Surgical Technologist Salary in California

Surgical Technologists in California have a median annual salary of $81,310, which works out to about $39.09 per hour, with a typical 25th–75th percentile range of $64,380 to $99,260, based on the latest BLS OEWS data.

29-2055 · Surgical Technologists

Surgical Technologist pay in California at a glance

Median annual salary

$81,310

Median hourly wage

$39.09/hr

Average annual salary

$82,810

Average hourly wage

$39.81/hr

25th percentile

$64,380

75th percentile

$99,260

10th percentile

$49,140

90th percentile

$115,740

People employed

11,920

Salary distribution

Reported wage points from the lowest to the highest paid surgical technologist roles in California.

10th percentile
$49,140
25th percentile
$64,380
Median percentile
$81,310
75th percentile
$99,260
90th percentile
$115,740

California vs U.S. salary

The median salary for surgical technologist roles in California is about 25.8% above the U.S. median of $64,650 for the same occupation.

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How much does a surgical technologist make in California?

Half of surgical technologist roles in California report earning more than $81,310 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $82,810 is pulled up or down by the highest and lowest earners, which is why the median is usually the better benchmark.

Salary range

A quarter of reported salaries fall below $64,380 and a quarter are above $99,260, so most surgical technologist pay sits between those two figures. These percentiles describe how pay is spread across all reported roles — they are not a direct measure of years of experience.

What can affect surgical technologist pay?

  • Years of experience and level of responsibility
  • Employer type and size
  • Specialization within the occupation
  • Certifications and licensing
  • Industry
  • Hours worked, shift patterns and overtime
  • The local labor market where the job is based

Surgical Technologist pay in other states

Related jobs in California

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Methodology · Data sources

Salary figures are benchmarks and can vary by employer, experience, specialization, hours worked and other factors.