Surgical Technologist Salary in Florida (2026) - $64,360/yr
Florida pays a mean of $64,360/yr, about 6% below the national mean of $68,710. However, Florida has no state income tax and no surgical tech registration requirement, lowering the barrier to entry and improving effective take-home pay. COL index of 101 puts purchasing power at approximately $63,723 adjusted.
Florida Metro Area Pay
| Metro Area | Mean Annual | Mean Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $70,230 | $33.76 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $66,670 | $32.05 |
| Jacksonville | $65,900 | $31.69 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $63,230 | $30.40 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $61,920 | $29.77 |
Florida Highlights
AdventHealth is one of Florida's largest healthcare employers with a major campus in Orlando (AdventHealth Orlando, formerly Florida Hospital, Level II trauma) and facilities statewide. HCA Healthcare operates a large Florida division with hospitals across every major metro including HCA Florida Kendall Hospital (Level II, Miami) and Blake Hospital (Tampa). Baptist Health South Florida (Miami-Dade/Monroe) is the largest not-for-profit in South Florida with six hospitals and multiple surgical centers.
Tampa Bay: Tampa General Hospital (Level I, academic) is the flagship and pays at the upper end of the Tampa market. BayCare Health System (11 hospitals across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk counties) is a major regional employer. Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa) employs oncology surgical techs with specialty premiums. UF Health Shands (Gainesville) offers academic medical center rates slightly above the Florida average.
Entry and licensure: Florida does not require surgical technologist registration or licensure, making it one of the easier states to enter practice. No state income tax adds approximately 5-7% to effective take-home vs. states with income taxes at similar nominal pay. The relatively lower nominal wages vs. national mean reflect lower COL in most Florida metros outside South Florida, where housing costs have risen sharply since 2021.