Surgical Technologist Salary by State (2026)
Pay varies by more than $33,000 between the highest and lowest states. Massachusetts leads with $83,820 while Alabama sits at $50,680. 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 ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAMassachusetts | $83,820 | $40.30 | 2,220 | $64,477 |
| CACalifornia | $82,810 | $39.81 | 11,920 | $59,576 |
| NYNew York | $81,990 | $39.42 | 6,540 | $58,986 |
| OROregon | $80,990 | $38.94 | 1,090 | $69,819 |
| AKAlaska | $79,670 | $38.30 | 310 | $62,242 |
| MNMinnesota | $79,670 | $38.30 | 1,770 | $75,876 |
| WAWashington | $78,400 | $37.69 | 2,510 | $64,262 |
| CTConnecticut | $76,710 | $36.88 | 1,220 | $64,462 |
| NJNew Jersey | $75,640 | $36.36 | 2,780 | $62,000 |
| NVNevada | $74,880 | $36.00 | 1,110 | $69,981 |
| RIRhode Island | $73,920 | $35.54 | 240 | $62,644 |
| HIHawaii | $73,790 | $35.48 | 290 | $40,103 |
| COColorado | $72,820 | $35.01 | 2,100 | $64,442 |
| AZArizona | $72,640 | $34.92 | 2,410 | $70,524 |
| WIWisconsin | $72,530 | $34.87 | 2,180 | $75,552 |
| NHNew Hampshire | $72,380 | $34.80 | 370 | $62,939 |
| VAVirginia | $71,790 | $34.51 | 1,910 | $65,264 |
| DCDistrict of Columbia | $70,610 | $33.95 | 340 | $44,975 |
| ILIllinois | $70,070 | $33.69 | 3,570 | $69,376 |
| IDIdaho | $69,990 | $33.65 | 1,100 | $71,418 |
| MDMaryland | $69,740 | $33.53 | 1,880 | $58,117 |
| INIndiana | $66,930 | $32.18 | 2,680 | $74,367 |
| TXTexas | $66,640 | $32.04 | 10,160 | $70,147 |
| UTUtah | $65,620 | $31.55 | 1,170 | $64,333 |
| NENebraska | $65,290 | $31.39 | 770 | $71,747 |
| MEMaine | $65,140 | $31.32 | 470 | $59,218 |
| OHOhio | $64,770 | $31.14 | 3,730 | $71,967 |
| GAGeorgia | $64,610 | $31.06 | 4,380 | $68,011 |
| MIMichigan | $64,590 | $31.05 | 3,840 | $70,978 |
| VTVermont | $64,550 | $31.03 | 140 | $56,130 |
| FLFlorida | $64,360 | $30.94 | 9,120 | $63,723 |
| DEDelaware | $64,320 | $30.92 | 340 | $63,059 |
| PAPennsylvania | $63,480 | $30.52 | 4,490 | $64,121 |
| NCNorth Carolina | $61,530 | $29.58 | 4,400 | $64,094 |
| KYKentucky | $61,370 | $29.50 | 1,440 | $69,739 |
| MOMissouri | $60,980 | $29.32 | 2,100 | $67,756 |
| NDNorth Dakota | $60,860 | $29.26 | 370 | $61,475 |
| IAIowa | $60,450 | $29.06 | 950 | $67,167 |
| OKOklahoma | $60,450 | $29.06 | 1,940 | $69,483 |
| MTMontana | $60,440 | $29.06 | 490 | $59,842 |
| TNTennessee | $60,110 | $28.90 | 3,310 | $66,055 |
| SCSouth Carolina | $60,050 | $28.87 | 2,680 | $63,211 |
| KSKansas | $59,880 | $28.79 | 1,200 | $67,281 |
| WYWyoming | $59,730 | $28.72 | 210 | $62,219 |
| NMNew Mexico | $58,580 | $28.16 | 540 | $64,374 |
| SDSouth Dakota | $58,390 | $28.07 | 600 | $62,117 |
| ARArkansas | $57,940 | $27.86 | 1,640 | $66,598 |
| LALouisiana | $55,870 | $26.86 | 2,230 | $61,396 |
| MSMississippi | $53,190 | $25.57 | 1,110 | $63,321 |
| WVWest Virginia | $52,290 | $25.14 | 580 | $62,250 |
| ALAlabama | $50,680 | $24.36 | 2,480 | $56,944 |
COL-Adjusted salary normalises pay to US average cost of living (index = 100). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Employment figures are approximate. Salaries highlighted in green are above the national mean ($68,710).
Top Paying Metro Areas (BLS May 2025)
| Metro Area | Mean Annual | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $105,420 | +53% |
| Vallejo, CA | $103,120 | +50% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $96,990 | +41% |
| Napa, CA | $96,920 | +41% |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $95,450 | +39% |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $93,780 | +37% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $85,810 | +25% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $84,590 | +23% |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $84,210 | +23% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81,640 | +19% |
Why State Matters So Much for Surgical Tech Pay
The gap between the highest and lowest paying states is over $33,000 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 $83,820 in Massachusetts faces costs roughly 30% above average, adjusting down to about $64,477. A tech earning $79,670 in Minnesota faces only 5% above-average costs (adjusting up to about $75,876), 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 OEWS May 2025 (SOC 29-2055) unless noted. State rankings reflect mean annual wage. COL index sourced from Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.