282 metro areas
Surgical Technologist Salary by City (2026)
Surgical technologists earn the most in San Jose, CA, an average of $105,410 a year, against $68,710 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($95,460 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $68,710BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $105,410San Jose, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $95,460San Jose, CA
- Metro areas
- 282With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for surgical technologists
Top 10 metro areas
- San Jose, CA$105,410
- Vallejo, CA$103,130
- San Francisco, CA$96,990
- Napa, CA$96,910
- Santa Cruz, CA$95,450
- Santa Rosa, CA$93,790
- Boston, MA-NH$85,800
- Buffalo, NY$85,200
- New York, NY-NJ$84,590
- Hartford, CT$84,470
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $105,410 |
| Vallejo, CA | $103,130 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $96,990 |
| Napa, CA | $96,910 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $95,450 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $93,790 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $85,800 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $85,200 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $84,590 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $84,470 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- San Jose, CA$105,410 nominal$95,460
- Vallejo, CA$103,130 nominal$95,070
- Buffalo, NY$85,200 nominal$88,890
- Rochester, MN$80,450 nominal$88,580
- Santa Rosa, CA$93,790 nominal$87,020
- Santa Cruz, CA$95,450 nominal$86,850
- Pittsfield, MA$82,560 nominal$86,810
- Napa, CA$96,910 nominal$86,100
- San Francisco, CA$96,990 nominal$83,890
- Redding, CA$83,890 nominal$83,320
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $95,460 |
| Vallejo, CA | $95,070 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $88,890 |
| Rochester, MN | $88,580 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $87,020 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $86,850 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $86,810 |
| Napa, CA | $86,100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $83,890 |
| Redding, CA | $83,320 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Surgical Technologist salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $105,410 | $77,460 | $119,200 | $95,460 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $103,130 | $77,830 | $115,590 | $95,070 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $96,990 | $68,910 | $110,820 | $83,890 |
| 4 | Napa, CA | $96,910 | $73,800 | $108,310 | $86,100 |
| 5 | Santa Cruz, CA | $95,450 | $70,530 | $107,720 | $86,850 |
| 6 | Santa Rosa, CA | $93,790 | $69,140 | $105,910 | $87,020 |
| 7 | Boston, MA-NH | $85,800 | $62,860 | $97,120 | $79,250 |
| 8 | Buffalo, NY | $85,200 | $62,630 | $96,320 | $88,890 |
| 9 | New York, NY-NJ | $84,590 | $62,690 | $95,390 | $75,150 |
| 10 | Hartford, CT | $84,470 | $65,500 | $93,810 | $82,210 |
| 11 | Bellingham, WA | $84,340 | $65,940 | $93,410 | $81,620 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $84,220 | $72,760 | $89,860 | $80,350 |
| 13 | Redding, CA | $83,890 | $60,610 | $95,370 | $83,320 |
| 14 | Stockton, CA | $83,820 | $56,830 | $97,140 | $79,760 |
| 15 | Bridgeport, CT | $83,760 | $60,110 | $95,410 | $78,380 |
| 16 | Oxnard, CA | $83,030 | $58,610 | $95,060 | $75,120 |
| 17 | San Diego, CA | $82,720 | $63,250 | $92,310 | $73,930 |
| 18 | Pittsfield, MA | $82,560 | $59,610 | $93,850 | $86,810 |
| 19 | Portland, OR-WA | $81,830 | $65,020 | $90,130 | $77,620 |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | $81,640 | $59,320 | $92,640 | $73,460 |
| 21 | Anchorage, AK | $81,620 | $60,110 | $92,210 | $77,420 |
| 22 | Los Angeles, CA | $81,620 | $59,030 | $92,750 | $71,870 |
| 23 | Salem, OR | $81,020 | $67,870 | $87,480 | $78,170 |
| 24 | Worcester, MA | $80,810 | $60,570 | $90,750 | $78,820 |
| 25 | Rochester, MN | $80,450 | $67,580 | $86,800 | $88,580 |
| 26 | Santa Maria, CA | $80,350 | $56,680 | $92,000 | $73,850 |
| 27 | Norwich, CT | $80,100 | $64,770 | $87,630 | $79,750 |
| 28 | Mount Vernon, WA | $79,270 | $58,610 | $89,440 | $77,380 |
| 29 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $79,210 | $53,850 | $91,690 | $72,940 |
| 30 | Eugene, OR | $79,140 | $63,090 | $87,070 | $77,920 |
| 31 | Barnstable Town, MA | $78,640 | $62,000 | $86,840 | $79,960 |
| 32 | Modesto, CA | $78,420 | $58,030 | $88,460 | $75,330 |
| 33 | Boulder, CO | $78,370 | $60,010 | $87,400 | $74,490 |
| 34 | Springfield, MA | $78,350 | $64,110 | $85,380 | $81,560 |
| 35 | Chico, CA | $77,630 | $53,270 | $89,630 | $76,710 |
| 36 | Medford, OR | $77,600 | $61,280 | $85,630 | $76,500 |
| 37 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $77,290 | $54,560 | $88,500 | $70,980 |
| 38 | Salinas, CA | $76,790 | $57,200 | $86,440 | $70,420 |
| 39 | Greeley, CO | $76,540 | $58,390 | $85,490 | $76,410 |
| 40 | Ithaca, NY | $76,460 | $61,110 | $84,010 | $74,010 |
| 41 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $76,460 | $61,800 | $83,700 | $69,880 |
| 42 | Providence, RI-MA | $76,020 | $59,030 | $84,410 | $74,700 |
| 43 | Reno, NV | $75,960 | $61,880 | $82,890 | $75,200 |
| 44 | Waterbury, CT | $75,670 | $53,210 | $86,740 | $75,840 |
| 45 | Sacramento, CA | $75,650 | $45,700 | $90,400 | $70,920 |
| 46 | Bakersfield, CA | $74,860 | $55,810 | $84,240 | $74,200 |
| 47 | South Bend, IN-MI | $74,760 | $55,060 | $84,470 | $80,510 |
| 48 | Las Vegas, NV | $74,710 | $50,920 | $86,420 | $74,550 |
| 49 | Phoenix, AZ | $74,690 | $56,640 | $83,600 | $72,290 |
| 50 | Riverside, CA | $74,550 | $55,430 | $83,950 | $70,040 |
| 51 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $74,440 | $46,740 | $88,070 | $67,090 |
| 52 | Madison, WI | $74,420 | $59,220 | $81,910 | $76,500 |
| 53 | Milwaukee, WI | $74,280 | $61,980 | $80,330 | $76,630 |
| 54 | Kennewick, WA | $73,990 | $57,370 | $82,160 | $73,930 |
| 55 | Dallas, TX | $73,860 | $51,670 | $84,800 | $71,650 |
| 56 | Eau Claire, WI | $73,630 | $61,170 | $79,770 | $79,350 |
| 57 | Denver, CO | $73,470 | $55,200 | $82,470 | $69,450 |
| 58 | Chicago, IL-IN | $73,090 | $56,040 | $81,490 | $70,550 |
| 59 | Duluth, MN-WI | $72,720 | $62,550 | $77,710 | $81,920 |
| 60 | Manchester, NH | $72,590 | $57,280 | $80,140 | $68,700 |
| 61 | Boise City, ID | $72,360 | $53,980 | $81,410 | $73,540 |
| 62 | Oshkosh, WI | $72,030 | $61,440 | $77,250 | $77,510 |
| 63 | Austin, TX | $71,950 | $55,040 | $80,290 | $73,370 |
| 64 | Colorado Springs, CO | $71,800 | $57,640 | $78,770 | $71,300 |
| 65 | Bremerton, WA | $71,700 | $52,670 | $81,060 | $67,890 |
| 66 | Green Bay, WI | $71,610 | $59,530 | $77,560 | $76,930 |
| 67 | Pueblo, CO | $71,260 | $54,390 | $79,580 | $77,660 |
| 68 | Fort Collins, CO | $70,990 | $53,750 | $79,480 | $70,200 |
| 69 | Trenton, NJ | $70,990 | $54,390 | $79,190 | $68,800 |
| 70 | Spokane, WA | $70,950 | $53,910 | $79,350 | $70,710 |
| 71 | Appleton, WI | $70,410 | $59,360 | $75,860 | $76,190 |
| 72 | Salt Lake City, UT | $70,390 | $48,570 | $81,120 | $69,780 |
| 73 | Miami, FL | $70,220 | $49,380 | $80,500 | $61,510 |
| 74 | Dayton, OH | $70,160 | $54,180 | $78,040 | $75,690 |
| 75 | Fairbanks, AK | $70,160 | $55,200 | $77,500 | $67,980 |
| 76 | Grand Junction, CO | $70,080 | $53,410 | $78,290 | $73,400 |
| 77 | Wausau, WI | $70,030 | $57,510 | $76,190 | $75,580 |
| 78 | Greenville, NC | $69,930 | $55,490 | $77,040 | $79,100 |
| 79 | Bozeman, MT | $69,870 | $46,990 | $81,140 | $68,160 |
| 80 | Janesville, WI | $69,760 | $57,490 | $75,820 | $74,450 |
| 81 | Houston, TX | $69,600 | $48,670 | $79,890 | $70,570 |
| 82 | New Haven, CT | $69,580 | $44,890 | $81,720 | $66,550 |
| 83 | Baltimore, MD | $69,530 | $51,880 | $78,250 | $66,540 |
| 84 | Sheboygan, WI | $69,490 | $58,780 | $74,760 | $73,910 |
| 85 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $69,180 | $52,150 | $77,580 | $75,890 |
| 86 | Wenatchee, WA | $69,160 | $48,480 | $79,350 | $66,590 |
| 87 | Waco, TX | $69,080 | $52,690 | $77,170 | $74,640 |
| 88 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $68,620 | $48,730 | $78,420 | $70,060 |
| 89 | Fort Wayne, IN | $68,580 | $56,370 | $74,590 | $74,080 |
| 90 | Portland, ME | $68,560 | $52,980 | $76,230 | $67,310 |
| 91 | Kenosha, WI | $68,430 | $53,250 | $75,900 | $67,670 |
| 92 | Omaha, NE-IA | $68,410 | $54,700 | $75,170 | $74,430 |
| 93 | Twin Falls, ID | $68,410 | $55,520 | $74,760 | $74,270 |
| 94 | Atlanta, GA | $68,330 | $46,800 | $78,940 | $68,290 |
| 95 | Kalamazoo, MI | $68,270 | $46,590 | $78,960 | $71,980 |
| 96 | Lafayette, IN | $68,200 | $57,410 | $73,510 | $73,000 |
| 97 | Bloomington, IL | $68,160 | $52,670 | $75,800 | $72,870 |
| 98 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $67,970 | $53,660 | $75,030 | $71,270 |
| 99 | St. Cloud, MN | $67,910 | $56,350 | $73,610 | $77,490 |
| 100 | Columbus, OH | $67,850 | $54,540 | $74,400 | $71,070 |
| 101 | Evansville, IN | $67,660 | $57,100 | $72,860 | $73,920 |
| 102 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $67,600 | $50,920 | $75,820 | $67,450 |
| 103 | Grand Rapids, MI | $67,580 | $45,990 | $78,210 | $70,730 |
| 104 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $67,500 | $54,600 | $73,840 | $65,820 |
| 105 | Tucson, AZ | $67,480 | $50,960 | $75,590 | $69,640 |
| 106 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $67,330 | $52,000 | $74,880 | $72,340 |
| 107 | Indianapolis, IN | $67,040 | $53,660 | $73,630 | $70,060 |
| 108 | Tampa, FL | $66,660 | $49,440 | $75,170 | $66,070 |
| 109 | Michigan City, IN | $66,440 | $54,390 | $72,360 | $72,470 |
| 110 | Albany, NY | $66,390 | $49,750 | $74,590 | $66,680 |
| 111 | Naples, FL | $66,160 | $54,560 | $71,880 | $64,110 |
| 112 | Yakima, WA | $66,160 | $56,200 | $71,070 | $69,240 |
| 113 | Detroit, MI | $66,140 | $50,500 | $73,840 | $65,940 |
| 114 | Springfield, IL | $66,080 | $53,560 | $72,260 | $71,250 |
| 115 | Fresno, CA | $65,960 | $46,240 | $75,670 | $64,570 |
| 116 | Jacksonville, FL | $65,920 | $50,770 | $73,360 | $66,260 |
| 117 | Ogden, UT | $65,890 | $46,400 | $75,480 | $65,660 |
| 118 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $65,850 | $47,800 | $74,760 | $69,980 |
| 119 | St. George, UT | $65,850 | $50,190 | $73,570 | $67,660 |
| 120 | Lincoln, NE | $65,830 | $56,800 | $70,280 | $71,880 |
| 121 | York, PA | $65,810 | $51,080 | $73,070 | $68,550 |
| 122 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $65,690 | $51,190 | $72,820 | $67,480 |
| 123 | Asheville, NC | $65,440 | $48,400 | $73,840 | $67,810 |
| 124 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $65,440 | $51,060 | $72,510 | $70,710 |
| 125 | Syracuse, NY | $65,170 | $53,000 | $71,160 | $68,070 |
| 126 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $65,150 | $46,380 | $74,380 | $75,850 |
| 127 | Lancaster, PA | $65,060 | $48,550 | $73,200 | $66,210 |
| 128 | Athens, GA | $64,880 | $49,340 | $72,530 | $69,510 |
| 129 | Cleveland, OH | $64,580 | $49,380 | $72,070 | $68,760 |
| 130 | Lubbock, TX | $64,580 | $49,380 | $72,050 | $70,720 |
| 131 | Richmond, VA | $64,560 | $49,670 | $71,910 | $65,970 |
| 132 | Spartanburg, SC | $64,460 | $58,160 | $67,580 | $70,800 |
| 133 | Nashville, TN | $64,440 | $52,250 | $70,450 | $66,890 |
| 134 | Pocatello, ID | $64,440 | $54,480 | $69,350 | $72,480 |
| 135 | Bloomington, IN | $64,170 | $54,810 | $68,760 | $67,490 |
| 136 | Rockford, IL | $64,130 | $51,040 | $70,570 | $69,590 |
| 137 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $64,000 | $44,410 | $73,630 | $74,030 |
| 138 | Toledo, OH | $63,860 | $52,770 | $69,330 | $69,830 |
| 139 | Longview, TX | $63,690 | $49,400 | $70,740 | $71,170 |
| 140 | Raleigh, NC | $63,670 | $51,190 | $69,830 | $64,870 |
| 141 | Lansing, MI | $63,520 | $43,990 | $73,150 | $66,870 |
| 142 | Oklahoma City, OK | $63,420 | $51,900 | $69,080 | $70,150 |
| 143 | Dubuque, IA | $63,320 | $52,580 | $68,600 | $72,510 |
| 144 | Cape Coral, FL | $63,230 | $48,590 | $70,430 | $61,780 |
| 145 | Sebastian, FL | $63,130 | $45,300 | $71,880 | $64,220 |
| 146 | Peoria, IL | $63,110 | $50,690 | $69,220 | $69,180 |
| 147 | Lexington, KY | $62,980 | $48,050 | $70,320 | $67,800 |
| 148 | Pittsburgh, PA | $62,820 | $45,070 | $71,550 | $66,360 |
| 149 | Terre Haute, IN | $62,690 | $50,460 | $68,720 | $71,400 |
| 150 | Des Moines, IA | $62,650 | $54,970 | $66,440 | $68,320 |
| 151 | Pensacola, FL | $62,570 | $46,360 | $70,530 | $64,030 |
| 152 | Rapid City, SD | $62,480 | $50,810 | $68,240 | $70,080 |
| 153 | Burlington, VT | $62,400 | $49,610 | $68,700 | $61,810 |
| 154 | Davenport, IA-IL | $62,340 | $50,960 | $67,930 | $69,980 |
| 155 | Fayetteville, AR | $62,320 | $45,470 | $70,620 | $68,220 |
| 156 | Utica, NY | $62,170 | $47,860 | $69,220 | $67,080 |
| 157 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $62,150 | $48,820 | $68,700 | $62,170 |
| 158 | Greenville, SC | $62,030 | $51,420 | $67,270 | $66,510 |
| 159 | Orlando, FL | $61,920 | $44,680 | $70,430 | $61,050 |
| 160 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $61,840 | $47,670 | $68,810 | $65,030 |
| 161 | Rochester, NY | $61,820 | $45,280 | $69,950 | $63,710 |
| 162 | Paducah, KY-IL | $61,780 | $45,860 | $69,600 | $71,770 |
| 163 | Charleston, SC | $61,710 | $50,860 | $67,040 | $61,120 |
| 164 | Bowling Green, KY | $61,670 | $46,840 | $68,970 | $68,390 |
| 165 | Augusta, GA-SC | $61,610 | $47,780 | $68,410 | $67,040 |
| 166 | Roanoke, VA | $61,590 | $45,530 | $69,490 | $65,790 |
| 167 | Columbia, SC | $61,510 | $49,920 | $67,200 | $65,670 |
| 168 | Fargo, ND-MN | $61,420 | $54,700 | $64,730 | $67,590 |
| 169 | Fayetteville, NC | $61,420 | $48,460 | $67,810 | $66,780 |
| 170 | Helena, MT | $61,420 | $42,180 | $70,890 | $64,200 |
| 171 | Savannah, GA | $61,420 | $49,460 | $67,310 | $64,510 |
| 172 | Traverse City, MI | $61,420 | $50,770 | $66,660 | $65,780 |
| 173 | Akron, OH | $61,380 | $48,860 | $67,560 | $65,740 |
| 174 | Provo, UT | $61,280 | $46,260 | $68,660 | $62,380 |
| 175 | Flagstaff, AZ | $61,260 | $46,260 | $68,640 | $61,060 |
| 176 | Hilton Head Island, SC | $61,210 | $48,360 | $67,540 | $62,450 |
| 177 | Harrisburg, PA | $61,170 | $45,780 | $68,760 | $62,010 |
| 178 | Beaumont, TX | $60,990 | $48,190 | $67,290 | $67,730 |
| 179 | Winston, NC | $60,610 | $45,570 | $68,020 | $65,850 |
| 180 | Macon, GA | $60,530 | $45,490 | $67,950 | $68,370 |
| 181 | Springfield, MO | $60,510 | $45,010 | $68,140 | $68,310 |
| 182 | Punta Gorda, FL | $60,490 | $50,020 | $65,620 | $60,170 |
| 183 | Canton, OH | $60,470 | $48,780 | $66,230 | $67,640 |
| 184 | Missoula, MT | $60,420 | $39,710 | $70,620 | $62,650 |
| 185 | Erie, PA | $60,320 | $44,970 | $67,870 | $66,320 |
| 186 | Crestview, FL | $60,280 | $44,930 | $67,830 | $62,120 |
| 187 | Flint, MI | $60,240 | $46,430 | $67,020 | $64,750 |
| 188 | Enid, OK | $60,170 | $47,690 | $66,310 | $71,400 |
| 189 | North Port, FL | $60,110 | $45,510 | $67,310 | $58,690 |
| 190 | Kingsport, TN-VA | $60,070 | $44,080 | $67,930 | $69,490 |
| 191 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $60,050 | $49,030 | $65,480 | $65,140 |
| 192 | Durham, NC | $60,010 | $45,610 | $67,100 | $61,500 |
| 193 | Florence, SC | $59,990 | $43,330 | $68,180 | $69,130 |
| 194 | Atlantic City, NJ | $59,780 | $41,930 | $68,560 | $60,470 |
| 195 | Bismarck, ND | $59,760 | $49,650 | $64,730 | $65,650 |
| 196 | Ocala, FL | $59,760 | $42,470 | $68,270 | $62,750 |
| 197 | Visalia, CA | $59,700 | $44,570 | $67,140 | $59,800 |
| 198 | Little Rock, AR | $59,680 | $44,780 | $67,020 | $66,780 |
| 199 | El Paso, TX | $59,590 | $41,180 | $68,640 | $66,280 |
| 200 | Albany, GA | $59,570 | $43,660 | $67,390 | $67,950 |
| 201 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $59,470 | $46,740 | $65,750 | $65,020 |
| 202 | Joplin, MO-KS | $59,360 | $46,970 | $65,480 | $69,250 |
| 203 | Lima, OH | $59,300 | $47,130 | $65,290 | $66,130 |
| 204 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $59,260 | $44,200 | $66,660 | $62,930 |
| 205 | Jackson, TN | $59,260 | $47,740 | $64,940 | $69,290 |
| 206 | Hammond, LA | $59,220 | $44,470 | $66,460 | $70,120 |
| 207 | Iowa City, IA | $59,180 | $49,570 | $63,900 | $64,670 |
| 208 | Dalton, GA | $59,110 | $47,200 | $64,980 | $65,790 |
| 209 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $58,990 | $50,020 | $63,400 | $68,070 |
| 210 | Deltona, FL | $58,970 | $42,040 | $67,310 | $59,350 |
| 211 | Bangor, ME | $58,950 | $44,050 | $66,290 | $61,080 |
| 212 | McAllen, TX | $58,860 | $43,200 | $66,580 | $68,530 |
| 213 | Elkhart, IN | $58,840 | $42,660 | $66,810 | $65,140 |
| 214 | Lakeland, FL | $58,820 | $47,300 | $64,500 | $60,550 |
| 215 | College Station, TX | $58,780 | $37,460 | $69,280 | $64,630 |
| 216 | New Orleans, LA | $58,780 | $41,770 | $67,140 | $63,480 |
| 217 | Sherman, TX | $58,610 | $37,000 | $69,260 | $62,500 |
| 218 | Tulsa, OK | $58,590 | $48,690 | $63,480 | $65,670 |
| 219 | Albuquerque, NM | $58,390 | $45,910 | $64,540 | $61,110 |
| 220 | Kankakee, IL | $58,360 | $46,200 | $64,380 | $60,540 |
| 221 | Wilmington, NC | $58,320 | $46,950 | $63,920 | $60,480 |
| 222 | Salisbury, MD | $58,010 | $48,420 | $62,730 | $60,670 |
| 223 | Abilene, TX | $57,990 | $40,230 | $66,750 | $64,170 |
| 224 | Greensboro, NC | $57,840 | $47,820 | $62,800 | $62,280 |
| 225 | Victoria, TX | $57,700 | $38,190 | $67,310 | $64,230 |
| 226 | Jackson, MS | $57,450 | $43,680 | $64,250 | $64,520 |
| 227 | Lawton, OK | $57,350 | $46,610 | $62,650 | $66,730 |
| 228 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $57,080 | $44,950 | $63,040 | $62,980 |
| 229 | Waterloo, IA | $56,680 | $47,220 | $61,360 | $65,110 |
| 230 | Knoxville, TN | $56,600 | $47,590 | $61,030 | $61,140 |
| 231 | Amarillo, TX | $56,560 | $40,310 | $64,560 | $61,600 |
| 232 | Billings, MT | $56,560 | $39,000 | $65,210 | $60,480 |
| 233 | Slidell, LA | $56,450 | $44,800 | $62,190 | $60,880 |
| 234 | Johnson City, TN | $56,370 | $46,070 | $61,420 | $64,110 |
| 235 | Lafayette, LA | $56,260 | $44,160 | $62,230 | $64,510 |
| 236 | Wichita, KS | $56,240 | $45,860 | $61,340 | $63,230 |
| 237 | Logan, UT-ID | $56,220 | $40,140 | $64,150 | $58,610 |
| 238 | Lake Charles, LA | $56,200 | $44,970 | $61,710 | $65,460 |
| 239 | Pinehurst, NC | $56,160 | $40,250 | $64,000 | $63,580 |
| 240 | Casper, WY | $55,990 | $43,120 | $62,320 | $59,670 |
| 241 | Hickory, NC | $55,990 | $44,050 | $61,860 | $63,280 |
| 242 | San Antonio, TX | $55,990 | $40,120 | $63,790 | $59,110 |
| 243 | Rocky Mount, NC | $55,890 | $45,470 | $61,030 | $63,500 |
| 244 | Corpus Christi, TX | $55,790 | $44,030 | $61,570 | $60,200 |
| 245 | Houma, LA | $55,600 | $44,840 | $60,900 | $65,330 |
| 246 | Baton Rouge, LA | $55,580 | $37,690 | $64,380 | $61,220 |
| 247 | Youngstown, OH | $55,490 | $41,580 | $62,340 | $63,490 |
| 248 | Montgomery, AL | $55,410 | $34,610 | $65,640 | $61,780 |
| 249 | Rome, GA | $55,390 | $38,150 | $63,900 | $61,430 |
| 250 | Columbus, GA-AL | $54,950 | $43,100 | $60,780 | $61,540 |
| 251 | Saginaw, MI | $54,910 | $42,950 | $60,800 | $60,410 |
| 252 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $54,810 | $41,450 | $61,400 | $61,990 |
| 253 | Palm Bay, FL | $54,770 | $41,790 | $61,150 | $54,770 |
| 254 | Panama City, FL | $54,020 | $39,520 | $61,170 | $55,520 |
| 255 | Monroe, LA | $53,890 | $40,960 | $60,260 | $64,460 |
| 256 | Altoona, PA | $53,850 | $45,280 | $58,070 | $60,160 |
| 257 | Shreveport, LA | $53,410 | $42,910 | $58,590 | $63,010 |
| 258 | Huntsville, AL | $52,920 | $37,110 | $60,690 | $56,860 |
| 259 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $52,810 | $42,870 | $57,700 | $58,070 |
| 260 | Warner Robins, GA | $52,690 | $44,570 | $56,700 | $56,180 |
| 261 | Florence, AL | $52,600 | $39,770 | $58,930 | $62,020 |
| 262 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $52,230 | $35,190 | $60,610 | $55,780 |
| 263 | Morgantown, WV | $52,020 | $38,670 | $58,610 | $55,740 |
| 264 | Hattiesburg, MS | $51,900 | $43,660 | $55,950 | $59,220 |
| 265 | Gulfport, MS | $51,810 | $45,340 | $55,000 | $57,560 |
| 266 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $51,650 | $38,310 | $58,220 | $60,000 |
| 267 | Jonesboro, AR | $51,380 | $37,980 | $57,970 | $59,830 |
| 268 | Mobile, AL | $51,360 | $41,350 | $56,280 | $58,300 |
| 269 | Birmingham, AL | $51,170 | $37,900 | $57,700 | $55,840 |
| 270 | Alexandria, LA | $50,710 | $37,440 | $57,240 | $59,180 |
| 271 | Charleston, WV | $50,650 | $38,940 | $56,410 | $57,090 |
| 272 | Tallahassee, FL | $50,230 | $34,300 | $58,070 | $53,480 |
| 273 | Daphne, AL | $49,190 | $38,060 | $54,680 | $51,950 |
| 274 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $48,960 | $38,960 | $53,890 | $55,810 |
| 275 | Decatur, AL | $47,860 | $37,190 | $53,120 | $54,880 |
| 276 | Valdosta, GA | $47,510 | $38,560 | $51,920 | $53,820 |
| 277 | Anniston, AL | $46,450 | $38,600 | $50,320 | $54,040 |
| 278 | Dothan, AL | $44,390 | $33,570 | $49,710 | $52,950 |
| 279 | Mayaguez, PR | $36,590 | $26,420 | $41,600 | N/A |
| 280 | San Juan, PR | $32,200 | $26,120 | $35,190 | N/A |
| 281 | Ponce, PR | $30,200 | $26,920 | $31,800 | N/A |
| 282 | Arecibo, PR | $27,290 | $25,580 | $28,120 | N/A |
More
More on surgical technologists
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Surgical Technologist salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays surgical technologists the most?
San Jose, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $105,410 a year, followed by Vallejo, CA ($103,130), San Francisco, CA ($96,990), Napa, CA ($96,910). The national mean is $68,710 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do surgical technologists earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA ($95,460 at national prices, $105,410 nominal), Vallejo, CA ($95,070 at national prices, $103,130 nominal), Buffalo, NY ($88,890 at national prices, $85,200 nominal).
How much do surgical technologists make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $84,590; Los Angeles, CA: $81,620; Chicago, IL-IN: $73,090; Dallas, TX: $73,860; Houston, TX: $69,600 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do surgical technologists earn the least?
Of the 282 metro areas with their own estimate, Arecibo, PR has the lowest mean wage, $27,290.