Surgical Technician Average Salary

Surgical procedures have become so complex that more staff are required to build a medical team during surgical procedures. Additionally, thanks to population growth, an increased lifespan and improvements in medical and surgical procedures, there is a growing demand for surgical technicians, people who are proven vital members [PDF] of a surgical team. Also known as surgical technologists, these personnel are in great demand with a shift toward performing minor surgery on an outpatient basis.

Employment in this field is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations. Factors that will generate strong demand for other health workers will also spur demand for Surgical Technicians, such as population growth, the aging of the population, greater health consciousness, and widespread ability to pay for hospital and surgical care under public and private health insurance programs.

Also contributing to the growth and demand for workers in this occupation is the practice in some hospitals of assigning surgical technicians a greater number of routine operating room tasks. Due to the relaxation of certain government regulations and to cost containment efforts by hospital administrators, surgical technicians are performing more and more tasks under the supervision of operating room nurses.

Wages for surgical technicians vary according to experience and location and size of the hospital. This is where it pays to do some homework about where you’d like to work after completing your training as a surgical tech. Although hourly wages for beginning technicians range from $6.50 to $13.00, those technicians with little experience still can earn between $11.00 to $16.00 per hour in larger urban settings. For instance, a surgical technician located in the Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, Maryland metropolitan area can earn an hourly mean wage of $26.57; however, the same technician located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, can earn an hourly mean wage of $18.00.

A forty-hour, five-day work week is normal for technicians, although many are required at times to be on-call, available to work on short notice, and be able to work overtime as needed to finish scheduled cases. Emergency surgery units often require 24-hour coverage.

Benefits provided by most employers include paid vacation and sick leave, health, medical, vision, dental insurance and life insurance, and retirement programs. A few employers also provide child care benefits.

If you are looking at the Bureau of Labor Statistic information for surgical technicians, you might notice that working in offices of health practitioners helps surgical technicians make more money. The annual mean wage for this service is $54,710 compared to working in areas such as general medical and surgery hospitals. The latter environment provides only $39,770 per year in an annual mean wage. But, hospitals are being encouraged to help surgical technicians stay on board with incentives. Hospital employers of surgical technologists are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain experienced surgical technologists, as competition [PDF] for the services of surgical technologists includes medical sales companies, travel companies, and better paying opportunities in other allied health fields. This difference in pay scale may change in the near future.

Top Online Surgical Technician Degree Programs

Like many other technician and assistant fields, few schools offer distance learning programs specifically for becoming a Surgical Technician. In many cases though, students start with an undergraduate degree in healthcare and receive on-the-job training later. Click through the following links to request more information on the programs from each school.

AAS in Medical Assisting AAS in Health IT AAS in Human Services	Kaplan University — Apply for this school's associate degree in Medical Assisting to achieve a strong foundation in surgical technology. This course is ideal for a fast and flexible solution to your online degree as you earn an entry-level education that concentrates on helping students acquire knowledge and develop skills in performing laboratory, clinical, and medical office procedures. Kaplan also offers degrees in human services and health information technology.
AS in Medical Assisting AA in Health Services	Keiser University — For working adults who need a flexible class schedule, Keiser's associate's degree in medical assisting may be the ideal program for aspiring surgical techs. In most cases, this program can be completed within one year and should provide all the training needed to begin a career as a healthcare professional. Kesier also offers an AA degree in health services administration.
AS in Health IT BS in Health IT	DeVry University — For aspiring surgical technicians who want a bigger role in patient data management, DeVry University's associate's degree in health information technology prepares students to learn application systems and work with managing electronic health information databases. (A bachelor's degree in this subject is also available.) HIT professsionals work with nurse, doctors, and other health care providers.
BS in Health Care Mgmt	Harrison College — Harrison College has an online program for students interested in becoming surgical technicians for a Bachelors of Science in Health Care Management; both of which are accredited. These programs are a perfect choice for students seeking to jump-start their careers and enter the workforce with the knowledge needed to succeed.
AS in Allied Health Science	South University — Try on South University's associate degree in Allied Health Science for size. This online program provides students with the information and training needed to begin a career in surgical technology, as it is designed to expose students to a broad education in general studies combined with an emphasis on life science subjects such as anatomy and physiology, chemistry, nutrition, and pathophysiology.
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