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Surgical Technologists in North Dakota

Want to work as a Surgical Technologists in North Dakota? 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 North Dakota?

For surgical technologists working in North Dakota, wages run about $59,990 per year (or about $28.84/hour).Pay can range from $48,110 at the 10th percentile to $66,220 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$48,110	$23.13
25th percentile	$50,620	$24.34
Median (50th)	$59,990	$28.84
75th percentile	$62,340	$29.97
90th percentile	$66,220	$31.84

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in North Dakota nationwide is 0.87, suggesting fewer surgical technologists per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, surgical technologists earn a median of $73,045 per year ($35.12/hour), lower than the North Dakota median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 1,876,778 surgical technologists across the United States. In North Dakota alone, approximately 270 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 1,900 surgical technologists.

Top North Dakota Metros for Surgical Technologists

The largest metro-area employers of surgical technologists in North Dakota.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Fargo, ND-MN	130	$59,990
Bismarck, ND	70	$62,340
Grand Forks, ND-MN	40	$60,770

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

The most important surgical technologists skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for surgical technologists, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

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

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: MEDITECH software

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

• Allied Health Professions
• Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science
• Allied Health Services

Related Careers

Careers similar 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