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.
Surgical technologists assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. The role reports a median annual salary of $62,830 in the US and is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Postsecondary nondegree award, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.42 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Monitoring, Active Listening, Operations Monitoring, Coordination, Critical Thinking.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £29,931 a year for Medical and dental technicians (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £26,955 to £36,120 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3213). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Surgical technologists, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification Bachelor of Anaesthesia and Operation Theatre Technology (B.AOTT), 4 years after Class 12[1]
- 2 · Registration Enrolment on the allied and healthcare professionals register under the NCAHP Act[2]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Psychology
- Public Safety and Security
- Biology
- Mathematics
A day in the life
You arrive early to prepare the operating theatre, checking instruments, laying out sterile trays and making sure all equipment is ready for the first surgery. You scrub your hands and arms, put on your gown and gloves, then help the surgeons and nurses do the same. When the patient arrives, you help position him on the table and cover him with sterile drapes. Throughout the operation you anticipate what the surgeon needs next, passing instruments, holding retractors, cutting sutures and keeping the sterile field clean. Before and after each operation you count every sponge, needle and instrument with a nurse to make sure nothing is left inside. Between cases you clean and reset the theatre fast. After lunch you assist in an emergency operation that runs late. The pressure is intense and you stand for hours, but being a trusted part of the surgical team is deeply rewarding.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Surgical technologists do?
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.
What does a typical day look like in Surgical technologists?
You arrive early to prepare the operating theatre, checking instruments, laying out sterile trays and making sure all equipment is ready for the first surgery. You scrub your hands and arms, put on your gown and gloves, then help the surgeons and nurses do the same. When the patient arrives, you help position him on the table and cover him with sterile drapes.
How much does Surgical technologists earn?
The median annual salary for Surgical technologists in the US is $62,830.
What is the job outlook for Surgical technologists?
The role is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 115,600 workers.
How do I become surgical technologists?
The typical entry education is a Postsecondary nondegree award. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Surgical technologists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Monitoring, Active Listening, Operations Monitoring, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Speaking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Surgical technologists?
Our AI-durability model gives Surgical technologists a score of 0.42 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Surgical technologists has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.