Healthcare
Surgical Technologist
Assist surgeons in the operating room — preparing instruments and the sterile field. High-stakes work, two-year entry.
high-pay-fasthelping-peoplehands-on
Salary progression
What you'll earn over your career
$45k
$58k
$78k
Entry
Mid-career
Senior
10-yr outlook
+6%
+6% (Faster than avg)
Open positions
9,000
Estimated nationwide
Entry paths
How to get here
Multiple paths lead to this career. Compare time, cost, online vs in-person delivery, and program links.
Fastest ROI
Degree In Person
Associate / Diploma in Surgical Tech
Time
1–2 years
Cost
$5,000 – $25,000
CST certification required by most hospitals.
Affiliate disclosure: Some of the program links above may be affiliate partnerships. If you enroll, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only link to programs we have actually reviewed against our methodology. See our methodology for how we evaluate schools.
Attainability breakdown
What are the odds
you actually get there?
Six factors weighted to estimate the realistic probability a motivated person reaches this outcome. Higher = more attainable.
76
Composite
Attainability Score
Editorial estimate
Editorial estimate — based on best-available qualitative info. We're upgrading individual factors to published statistics where available.
- Educational difficultyHow hard the required schooling is to complete7820%
- Licensing & examsPass rates and difficulty of required exams8015%
- Entry-job competitionHow many applicants per open entry-level role8020%
- Career stay-rateInverse of early-career attrition / industry exit7015%
- Market demandOpenings vs available workforce7815%
- Alternative pathsHow many viable ways exist to enter the field7015%
Quick math
If you took the fastest path…
You'd train for
1–2 years
You'd spend (avg)
$15,000
Starting salary
$45,000
Mid-career
$58,000
Read more
Articles & resources
Sources: BLS OOH 2024 · AST