Occupations/29-2055.00
Surgical Technologists
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.
Usually a certificate, vocational program, or associate degree — not a bachelor’s.
AI automation risk
35%
More resilient
Human characteristics
73%
Strong human-characteristic mix
Task orientation
77%
Higher automation risk
A day in this job
- Mostly human
Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
- Mostly routine
Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
- Mostly human
Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
Split from the wording of these tasks, shown next to the occupation’s AI risk. It is not a separate score for each task, and it is not a forecast that the job disappears.
Core tasks
- 01Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- 02Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
- 03Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
- 04Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
- 05Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- 06Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks4.01
- Degree of automation1.89
- Time sitting2.15
- Originality (ability)2.50
- Conflict situations2.99
- Hands-on objects/tools4.66
- Outdoors / weather1.01
- Disease exposure4.29
- Decision freedom3.78
Top abilities
- Oral Comprehension4.00
- Problem Sensitivity3.75
- Near Vision3.75
- Speech Recognition3.62
- Arm-Hand Steadiness3.50
- Selective Attention3.38
- Manual Dexterity3.38
- Perceptual Speed3.25
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension3.00
- Active Listening3.38
- Writing2.88
- Speaking3.12
- Mathematics2.62
- Science2.25
- Critical Thinking3.12
- Active Learning3.00
- Learning Strategies3.00
- Monitoring3.75
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
12 of 73 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emory University Atlanta, GA · Private nonprofit | Pathology/Pathologist Assistant 51.0811 | $60,800 | 11% | 91% | 1 yr $167,572 2 yr $162,817 Master's · CIP 51.08 |
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $68,200 | 12% | 92% | 1 yr $122,902 2 yr $112,319 Master's · CIP 51.09 |
University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA · Public | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $12,600 | 48% | 84% | 1 yr $120,847 2 yr $121,294 Bachelor's · CIP 51.09 |
Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofit | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $43,600 | 76% | 64% | 1 yr $111,992 2 yr $111,435 Master's · CIP 51.09 |
North Dakota State University Fargo, ND · Public | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $10,900 | 96% | 68% | 1 yr $110,432 2 yr $101,645 Master's · CIP 51.09 |
Howard University Washington, DC · Private nonprofit | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $33,200 | 53% | 65% | 1 yr $103,555 2 yr $104,061 Master's · CIP 51.09 |
Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC · Public | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $2,900 | 100% | 31% | 1 yr $101,645 2 yr $98,551 Master's · CIP 51.09 |
Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI · Public | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $4,900 | 100% | 27% | 1 yr $98,784 2 yr $105,529 Master's · CIP 51.09 |
University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI · Public | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $11,200 | 49% | 89% | 1 yr $98,766 2 yr $100,213 Professional · CIP 51.09 |
University of Florida Gainesville, FL · Public | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $6,400 | 23% | 89% | 1 yr $97,673 2 yr $101,327 Master's · CIP 51.09 |
Madison Area Technical College Madison, WI · Public | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $4,700 | 100% | 34% | 1 yr $66,541 2 yr $57,318 Bachelor's · CIP 51.09 |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC · Public | Surgical Technology/Technologist 51.0909 | $9,000 | 17% | 91% | 1 yr $59,485 2 yr $58,943 Bachelor's · CIP 51.09 |