Healthcare Resource
Surgical Technologist Salary 2026: Surgical Tech Pay by State, Setting & Certification
In brief
Surgical technologist salary in 2026 averages $55K-$72K. Specialty OR techs (robotic, cardiac, neuro) and first assistants earn $70K-$90K+. CST certification adds 5-9% and is required at most Level I centers.
In this article
The average surgical technologist (surgical tech / scrub tech) salary in 2026 is $55,000-$72,000/year for CST-certified staff in hospital operating rooms. Specialty surgical techs in robotic surgery, cardiac/open-heart, or neurosurgery, and those who have advanced to surgical first assistant, earn $70,000-$90,000+. With the BLS projecting 7% job growth through 2032 and ongoing OR staffing shortages at most health systems, experienced surgical techs have leverage that was rare a decade ago. Travel surgical tech contracts now pay $1,500-$2,000/week, making travel an appealing option for techs with 2+ years of OR experience.
Surgical Technologist Salary by Specialty Setting (2026)
| OR Specialty | Avg Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General OR Scrub Tech (CST) | $55,000-$70,000 | Standard scrub/circulate rotation; multi-specialty general OR; most common role |
| Robotic Surgery Tech (da Vinci) | $68,000-$84,000 | Intuitive Surgical certification; tower setup, draping, instrument loading; significant premium |
| Cardiac / Open-Heart OR Tech | $72,000-$90,000 | Valve, bypass, LVAD, aortic, most demanding scrub role; 6-10 hour case lengths; premium pay |
| Neurosurgery OR Tech | $68,000-$86,000 | Craniotomy, spinal fusion, DBS implant; specialized instrumentation; academic center focused |
| Orthopedic Scrub Tech | $62,000-$78,000 | Joint replacement, spine, trauma; ASC + hospital; heavy instrument sets; high-volume specialty |
| Surgical First Assistant (CSFA) | $75,000-$95,000 | CSFA credential; active surgical assisting (retraction, suturing, hemostasis); highest surgical tech tier |
| ASC / Outpatient Surgery Tech | $50,000-$65,000 | Lower acuity cases; better hours (M-F, no call); lower pay than hospital OR; growing employment setting |
Surgical Technologist Salary by State (2026)
| State | Avg Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | $86,000 | Highest nationally; union contracts; UCSF, Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser; LA/SF premium |
| Washington | $79,000 | SEIU-represented; UW Medical Center, Virginia Mason; cardiac/neuro specialty premium |
| Hawaii | $76,000 | COL premium; island shortage; Queens Medical Center cardiac + general OR |
| Nevada | $72,000 | Las Vegas shortage; no state income tax; Sunrise Medical Center cardiac program |
| Massachusetts | $74,000 | Mass General, Brigham academic ORs; cardiac surgery density; Boston premium |
| New York | $72,000 | NYC 1199SEIU; NYP, Montefiore; robotic + cardiac specialty premium; upstate 30% lower |
| Texas | $64,000 | HCA, Baylor, UT; no income tax; Houston Medical Center cardiac; robotic-surgery ASC growth |
| Florida | $62,000 | NCH, AdventHealth, HCA Florida; orthopedic ASC growth; no state income tax; travel contracts higher |
| Arizona | $63,000 | Banner, Honor Health; Phoenix surgical volume growing; robotic surgery expansion |
| Georgia | $59,000 | Emory, Grady, Piedmont; Atlanta growing; rural Georgia significant gap from metro |
| Mississippi | $46,000 | Lowest nationally; travel scrub tech contracts pay 60-80% above staff rate |
CST and CSFA Certification: Salary and Career Path
- CST (Certified Surgical Technologist), NBSTSA; accredited surgical technology program + 120 credited surgical procedures + exam. Required at most Level I trauma centers and Magnet hospitals. Adds $3-$5/hr or $4,000-$8,000/year over non-certified techs.
- CSFA (Certified Surgical First Assistant), NBSTSA; builds on CST; 2 years OR experience + 1,800 verified first-assisting hours + exam. Highest-earning surgical tech credential. Enables performing surgical assistance (retraction, suturing, knot-tying) directly. Adds $10,000-$20,000 over standard CST roles.
- Robotic Surgery Certification (Intuitive Surgical), Not a national credential but an in-hospital training certificate for da Vinci system. Hospitals award pay differential for robotic-certified techs: $3-$6/hr extra. High-volume robotic programs (urology, GYN, colorectal) always need robotic-trained scrub techs.
Travel Surgical Tech Salary 2026
- Weekly gross pay: $1,500-$2,000 (13-week contracts, 36-40 hr/week)
- Specialty travel scrub tech (cardiac/robotic): $1,800-$2,200/week
- Tax-free stipend: $600-$1,000/week (qualifying tax home required)
- Top travel surgical tech markets: California, Nevada, Hawaii, Texas, Florida
- Minimum requirements: CST credential, 1-2 years OR scrub experience in target specialty, BLS, HIPAA-compliant background check
Data from BLS, AST (Association of Surgical Technologists) salary survey, and Ava Health placement data. Ranges reflect 25th-75th percentile of 2026 active surgical tech job postings.
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