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Surgical Technologists in Florida
Want to work as a Surgical Technologists in Florida? Below are the key facts. Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons’ assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments. Excludes “Surgical Assistants” (29-9093).
What do Surgical Technologists Make in Florida?
The surgical technologists working in Florida, wages run about $61,030 per year (or roughly $29.34/hour).Pay can range from $38,200 at the 10th percentile to $77,800 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,200 | $18.37 |
| 25th percentile | $48,740 | $23.43 |
| Median (50th) | $61,030 | $29.34 |
| 75th percentile | $67,210 | $32.31 |
| 90th percentile | $77,800 | $37.41 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Florida relative to the national average — is 1.19, indicating that surgical technologists are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, surgical technologists earn a median of $73,045 per year ($35.12/hour), lower than the Florida median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 1,876,778 surgical technologists nationwide. In Florida alone, approximately 8,620 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 1,900 surgical technologists.
Top Florida Metros for Surgical Technologists
The metro areas below employ the most surgical technologists in Florida.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,180 | $63,470 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,240 | $62,550 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1,210 | $60,740 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 870 | $60,560 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | 360 | $55,890 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 300 | $56,160 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 300 | $59,990 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 260 | $61,650 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 250 | $65,000 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 230 | $51,400 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 150 | $53,020 |
| Ocala, FL | 140 | $58,350 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 140 | $63,280 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | 110 | $62,630 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 90 | $62,800 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | 80 | $61,710 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | 70 | $59,870 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | 60 | $61,220 |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | 50 | $51,370 |
Top States for Surgical Technologists Employment
These states have the highest employment of surgical technologists work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 10,570 |
| Texas | 9,870 |
| Florida | 8,620 |
| New York | 5,910 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,710 |
| Georgia | 4,100 |
| Michigan | 3,910 |
| Ohio | 3,800 |
| Illinois | 3,730 |
| North Carolina | 3,720 |
| Wisconsin | 2,770 |
| New Jersey | 2,720 |
| Indiana | 2,610 |
| Alabama | 2,610 |
| South Carolina | 2,480 |
| Tennessee | 2,470 |
| Washington | 2,380 |
| Colorado | 2,310 |
| Virginia | 2,250 |
| Massachusetts | 2,240 |
Highest-Paying States for Surgical Technologists
Where surgical technologists earn the most: surgical technologists.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $81,120 |
| Connecticut | $80,590 |
| Oregon | $79,410 |
| Alaska | $79,040 |
| Massachusetts | $78,300 |
| Minnesota | $77,950 |
| Nevada | $76,740 |
| Hawaii | $76,200 |
| New York | $75,250 |
| Washington | $73,460 |
Skills
Top surgical technologists skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for surgical technologists, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, surgical technologists typically:
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
- Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
- Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
- Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
- Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
- Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
- Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
- Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.
- Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.
- Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: MEDITECH software
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
Related Careers
Related occupations to surgical technologists include:
- Anesthesiologist Assistants
- Radiation Therapists
- Respiratory Therapists
- Nurse Anesthetists
- Anesthesiologists
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
Also Known As
Cardiovascular Operating Room Technologist (CVOR Technologist), Certified Surgical Technician, Certified Surgical Technologist (CST), Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St), Operating Room Surgical Technologist, Operating Room Technician (OR Tech), Operating Room Technologist (OR Tech), Scrub Technician, Surgery Technician (Surgery Tech), Surgical Orderly, Surgical Scrub Technician, Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech), Surgical Technician, Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech), Travel OR Tech (Travel Operating Room Technician).
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 29-2055.00