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Surgical Technologist

Surgical technologists are allied health professionals and essential members of the surgical team.

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What does a surgical technologist do?

Surgical technologists are allied health professionals and essential members of the surgical team. Duties include preparing the operating room for surgery, helping surgeons during surgery by passing instruments and other sterile supplies, helping to prepare patients for surgery, and other important patient safety duties. Most surgical technologists perform their responsibilities on their feet and work in hospitals.

Surgical technologists typically need an associate degree, and some employers may require certification such as the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST). For assistance in locating a Surgical Technology program, please visit our Resources page or contact us.

Career advancement: Surgical technologists can choose to advance their career by a move into leadership, by becoming post-secondary teachers in the field, or by expanding into other areas of health care such as nursing.

Timeline: A typical surgical technologist program can take between 13 and 24 months, depending on previous education, the school, externship hours needed, and the time it takes to sit for the certification exam.

Outlook: Overall employment of surgical technologists is projected to grow 6% from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Nationally, the median annual wage for surgical technologists was $48,530 in May 2021.1 In California, the median annual wage for surgical technologists for 2021 was $76,710.40.2

For more information about educational institutions, please visit our Resources page.

Visit our FAQs to learn more about financing your allied health education »

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