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Surgical Assistants and Technologists

Summary

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Quick Facts: Surgical Assistants and Technologists
2023 Median Pay $60,370 per year
$29.03 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Postsecondary nondegree award
Work Experience in a Related Occupation None
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2023 134,000
Job Outlook, 2023-33 6% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2023-33 7,900

What Surgical Assistants and Technologists Do

Surgical assistants and technologists help with surgical operations.

Work Environment

Most surgical assistants and technologists work in hospitals. They spend much of their time on their feet.

How to Become a Surgical Assistant or Technologist

Surgical assistants and technologists typically need a certificate or an associate’s degree. Employers may require or prefer that workers have certification. Some states regulate these workers. 

Pay

The median annual wage for surgical assistants was $59,160 in May 2023.

The median annual wage for surgical technologists was $60,610 in May 2023.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of surgical assistants and technologists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 8,700 openings for surgical assistants and technologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for surgical assistants and technologists.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of surgical assistants and technologists with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about surgical assistants and technologists by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Surgical Assistants and Technologists Do About this section

Surgical technologists
Surgical technologists may transport patients to surgery.

Surgical assistants and technologists help with surgical operations. Surgical assistants, also called surgical first assistants, help surgeons with tasks such as making incisions, placing clamps, and closing surgical sites. Surgical technologists, also called operating room technicians, prepare operating rooms, arrange equipment, and help doctors and first assistants during surgeries.

Duties

Surgical technologists typically do the following:

  • Prepare operating rooms for surgery
  • Sterilize equipment and make sure that there are adequate supplies for surgery
  • Ready patients for surgery, such as by washing and disinfecting incision sites
  • Help surgeons during surgery by passing them instruments and other sterile supplies
  • Count supplies, such as surgical instruments, to ensure that no foreign objects are retained in patients
  • Maintain a sterile environment to prevent patient infection

Before an operation, surgical technologists prepare the operating room by setting up surgical instruments and equipment. They prepare sterile solutions and medications used in surgery and check that all surgical equipment is working properly. Surgical technologists also bring patients to the operating room and get them ready for surgery by positioning them on the table, covering them with sterile drapes, and washing and disinfecting incision sites. And they help the surgical team put on sterile gowns.

During an operation, surgical technologists pass the sterile instruments and supplies to surgeons and first assistants. They might hold retractors, hold internal organs in place during the procedure, or set up robotic surgical equipment. Technologists also may handle specimens taken for laboratory analysis.

After the operation is complete, surgical technologists may apply bandages and other dressings to the incision site. They may also transfer patients to recovery rooms and restock operating rooms after a procedure.

Surgical assistants have a hands-on role, directly assisting surgeons during a procedure. For example, they may help to suction the incision site or suture a wound.

Surgical assistants and technologists work as members of a healthcare team alongside physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, and other healthcare workers.

Work Environment About this section

Surgical technologists
Surgical technologists are trained to maintain the sterile field, preventing the risk of infection during surgery.

Surgical assistants held about 21,300 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of surgical assistants were as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private 42%
Offices of dentists 25
Offices of physicians 14
Self-employed workers 10
Outpatient care centers 5

Surgical technologists held about 112,800 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of surgical technologists were as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private 69%
Offices of physicians 11
Outpatient care centers 11
Administrative and support services 3
Offices of dentists 2

Ambulatory surgical centers are included in outpatient care centers.

Surgical assistants and technologists wear scrubs and sterile gowns, gloves, caps, and masks while they are in the operating room. Their work may be physically demanding, requiring them to be on their feet for long periods. Surgical technologists also may need to help move patients or lift heavy trays of medical supplies. At times, they may be exposed to communicable diseases and unpleasant sights, odors, and materials.

Injuries and Illnesses

Surgical technologists have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Injuries may occur due to incidents such as slips, falls, and overexertion. Workers reduce the risk of injury by following safety procedures and practices, such as using proper lifting technique and wearing shoes with slip-resistant soles.

Work Schedules

Most surgical assistants and technologists work full time. Surgical assistants and technologists employed in hospitals may work or be on call during nights, weekends, and holidays. They may also be required to work shifts lasting longer than 8 hours.

How to Become a Surgical Assistant or Technologist About this section

Surgical technologists
Surgical assistants and technologists work as members of a healthcare team alongside physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, and other healthcare workers.

Surgical assistants and technologists typically need a certificate or an associate’s degree. Employers may require or prefer that workers have certification. Some states regulate these workers.

Education

Surgical assistants and technologists typically need a certificate or associate’s degree from an accredited program. Many community colleges and vocational schools, as well as some universities and hospitals, offer accredited surgical technology or surgical assisting programs.

Surgical assistants may complete a formal education program in surgical assisting. Others may work as surgical technologists and receive additional on-the-job training to become first assistants.

Surgical technology education includes courses such as anatomy, microbiology, and physiology. These workers also learn about the care and safety of patients, sterilization techniques, how to set up technical or robotic equipment, and preventing and controlling infections. In addition to classroom study, students gain hands-on experience in supervised clinical settings.

The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredits programs in surgical technology and surgical assisting.

Important Qualities

Communication. To prevent infections or other complications, surgical assistants and technologists must relay any issues that arise during surgery to the other members of the healthcare team.

Detail oriented. Surgical assistants and technologists must pay close attention to their work. For example, surgical technologists need to provide the correct sterile equipment for surgeons during an operation.

Dexterity. Surgical assistants and technologists should be comfortable working with their hands. They must provide needed equipment quickly.

Integrity. Because they are trusted to help during surgical procedures, surgical assistants and technologists must be ethical and honest.

Listening skills. Responding to requests from surgeons and others on the surgical team requires the ability to listen to and understand spoken directions.

Physical stamina. Surgical assistants and technologists should be comfortable standing for extended periods.

Stress-management skills. Working in an operating room can be stressful. Surgical assistants and technologists should work well under pressure.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Certification may be beneficial for finding a job, and some employers may require it. Surgical assistants and technologists may earn certification through credentialing organizations.

For example, certification through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting allows the use of the title “Certified Surgical Technologist (CST).” Certification typically requires completing an accredited formal education program or military training program and passing an exam.

Certification through the National Center for Competency Testing allows the use of the title “Tech in Surgery – Certified or TS-C (NCCT).” Applicants may qualify through formal education, military training, or work experience. All require documenting critical skills and passing an exam.

The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting, the National Commission for the Certification of Surgical Assistants, and the American Board of Surgical Assistants offer certification for surgical assistants.

In addition, many jobs require that surgical assistants and technologists become certified in CPR or basic life support (BLS), or both.

Some states have regulations governing the work of surgical assistants and technologists. For more information, contact your state licensing agency.

Advancement

Surgical assistants and technologists may choose to advance to other healthcare occupations, such as registered nurse. Advancement to other healthcare occupations usually requires additional education, training, and/or certifications or licenses. A technologist may also choose to become a postsecondary teacher of health specialties.

Pay About this section

Surgical Assistants and Technologists

Median annual wages, May 2023

Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations

$80,820

Surgical technologists

$60,610

Surgical assistants and technologists

$60,370

Surgical assistants

$59,160

Total, all occupations

$48,060

 

The median annual wage for surgical assistants was $59,160 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,210, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $101,180.

The median annual wage for surgical technologists was $60,610 in May 2023. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,640, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $83,150.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for surgical assistants in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private $64,650
Offices of physicians 64,100
Outpatient care centers 63,510
Offices of dentists 50,610

In May 2023, the median annual wages for surgical technologists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Outpatient care centers $61,320
Hospitals; state, local, and private 61,110
Administrative and support services 60,170
Offices of physicians 58,030
Offices of dentists 46,580

Most surgical assistants and technologists work full time. Surgical assistants and technologists employed in hospitals may work or be on call during nights, weekends, and holidays. They may also be required to work shifts lasting longer than 8 hours.

Job Outlook About this section

Surgical Assistants and Technologists

Percent change in employment, projected 2023-33

Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations

9%

Surgical assistants

7%

Surgical assistants and technologists

6%

Surgical technologists

6%

Total, all occupations

4%

 

Overall employment of surgical assistants and technologists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 8,700 openings for surgical assistants and technologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

The aging of the large baby-boom generation is expected to increase the demand for surgical procedures, which should result in a greater need for surgical assistants and technologists. A rise in the number of surgeries among all age groups also is expected to support job growth.

Heightened demand for these workers is expected in outpatient settings, such as ambulatory surgery centers. These facilities are seeing an increase in the number of surgeries because of advances in medical technology and changes in insurers’ policies.

Employment projections data for surgical assistants and technologists, 2023-33
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2023 Projected Employment, 2033 Change, 2023-33 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Surgical assistants and technologists

134,000 142,000 6 7,900

Surgical assistants

29-9093 21,300 22,700 7 1,400 Get data

Surgical technologists

29-2055 112,800 119,300 6 6,500 Get data

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of surgical assistants and technologists.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help on Entry-Level Education 2023 MEDIAN PAY Help on Median Pay
Dental assistants Dental Assistants

Dental assistants provide patient care, take x rays, keep records, and schedule appointments.

Postsecondary nondegree award $46,540
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) provide basic medical care.

Postsecondary nondegree award $59,730
Medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians

Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians perform medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.

Bachelor's degree $60,780
Medical assistants Medical Assistants

Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and taking patients’ vital signs.

Postsecondary nondegree award $42,000
Physicians and surgeons Physicians and Surgeons

Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance.

Doctoral or professional degree This wage is equal to or greater than $239,200 per year.
Registered nurses Registered Nurses

Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions.

Bachelor's degree $86,070
Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Surgical Assistants and Technologists,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/surgical-technologists.htm (visited September 30, 2024).

Last Modified Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024

What They Do

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Work Environment

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State & Area Data

The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations

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Contacts for More Information

The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

Work experience in a related occupation

Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.

Number of Jobs, 2023

The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2023, which is the base year of the 2023-33 employment projections.

Job Outlook, 2023-33

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033. The average growth rate for all occupations is 4 percent.

Employment Change, 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Employment Change, projected 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Growth Rate (Projected)

The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Number of New Jobs

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Growth Rate

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.