Job Features

• Surgical instrument technicians help set up the operating room before surgery and keep a count of all instruments. During the operation, a technician assists the surgeon by maintaining a sterile environment, handing over instruments and other supplies, adjusting lights and monitoring various types of equipment. The technician may hold retractors and cut sutures. After an operation, the instrument technician may clean and restock the operating room.
  
  

Salary by Experience

• Aspiring surgical technicians can obtain training in programs at community colleges, technical schools, hospitals and in the military. Some programs last nine months and lead to a certificate or diploma, while others result in a two-year associate's degree. Obtaining certification from a professional organization can improve job opportunities and chances for advancement. Median starting pay for surgical instrument technicians is about $11.80 to $15.50 per hour, according to the PayScale salary survey website. Those with one to four years of experience can expect to earn about $14.20 to $17.90 per hour.
  
  

Salary Range

• The average salary for surgical technicians and technologists is about $19.60 per hour or $40,700 per year, indicates the BLS. Those in the middle 50 percent of the earnings range were making about $16 to $22.70 per hour, with the top 10 percent having salaries over $26.70 per hour. Most work in general medical and surgical hospitals, offices of physicians and outpatient care centers, earning about $19.40 to $19.90 per hour on average, or $40,300 to $41,300 per year.
  
  

Benefits

• Most employers of surgical instrument technicians provide health, vision, dental and life insurance and a retirement plan. Employers also provide paid vacations and holidays for full-time technicians, along with paid sick days. Some employers of surgical technicians provide tuition reimbursement for advancement opportunities. The BLS predicts employment in this field to grow much faster than average through at least 2018.