Lead Surgical Technologist salary, United States

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The median annual wage for Surgical Technologists (the closest BLS occupation to Lead Surgical Technologist) in the United States was $64,650 in BLS OEWS May 2025, and the middle half of workers earned between $54,690 and $79,750.

What does the published band tell you about a Lead Surgical Technologist offer?

The published annual P25 to P75 band for Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States is $54,690 to $79,750. That Lead Surgical Technologist band spans $25,060 in the United States; it is a spread of reported wages, not a suggested offer. For this Lead Surgical Technologist opening, compare regular pay with the duties you need covered in the United States. Neither end of the Lead Surgical Technologist band labels a worker's experience or promises what a candidate will accept.

How does Lead Surgical Technologist pay in the United States compare with the nation?

BLS reports $64,650 as the annual median for SOC 29-2055, Surgical Technologists, in the United States. Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States has a annual median $0 away from the national median of $64,650. Lead Surgical Technologist may cover different duties within that published occupation. We ask what this Lead Surgical Technologist must handle before you use the the United States median in an offer.

What does New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ add to this Lead Surgical Technologist comparison?

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $84,120 for Surgical Technologists in BLS OEWS May 2025. The Lead Surgical Technologist median gap between the United States and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is

9,470 on this annual basis. A Lead Surgical Technologist candidate moving between these markets still has to weigh the work and schedule. For Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States, this the United States comparison does not measure living costs, commuting distance or relocation expense.

What does Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA add to this Lead Surgical Technologist comparison?

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $81,580 for Surgical Technologists in BLS OEWS May 2025. The Lead Surgical Technologist median gap between the United States and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is

6,930 on this annual basis. A Lead Surgical Technologist candidate moving between these markets still has to weigh the work and schedule. For Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States, this the United States comparison does not measure living costs, commuting distance or relocation expense.

Which published industries help you read Lead Surgical Technologist pay?

For Lead Surgical Technologist, Other Ambulatory Health Care Services, NAICS 621900, reports a national median of $66,200. For Lead Surgical Technologist, Hospitals, NAICS 622000, reports a national median of $65,020. These Surgical Technologists estimates are national, not industry pay rates for the United States. Top-coded industry medians are not placed in this numeric Lead Surgical Technologist ranking. Use the Lead Surgical Technologist setting and duties to decide whether that industry comparison belongs in your brief.

What changed between releases for Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States?

Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States had a annual median of $62,830 in BLS OEWS May 2024. The BLS OEWS May 2025 median for the same Lead Surgical Technologist mapping is $64,650. Subtracting those two the United States medians gives

,820 more in reported pay. That Lead Surgical Technologist comparison is not a forecast, an inflation adjustment or a promised raise.

What belongs beside base pay in your Lead Surgical Technologist offer?

Lead Surgical Technologist wages in the United States include base rates and guaranteed or production pay under the BLS definition. Price the Lead Surgical Technologist shift separately when you discuss differentials or extra cover. For this Lead Surgical Technologist brief, overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay sit outside the OEWS wage. A non-production sign-on payment for Lead Surgical Technologist is also outside that the United States figure. We discuss those Lead Surgical Technologist terms without inventing an amount to add.

What else should you ask about this pay table?

Lead Surgical Technologist maps to SOC 29-2055, Surgical Technologists. The the United States annual median is $64,650. For Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States, this is a broader occupation, not a separate survey of this exact title.

Does the United States publish a separate wage for Lead Surgical Technologist?

Lead Surgical Technologist maps to SOC 29-2055, Surgical Technologists. The the United States annual median is $64,650. For Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States, this is a broader occupation, not a separate survey of this exact title.

Where should you place a Lead Surgical Technologist offer inside the the United States band?

The published annual P25 to P75 band for Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States is $54,690 to $79,750. That Lead Surgical Technologist band spans $25,060 in the United States; it is a spread of reported wages, not a suggested offer. For Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States, we do not assign a percentile between the published points or call a point an experience level.

Can the Lead Surgical Technologist figure in the United States stand in for the whole package?

Lead Surgical Technologist pay in this the United States table is not total compensation. For Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States, shift differential, on-call pay and non-production sign-on payments are excluded by the OEWS definition. For Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States, write those terms separately before comparing offers.

Which markets can you compare with the United States for Lead Surgical Technologist?

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA have published rows for Surgical Technologists. For Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States, they are employment-based comparison markets, not a claim about nearest locations. Each linked Lead Surgical Technologist table names its own area and SOC.

Is the Lead Surgical Technologist change in the United States a forecast?

Lead Surgical Technologist in the United States had a annual median of $62,830 in BLS OEWS May 2024. The BLS OEWS May 2025 median for the same Lead Surgical Technologist mapping is $64,650. Subtracting those two the United States medians gives

,820 more in reported pay. That Lead Surgical Technologist comparison is not a forecast, an inflation adjustment or a promised raise.

The Lead Surgical Technologist national comparison markets use published employment, not geographic proximity. Read the geography and wage definitions.

Broader occupation · SOC 29-2055

BLS occupation: Surgical Technologists.

BLS reports Surgical Technologists as one occupation. It does not publish a separate wage for Lead Surgical Technologist, this seniority level or these engagement terms.

What does this occupation pay nationally?

BLS publishes five national pay points for Surgical Technologists, SOC 29-2055, in BLS OEWS May 2025: the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles. The range bar and table below show each published point. Percentiles describe the spread of pay across workers, not experience levels. Read the median as a midpoint, not an offer for your vacancy.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · OEWS May 2025Surgical Technologists, United States
Pay range for Surgical Technologists, United StatesMedian $64,650$39,049$104,695
  • P10 to P90 published range
  • P25 to P75 middle range
  • P50 median
Each mark uses wages published by BLS for this occupation and area. See the percentile table below for exact values.
Surgical Technologists, United States, BLS OEWS May 2025. 10% of workers in this occupation earned less than the 10th percentile value.
PointAnnual wage
10th percentile$45,940
25th percentile$54,690
Median$64,650
75th percentile$79,750
90th percentile$96,940
Mean (average)$68,710

For Surgical Technologists in the United States, BLS reports a median of $64,650; the middle half of workers earned between $54,690 and $79,750 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · OEWS May 2025Surgical Technologists, United States
Pay range for Surgical Technologists, United StatesMedian $31.08$18.78$50.34
  • P10 to P90 published range
  • P25 to P75 middle range
  • P50 median
Each mark uses wages published by BLS for this occupation and area. See the percentile table below for exact values.
Surgical Technologists, United States, BLS OEWS May 2025. 10% of workers in this occupation earned less than the 10th percentile value.
PointHourly wage
10th percentile$22.09
25th percentile$26.29
Median$31.08
75th percentile$38.34
90th percentile$46.61
Mean (average)$33.03

For Surgical Technologists in the United States, BLS reports a median of $31.08; the middle half of workers earned between $26.29 and $38.34 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

What BLS wages include and exclude

Included

  • Base rates
  • Commissions
  • Cost-of-living allowances
  • Deadheading pay
  • Guaranteed pay
  • Hazard pay
  • Incentive pay
  • Longevity pay
  • Over-the-road pay (Mileage)
  • Piece rates
  • Portal-to-portal rates
  • Production bonuses
  • Tips

Excluded

  • Attendance bonuses
  • Back pay
  • Clothing allowances
  • Discount
  • Draw
  • Holiday bonus
  • Holiday premium pay
  • Jury duty pay
  • Meal and lodging payments
  • Merchandise discounts
  • Non-production bonuses
  • On-call pay
  • Overtime pay
  • Perquisites
  • Profit-sharing payments
  • Relocation allowances
  • Severance pay
  • Shift differentials
  • Stock bonuses
  • Tool/equipment allowances
  • Tuition repayment
  • Uniform allowance
  • Weekend premium pay
  • Year-end bonuses

Employment: 117,460 jobs nationally.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 29-2055 Surgical Technologists, United States. BLS page for this occupation. CSV

How has published pay changed since the last BLS release?

These are separate BLS estimates, not a wage growth forecast. Survey coverage and area boundaries can change. The table places the published median for Surgical Technologists in United States from BLS OEWS May 2024 next to BLS OEWS May 2025. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.

Surgical Technologists, SOC 29-2055, United States. Published medians from both reference periods.
Pay basisBLS OEWS May 2024BLS OEWS May 2025
annual$62,830$64,650
hourly$30.21$31.08

Prior release: 2024-05, published 2025-04-02. Current release: 2025-05, published 2026-05-15. A top-coded value is a floor, not an exact median.

What does this pay include, and what does it leave out?

OEWS counts base rates, guaranteed pay and production incentives. It describes pay reported for employees, not an offer for this vacancy. Benefits and self-employed earnings are outside these wage estimates. Compare the regular pay for the duties you need covered.

A BLS occupation can include different settings, shifts and levels; it does not price your exact schedule.

Overtime, shift differentials and on-call pay are excluded. If this job has a call rota or extra shifts, spell out those payments rather than treating the BLS median as the whole package.

Meal and lodging payments and relocation allowances are excluded. A travel per diem for those costs is not part of this wage. Keep it separate from the pay comparison.

Non-production bonuses are excluded. A sign-on or retention payment that is not tied to production should be discussed separately. BLS does not publish an amount to add for that payment.

BLS pay definitions. These notes do not add an estimated bonus or premium.

How does clinical pay compare with management pay here?

These duties map to different BLS occupations. A manager's median is not a promised raise for a clinician. Read the mapping on each page. Each link below opens a related occupation with its own SOC code, published percentiles and source line. Compare the duties before comparing medians, because a title change can mean a different occupation.

Which metro areas publish pay for this occupation?

This table lists every metro area where BLS published a median for Surgical Technologists in BLS OEWS May 2025. Each row shows the median, the middle half of pay from the 25th to the 75th percentile, employment and the location quotient. Metros without a published median are left out rather than estimated. Select a metro for its own pay page.

Median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile), annual wages, BLS OEWS May 2025. Only metros where BLS published a median are listed.
Metro areaMedian25th to 75thEmploymentLocation quotient
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$99,390$77,680 to $115,7401,4400.80
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$84,120$72,800 to $99,7906,3200.88
Northern New Jersey market: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Shared metro, not New Jersey-only.$84,120$72,800 to $99,7906,3200.88
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$82,260$66,740 to $96,3901,1100.95
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$82,000$78,620 to $95,6801,0800.73
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$81,580$66,100 to $97,7903,4400.73
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$81,500$74,980 to $99,5801,5500.76
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$79,990$62,140 to $84,3102,7900.91
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$79,900$62,730 to $99,7001,4600.92
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$78,750$63,990 to $92,8401,4300.61
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$78,050$63,970 to $84,8801,7901.00
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$77,490$61,690 to $84,3601,1900.92
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$77,020$64,690 to $84,4501,2100.99
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$71,050$57,250 to $82,7202,6601.07
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$69,650$61,120 to $73,7802,0200.92
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$68,970$60,710 to $81,5201,0901.07
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$67,570$53,500 to $80,2302,4001.10
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$66,360$62,730 to $78,9802,5300.74
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$65,980$45,760 to $103,0201,0201.25
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$65,810$57,630 to $78,0401,6701.16
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$65,520$60,370 to $80,4602,2001.03
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$63,490$54,640 to $77,5501,1701.14
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN$63,120$57,320 to $71,1601,1201.35
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$62,910$58,730 to $76,8701,2601.15
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$61,730$51,040 to $70,4301,4901.39
Raleigh-Cary, NC$61,480$58,240 to $74,5405601.00
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$46,820$43,740 to $73,7401,3901.64

How do you find pay for a state or nonmetro area?

Choose a state, metro or nonmetropolitan area below to open the published figures for Surgical Technologists. If BLS did not publish a median, the guide shows the state or national estimate with a clear fallback label. It does not create a salary page for that missing combination. Every area page names its source row.

Does this pay differ by healthcare industry?

National industry estimates for Surgical Technologists, SOC 29-2055. Industry names are the names published by BLS. These are not local industry wages. Each row uses the pay basis BLS published for that industry, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with employment. Cells BLS did not publish stay blank rather than estimated. Compare rows only within the same pay basis.

BLS OEWS May 2025. Each row uses its published pay basis. Non-published cells stay blank of estimates.
Industry / NAICSBasisP10P25MedianP75P90Employment
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
annual$45,990$52,940$64,590$79,380$98,21012,280
Offices of Dentists
NAICS 621200
annual$30,950$45,510$48,190$55,350$64,6002,110
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
annual$37,460$44,110$50,680$62,830$77,370510
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
annual$49,170$59,660$64,670$78,410$92,43012,150
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services
NAICS 621900
annual$56,440$60,100$66,200$76,380$116,940650
Hospitals
NAICS 622000
annual$46,890$57,360$65,020$80,060$96,78083,590

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. National industry-specific estimates. A value marked “or more” is top-coded.

Where is published pay highest and lowest for this occupation?

Highest and lowest published numeric medians for Surgical Technologists, SOC 29-2055. Top-coded medians cannot be ranked exactly and are not placed in this list. The table shows up to ten metros at each end, with employment and location quotient. Location quotient describes employment concentration, not pay. A metro missing here may still publish a capped value.

BLS OEWS May 2025, annual medians. Location quotient describes employment concentration, not pay.
MetroMedianEmploymentLocation quotient
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$106,8407000.81
Vallejo, CA$105,2601000.89
Napa, CA$102,490601.06
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$100,130801.09
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$99,9601200.80
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$99,3901,4400.80
Redding, CA$89,940801.45
Urban Honolulu, HI$87,3302300.68
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$86,7902500.83
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$84,1206,3200.88
Hattiesburg, MS$48,6102104.53
Dothan, AL$47,1001403.05
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$46,8201,3901.64
Valdosta, GA$46,410400.99
Decatur, AL$46,060501.05
Anniston-Oxford, AL$42,720501.60
Mayaguez, PR$31,2002105.27
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR$30,6206801.30
Ponce, PR$27,2301002.14
Arecibo, PR$26,880301.20

How does this pay compare with all wages in each metro?

We divide this occupation's median by the all-occupations median for the same area and pay basis. This is simple arithmetic on BLS rows. It is not a cost-of-living adjustment or a percentile. Location quotient is shown separately. A ratio above one means this occupation's median is higher than the area's all-occupations median.

BLS OEWS May 2025. Only exact published medians can be compared. All-occupations SOC 00-0000.
MetroOccupation medianAll-occupations medianMedian ratioLocation quotient
Napa, CA$102,490$55,2101.86 times1.06
Redding, CA$89,940$48,9201.84 times1.45
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$100,130$54,7301.83 times1.09
Vallejo, CA$105,260$58,6201.80 times0.89
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$99,960$56,8501.76 times0.80
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$61,830$35,8301.73 times0.84
Stockton-Lodi, CA$82,300$48,9901.68 times0.77
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$78,470$47,4701.65 times0.94
Greenville, NC$76,820$46,5601.65 times1.71
Chico, CA$78,050$48,0501.62 times1.57

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, BLS OEWS May 2025. SOC 29-2055 Surgical Technologists, metropolitan areas listed above. BLS page for this occupation. CSV

What do we see when recruiting for this role?

Read the duties for Lead Surgical Technologist alongside this mapping. The BLS occupation can include different settings and levels. Ask which tasks the person will own before treating its median as an offer. This is a qualitative view from our search work, not BLS data.

What is the median pay for Surgical Technologists?

$64,650 nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025). 50% of workers in this occupation earned less than this and 50% earned more. The median covers every setting BLS surveyed, so it is a midpoint of reported pay, not an offer benchmark for your vacancy. Read the mapping note and the percentile range before you set pay.

How much do the best-paid workers earn?

10% of workers in this occupation earned more than $96,940, and 10% earned less than $45,940.

Is this the pay for Lead Surgical Technologist exactly?

No. BLS reports Surgical Technologists as one occupation. It does not publish a separate wage for Lead Surgical Technologist, this seniority level or these engagement terms. Treat these figures as the closest published evidence, not an exact-title benchmark.

What is the hourly equivalent?

The BLS median hourly wage is $31.08. BLS converts hourly to annual with 2,080 hours a year, so the annual median is $64,650.

Where is the median highest?

Among the metro areas listed on this page, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest published median at $106,840.

How many people work in this occupation?

BLS estimates 117,460 jobs nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).