 | $64,563 |
| DCDistrict of Columbia | $79,800 | $38.37 | 310 | $50,828 |
| CACalifornia | $78,340 | $37.66 | 14,200 | $56,360 |
| NVNevada | $74,690 | $35.91 | 1,880 | $69,804 |
| MNMinnesota | $73,820 | $35.49 | 3,140 | $70,305 |
| WAWashington | $72,190 | $34.71 | 3,980 | $59,172 |
| MAMassachusetts | $71,460 | $34.36 | 3,780 | $54,969 |
| NYNew York | $70,240 | $33.77 | 9,850 | $50,532 |
| NJNew Jersey | $68,910 | $33.13 | 4,270 | $56,484 |
| HIHawaii | $67,980 | $32.68 | 650 | $36,946 |
| OROregon | $66,920 | $32.17 | 2,140 | $57,690 |
| CTConnecticut | $66,430 | $31.94 | 1,880 | $55,824 |
| COColorado | $65,710 | $31.59 | 3,020 | $58,150 |
| RIRhode Island | $65,120 | $31.31 | 590 | $55,186 |
| MDMaryland | $64,780 | $31.15 | 3,290 | $53,983 |
| NHNew Hampshire | $63,280 | $30.42 | 770 | $55,026 |
| ILIllinois | $62,850 | $30.22 | 5,780 | $62,228 |
| AZArizona | $62,480 | $30.04 | 3,280 | $60,660 |
| VAVirginia | $60,740 | $29.20 | 4,450 | $55,218 |
| TXTexas | $60,380 | $29.03 | 14,360 | $63,558 |
| PAPennsylvania | $59,430 | $28.57 | 7,120 | $60,030 |
| UTUtah | $58,670 | $28.21 | 1,820 | $57,520 |
| WIWisconsin | $58,430 | $28.09 | 2,890 | $60,865 |
| VTVermont | $58,230 | $27.99 | 310 | $50,635 |
| NDNorth Dakota | $58,140 | $27.95 | 380 | $58,727 |
| MIMichigan | $57,910 | $27.84 | 4,620 | $63,637 |
| DEDelaware | $57,690 | $27.74 | 620 | $56,559 |
| NMNew Mexico | $57,480 | $27.63 | 890 | $63,165 |
| MEMaine | $57,310 | $27.55 | 670 | $52,100 |
| GAGeorgia | $57,240 | $27.52 | 5,340 | $60,253 |
| NENebraska | $56,140 | $26.99 | 1,130 | $61,692 |
| FLFlorida | $56,130 | $26.99 | 10,420 | $55,574 |
| WYWyoming | $55,710 | $26.78 | 290 | $58,031 |
| NCNorth Carolina | $55,690 | $26.77 | 5,110 | $58,010 |
| OHOhio | $55,610 | $26.74 | 6,290 | $61,789 |
| IDIdaho | $54,960 | $26.42 | 810 | $56,082 |
| MTMontana | $54,830 | $26.36 | 510 | $54,287 |
| INIndiana | $54,030 | $25.98 | 3,210 | $60,033 |
| MOMissouri | $53,670 | $25.80 | 3,300 | $59,633 |
| KSKansas | $53,400 | $25.67 | 1,540 | $60,000 |
| IAIowa | $52,870 | $25.42 | 1,660 | $58,744 |
| TNTennessee | $52,810 | $25.39 | 3,540 | $58,033 |
| LALouisiana | $52,610 | $25.29 | 2,230 | $57,813 |
| SCSouth Carolina | $52,440 | $25.21 | 2,280 | $55,200 |
| OKOklahoma | $51,280 | $24.65 | 1,890 | $58,943 |
| SDSouth Dakota | $50,970 | $24.51 | 440 | $54,223 |
| KYKentucky | $50,840 | $24.44 | 2,280 | $57,773 |
| ALAlabama | $50,310 | $24.19 | 2,390 | $56,528 |
| ARArkansas | $48,920 | $23.52 | 1,370 | $56,230 |
| WVWest Virginia | $47,820 | $22.99 | 790 | $56,929 |
| MSMississippi | $47,360 | $22.77 | 1,190 | $56,381 |
COL-Adjusted salary normalises pay to US average cost of living (index = 100). Source: BLS OES 2024. Employment figures are approximate. Salaries highlighted in green are above the national average ($60,610).
Top Paying Metro Areas (BLS May 2024)
| Metro Area | Mean Annual | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $91,150 | +44% |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90,870 | +44% |
| Napa, CA | $87,550 | +39% |
| Alaska non-metro area | $86,170 | +37% |
| Washington DC-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA | $82,190 | +30% |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $80,940 | +28% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,320 | +24% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $76,140 | +21% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $73,820 | +17% |
| Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $72,480 | +15% |
Why State Matters So Much for Surgical Tech Pay
The gap between the highest and lowest paying states is over $35,000 per year. Regional cost of living, union density, state healthcare funding, and local supply and demand all drive variation. States with high concentrations of Level I trauma centers and large academic medical systems tend to pay more.
Alaska and Hawaii pay a geographic premium for difficulty recruiting clinical staff. California salaries are elevated by strong union presence (Kaiser, SEIU-UHW) and a high overall wage floor set by the minimum wage and healthcare worker pay laws.
The COL-adjusted column shows what each salary buys relative to the US average (indexed at 100). A tech earning $82,640 in Alaska faces costs roughly 28% above average, adjusting down to about $64,563. A tech earning $73,820 in Minnesota faces only 5% above-average costs, making Minnesota one of the best-value high-pay states.
Nevada and Washington combine above-average nominal pay with moderate relative living costs. For career-switchers and travelers evaluating relocation, comparing COL-adjusted figures alongside nominal pay is essential.
State Deep-Dives
All figures BLS OES May 2024 (SOC 29-2055) unless noted. State rankings reflect mean annual wage. COL index sourced from Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.