Healthcare Practitioners

Surgical Technologists

SOC 29-2055

Prep the operating room and hand instruments to surgeons during surgery.

The job

Median pay

$65k

$55k to $80k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Growing fast

+5.0% projected

Openings a year

BLS projection

Typical education

Postsecondary cert

Our model

AI displacement risk

Low

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

10/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

3rd pct

More exposed than 3% of occupations · modeled estimate · 5th pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

63/100

Take the next step

Weigh it against Diagnostic Medical SonographersPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostHawaii leads at $83k; every state is below Find careers like itOpen the map at Surgical Technologists and explore its neighbours See open jobsSurgical Technologists roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Surgical Technologists, who lean most on monitoring Real pay & reviewsWhat Surgical Technologists say they actually earn

Key skills

Monitoring
Active Listening
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Active Learning

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
California	11,920	0.7	0.9×	$81k
Texas	10,160	0.7	1.0×	$65k
Florida	9,120	0.9	1.2×	$62k
New York	6,540	0.7	0.9×	$80k
Pennsylvania	4,490	0.7	1.0×	$63k
North Carolina	4,400	0.9	1.2×	$61k
Georgia	4,380	0.9	1.2×	$64k
Michigan	3,840	0.9	1.1×	$63k
Ohio	3,730	0.7	0.9×	$62k
Illinois	3,570	0.6	0.8×	$65k

All 51 states

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
Tennessee	3,310	1.0	1.3×	$61k
New Jersey	2,780	0.6	0.9×	$77k
Indiana	2,680	0.8	1.1×	$64k
South Carolina	2,680	1.2	1.5×	$62k
Washington	2,510	0.7	0.9×	$77k
Alabama	2,480	1.2	1.6×	$49k
Arizona	2,410	0.7	1.0×	$72k
Louisiana	2,230	1.2	1.5×	$57k
Massachusetts	2,220	0.6	0.8×	$81k
Wisconsin	2,180	0.7	1.0×	$74k
Colorado	2,100	0.7	1.0×	$76k
Missouri	2,100	0.7	0.9×	$61k
Oklahoma	1,940	1.1	1.5×	$61k
Virginia	1,910	0.5	0.6×	$68k
Maryland	1,880	0.7	0.9×	$69k
Minnesota	1,770	0.6	0.8×	$80k
Arkansas	1,640	1.3	1.7×	$57k
Kentucky	1,440	0.7	0.9×	$60k
Connecticut	1,220	0.7	0.9×	$80k
Kansas	1,200	0.8	1.1×	$61k
Utah	1,170	0.7	0.9×	$63k
Mississippi	1,110	1.0	1.3×	$50k
Nevada	1,110	0.7	0.9×	$75k
Idaho	1,100	1.3	1.7×	$73k
Oregon	1,090	0.6	0.7×	$81k
Iowa	950	0.6	0.8×	$61k
Nebraska	770	0.8	1.0×	$64k
South Dakota	600	1.3	1.7×	$60k
West Virginia	580	0.8	1.1×	$49k
New Mexico	540	0.6	0.8×	$52k
Montana	490	1.0	1.3×	$61k
Maine	470	0.7	1.0×	$63k
New Hampshire	370	0.5	0.7×	$75k
North Dakota	370	0.9	1.1×	$62k
Delaware	340	0.7	0.9×	$62k
Washington DC	340	0.5	0.6×	$78k
Alaska	310	1.0	1.3×	$80k
Hawaii	290	0.5	0.6×	$83k
Rhode Island	240	0.5	0.6×	$74k
Wyoming	210	0.7	1.0×	$59k
Vermont	140	0.5	0.6×	$61k

Top metro areas

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ6,320 jobs · $84k median
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA3,440 jobs · $82k median
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX2,790 jobs · $80k median
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX2,660 jobs · $71k median
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN2,530 jobs · $66k median
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA2,400 jobs · $68k median
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL2,200 jobs · $66k median
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD2,020 jobs · $70k median

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.