Average Salary for a Surgical Technician
What Are Surgical Technician Salaries?
If you're planning to become a radiologist, you may have been wondering about the average salary for a surgical technician. Since you will become an important member of a surgical team, expect an average salary for a surgical technician to be of the same level as nurses and other surgical personnel.
Surgical technicians handle demanding responsibilities in the operating room environment. They must anticipate the surgeon's needs by passing instruments and operating equipments. Simply put, surgical technicians perform most of the support work in the operating room. As such, the average salary for a surgical technician should be around $12 to $30 an hour. However, this average salary for a surgical technician increases by 30 to 40 percent after five to ten years of experience.
The average salary for a surgical technician per year ranges between $25,000 and $60,000. In 2005, the average salary for a surgical technician is at $35,000 per annum, while the minimum salary is at $11,000. The salaries of surgical technicians depend largely on where they work since those who work at surgical hospitals and doctor's offices earn at least $37,000 yearly.
According to the 2002 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a surgical technician is higher when paid by offices of physicians compared to those paid by general hospitals. Starting salaries of surgical technicians range from $12 to $18 per hour. However, those with certifications earn $18 an hour for their starting salaries and increase within a year.
Like many health care fields, the demand of surgical technicians or radiologists is expected to rise over the next decade. As such, expect the average salary for a surgical technician to rise as well. According to statistics, surgical technician positions are expected to grow by over 25% by 2012, or an increase of over 20,000 jobs.
