What Is the Average Pay for Surgical Technicians?
Surgical technicians hold some of the highest-paid health care positions which do not require a college degree or post-graduate education. About 80 percent of surgical technicians were earning between $25,500 and $51,000 in 2006, with the average salary about $38,000 in 2008. Those who specialize in a particular type of surgery commonly earn more.
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Identification
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Surgical technicians, also called surgical technologists, work as part of an operating room team which includes surgeons, assistant physicians, nurses, and anesthesiologists. The tech sets up surgical equipment and monitoring devices, and makes sure everything is working properly. Technicians also lay out instruments for the operation and place sterile linens in the room. During surgery, they maintain the supply of fluids such as blood, plasma, and saline, and monitor the patient's vital signs. They hand supplies, sterile dressings, and instruments to the surgeon. They may operate diagnostic equipment, suction machines, and sterilizers. After the operation, the technician cleans and restocks the room, and washes and sterilizes all equipment.
Size
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The median salary for surgical technicians in 2006, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, was about $36,000. Indeed.com lists the average salary in 2008 at about $38,000, and payscale.com shows a median hourly rate between $14 and $22 depending on years of experience and specialty.
Generally, technicians employed by the federal government earn higher pay than those working in other organizations. The highest-paid technicians work as freelancers on a limited-term contract basis, with median hourly rate at $24.75 an hour.
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Benefits
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Surgical technician jobs are usually full-time and provide health insurance, paid vacation and holidays, and a 401(k) program. The BLS predicts job growth to be faster than average because of an aging population needing more medical care.
Considerations
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Surgical technicians typically work a 40-hour week, with some schedules requiring nights and weekends as well as rotating shifts and on-call hours. A surgical technician must be able to act quickly and accurately in high-pressure situations, and stay calm when the patient experiences life-threatening conditions.
Features
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A surgical tech completes training at a community college or vocational school, and although certification is voluntary, chances of employment and advancement are significantly better if the technician successfully completes the written exam to become certified.
Once employed, if a surgical technician learns to specialize in a certain type of surgery, she typically will begin earning a higher salary. Major opportunities include neurosurgery, orthopedics, cardiology, organ transplants, and plastic surgery.
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