How to become a surgical technician

1. 1Finish high school with biology and health courses

   Time: 4 years (high school)Sources 1, 4

   You need a high school diploma or GED to enter a program and to sit for either national exam. Biology, chemistry and anatomy courses make the first semester easier, since surgical technology programs move quickly into anatomy, physiology, microbiology and medical terminology. Volunteering or working in a hospital, for example in sterile processing or as a patient transporter, gives you a look at the operating room and helps your application.

2. 2Choose an accredited surgical technology program

   Time: One application cycleCost: Application feesSources 2, 5

   Only graduates of programs accredited by CAAHEP (through its review council, ARC/STSA) or by ABHES can take the NBSTSA's CST exam, so confirm accreditation before you enroll. Most accredited programs now award an associate degree; ARC/STSA moved accredited programs to that standard for classes starting in the early 2020s. Programs have limited clinical slots, and many require prerequisite courses, a background check and vaccinations before clinicals.

3. 3Complete classes and clinical rotations

   Time: About 2 years (associate)Cost: $4,650/yr median public in-state tuition (associate)Sources 1, 7

   Classroom work covers anatomy, microbiology, pharmacology, aseptic technique, instruments and surgical procedures by specialty. Labs let you practice setting up trays, gowning, gloving and passing instruments in a mock operating room. The second half of most programs is spent in hospital operating rooms, scrubbing in on real cases under supervision. Expect early mornings, long periods standing and clinical schedules set by the hospital.

4. 4Pass the CST exam

   Time: Around graduationCost: $340 ($230 for AST members)Sources 2, 3, 10, 6

   The CST exam from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting has 175 multiple-choice questions, 150 of them scored, with 4 hours to finish. It covers perioperative care (65%), basic science (20%) and ancillary duties (15%). A scaled score of 98 on the scored questions passes. The NCCT's TS-C exam ($199) is another national option with student, experience and military routes.

5. 5Get hired and keep your credential current

   Time: Every 2 yearsCost: $40 renewal fee plus CE costsSources 3, 8, 1, 9

   Many hospitals require BLS or CPR certification in addition to the CST. To keep the CST, you earn 30 continuing education credits every two years, including 4 from live sessions, and pay a $40 renewal fee to NBSTSA. If your state regulates surgical technologists, register or show proof of certification as its rules require; check with the CareerOneStop License Finder before you start work.

Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.

Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.

Anticipating the surgeon's next move

A good scrub tech has the next instrument ready before it is asked for, which keeps the operation moving and the patient under anesthesia for less time.

Sterile technique

One unnoticed break in the sterile field can cause a surgical site infection, so techs must spot and call out contamination immediately.

Instrument knowledge

Hospitals stock thousands of instruments, and techs must recognize them by name and know which trays each procedure and surgeon needs.

Accuracy with counts

Sponge, needle and instrument counts are the main safeguard against leaving an object inside a patient.

Physical stamina

Long cases mean standing in one spot for hours in a gown, and the job includes lifting heavy instrument trays and helping move patients.

Composure under pressure

Bleeding, trauma cases and tense surgeons are part of the work, and the tech has to keep handing over the right tools calmly.

O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: monitoring, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, critical thinking.

Training cost

$4.9K–$9.6K

Before financial aid

Time

About 2 years

Typical path

Median pay

$64,650

All US jobs: $50,980

Payback once qualified

Under 1 year

Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost

Low: 1 year at the College Scorecard median public in-state tuition for allied health certificates ($4,578) plus the $340 CST exam fee. High: 2 years of an associate degree at the median public in-state tuition for allied health associate programs ($4,650 a year) plus the $340 CST fee. AST members pay $230 for the exam. Books, scrubs, immunizations and background checks for clinicals are extra.

Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.

• Surgical first assistant

  Takes a surgical assisting program or added training beyond surgical technology, then the NBSTSA's CSFA exam ($350). First assistants suture, suction and help expose the surgical site.

• Registered nurse$97,550 median

  Requires an ADN or BSN nursing program and the NCLEX-RN. Operating room experience is a strong start toward work as a perioperative nurse.

• Physician assistant$135,880 median

  Needs a bachelor's degree with science prerequisites and a master's-level PA program. Many programs value hands-on patient care hours like those earned in the OR.

• Surgical technology instructor

  BLS notes that experienced technologists can move into teaching health programs at the postsecondary level, which usually takes more education.

• Sterile processing technician$47,700 median

  A related role focused on cleaning, inspecting and packaging surgical instruments. It draws on the same instrument knowledge built in the operating room.