Surgical Technologist Salary in Indiana (2026) - $54,030/yr
Indiana surgical technologists earn a mean of $54,030/yr (-14% vs national mean of $63,060, BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 29-2055). Low cost-of-living index of 90 pushes real purchasing power to roughly $60,033, slightly above the national real-terms benchmark. Strong inpatient hospital footprint via IU Health.
Indiana Metro Area Pay
| Metro Area | Mean Annual | Mean Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson | $57,280 | $27.54 |
| Fort Wayne | $51,420 | $24.72 |
| Evansville | $50,140 | $24.11 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $52,360 | $25.17 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $49,860 | $23.97 |
Metro estimates: BLS OEWS May 2024 metropolitan cross-tab, SOC 29-2055.
Indiana Highlights
Indianapolis dominates the state surgical market. IU Health (Methodist Hospital, University Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children) is the largest health system and includes the state Level I adult trauma center and the Riley pediatric Level I trauma. Community Health Network operates multiple hospitals across the metro. Franciscan Health and Ascension St Vincent compete for staff techs, with sign-on bonuses common at $5-10k for CST-credentialed candidates.
Outside Indianapolis: Parkview Health anchors Fort Wayne, Memorial Hospital and Beacon Health System cover South Bend, and Deaconess Health System leads in Evansville. Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital provides Level III trauma coverage in the south-central region.
Licensure: Indiana does not require state-specific surgical technologist licensure. CST through NBSTSA is the practical hiring standard. Sign-on bonuses across Indianapolis health systems typically range $5,000 to $10,000 for new-grad CST candidates. Travel surg tech contracts based out of Indianapolis frequently pay $1,900 to $2,300 per week.