Surgical Technologists pay in California
$82,810avg. a year
$39.81 an hour · 11,920 employed
Surgical Technologists in California earn an average of $82,810 a year. That is $14,100 (21%) more than the U.S. average of $68,710. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $105,420.
$81,310Median pay
$39.81Average hourly
+28%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for surgical technologists by metro area. Swipe to see all 21.
1700 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$105,420
$50.68 an hour
2100 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$103,120
$49.58 an hour
31,440 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$96,990
$46.63 an hour
460 jobs
Napa, CA
$96,920
$46.59 an hour
580 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$95,450
$45.89 an hour
6120 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$93,780
$45.09 an hour
780 jobs
Redding, CA
$83,890
$40.33 an hour
8170 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$83,830
$40.30 an hour
9200 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$83,030
$39.92 an hour
101,110 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$82,720
$39.77 an hour
113,440 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$81,620
$39.24 an hour
12170 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$80,340
$38.63 an hour
13100 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$79,200
$38.08 an hour
14120 jobs
Modesto, CA
$78,420
$37.70 an hour
1590 jobs
Chico, CA
$77,630
$37.32 an hour
16120 jobs
Salinas, CA
$76,790
$36.92 an hour
171,020 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$75,650
$36.37 an hour
18240 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$74,860
$35.99 an hour
191,190 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$74,540
$35.84 an hour
20520 jobs
Fresno, CA
$65,950
$31.71 an hour
21110 jobs
Visalia, CA
$59,700
$28.70 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Surgical Technologists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California surgical technologists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $60k$60k–$65k$65k–$73k$73k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $68,710 | $33.03 |
| California | $82,810 | $39.81 |
| Oregon | $80,990 | $38.94 |
| Nevada | $74,880 | $36.00 |
| Arizona | $72,640 | $34.92 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do surgical technologists make in California?
The average is $82,810 a year, and the median is $81,310. That is $14,100 (21%) more than the U.S. average of $68,710.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$39.81 an hour on average; the median is $39.09.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($105,420), followed by Vallejo, CA ($103,120). The lowest average among 21 metro areas with data is Visalia, CA ($59,700).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 29-2055. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national surgical technologists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.