Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

29-2055 Surgical Technologists

Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeon's assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
92,260 1.3 % $19.86 $41,310 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $13.51 $16.06 $19.19 $22.87 $27.56
Annual Wage (2) $28,100 $33,400 $39,920 $47,570 $57,330

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 64,180 1.24 $19.61 $40,780
Offices of Physicians 11,430 0.49 $20.52 $42,690
Outpatient Care Centers 7,780 1.31 $20.42 $42,480
Offices of Dentists 4,060 0.49 $18.01 $37,470
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 1,230 0.57 $22.42 $46,630

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 7,780 1.31 $20.42 $42,480
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 64,180 1.24 $19.61 $40,780
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 1,230 0.57 $22.42 $46,630
Offices of Physicians 11,430 0.49 $20.52 $42,690
Offices of Dentists 4,060 0.49 $18.01 $37,470

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 630 0.09 $26.85 $55,840
Employment Services 700 0.03 $23.30 $48,460
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 780 0.03 $22.88 $47,590
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 1,230 0.57 $22.42 $46,630
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 470 0.19 $21.17 $44,030

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 9,110 0.65 0.90 $23.47 $48,820
Texas 8,650 0.86 1.18 $19.33 $40,200
Florida 6,360 0.90 1.23 $17.81 $37,050
New York 4,800 0.58 0.79 $21.71 $45,160
Tennessee 3,680 1.43 1.97 $17.92 $37,270




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Tennessee 3,680 1.43 1.97 $17.92 $37,270
Kentucky 1,980 1.15 1.59 $17.38 $36,150
Mississippi 1,210 1.13 1.56 $15.55 $32,340
Alabama 1,930 1.07 1.47 $15.96 $33,200
South Dakota 410 1.06 1.46 $17.22 $35,820




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada 740 0.66 0.91 $24.37 $50,690
Hawaii 280 0.48 0.67 $23.82 $49,550
Alaska 140 0.44 0.61 $23.80 $49,510
District of Columbia 590 0.92 1.27 $23.53 $48,950
California 9,110 0.65 0.90 $23.47 $48,820

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 2,910 0.58 0.80 $22.79 $47,390
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 2,700 0.71 0.98 $21.80 $45,330
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 2,030 0.81 1.12 $21.74 $45,220
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 1,590 0.80 1.10 $19.95 $41,510
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 1,520 0.67 0.92 $21.37 $44,460
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 1,440 0.87 1.19 $23.45 $48,780
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 1,330 0.60 0.83 $19.47 $40,500
Baltimore-Towson, MD 1,230 1.00 1.37 $22.73 $47,270
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 1,190 1.69 2.33 $19.78 $41,150
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 1,130 0.32 0.44 $21.01 $43,710




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rochester, MN 350 3.51 4.83 $25.25 $52,510
Florence, SC 260 3.33 4.59 $17.61 $36,630
Owensboro, KY 130 2.83 3.90 $15.24 $31,700
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 90 2.11 2.91 $19.95 $41,490
Chattanooga, TN-GA 430 1.96 2.69 $17.61 $36,620
Gainesville, FL 220 1.89 2.61 $17.13 $35,640
Tyler, TX 170 1.84 2.54 $16.82 $34,980
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 350 1.80 2.48 $21.93 $45,610
Knoxville, TN 560 1.76 2.43 $16.85 $35,050
Dothan, AL 100 1.75 2.41 $17.56 $36,520