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Surgical technician salary in Wisconsin

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$78,030median pay per year in Wisconsin, or $37.51 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $47,460lowest 10% earn less
  2. $61,76025th percentile
  3. $78,030median
  4. $95,73075th percentile
  5. $99,950top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $66,800[3]

The median pay for surgical technicians in Wisconsin was $78,030 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $11,230 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in WI
810[4]
Rank by median pay
12 of 44[5]
Compared with US median
+16.8%[6]

How much do surgical technicians make in Wisconsin?

Surgical technicians in Wisconsin had a median wage of $78,030 a year, or $37.51 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was a little lower at $75,650[7]. Across the US, the median was $66,800[3], so Wisconsin was $11,230 (16.8%) higher[6]. For all jobs in the state, the median was $50,270[8]. Surgical technicians earned $27,760 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,460, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $99,950[2]. The middle half of pay ran from $61,760 to $95,730[2]. About 810 people held these jobs in Wisconsin[4].

Among metro areas in or partly in Wisconsin, Milwaukee-Waukesha had the highest median wage at $81,690[10]. Madison had a median of $73,200 and Oshkosh-Neenah had $66,030[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Wisconsin vs US pay

Pay for surgical technicians in Wisconsin next to the national figures[1][3].

WIUS
Median per year$78,030[1]$66,800[3]
Median per hour$37.51[1]$32.11[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$47,460[2]$39,690[13]
Top 10% earn more than$99,950[2]$107,610[13]
Jobs810[4]22,270[3]

Pay by metro area in Wisconsin

Metro areas in Wisconsin with the most jobs for surgical technicians, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI[11]$81,690420
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$75,950230
Madison, WI$73,20070
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI$66,03050
Duluth, MN-WI$75,47040

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for surgical technicians in the states that border Wisconsin, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Illinois[14]$80,2102,300
Minnesota$75,950360
Iowa$66,03030
Michigan$56,430560

Median pay for surgical technicians in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for surgical technicians are projected to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a surgical technician make in Wisconsin?
The median was $78,030 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,460 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $99,950[2].
How much does a surgical technician make an hour in Wisconsin?
The median hourly wage was $37.51[1]. The hourly average was $36.37[7].
Which city in Wisconsin pays surgical technicians the highest?
Milwaukee-Waukesha had the highest median among the 5 metro areas with a published figure, at $81,690 a year[10].
Is Wisconsin a good state for surgical technicians?
Wisconsin had the 12th highest median annual wage out of 43 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 16.8% higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a surgical technician in Wisconsin?
This is a US figure, not a Wisconsin one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no related work experience and no typical on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Surgical Assistants in Wisconsin was $78,030 per year and $37.51 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Surgical Assistants in Wisconsin: 10th percentile $47,460, 25th percentile $61,760, 75th percentile $95,730, 90th percentile $99,950. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Surgical Assistants in the US as a whole was $66,800 per year and $32.11 per hour, with about 22,270 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 810 people worked as Surgical Assistants in Wisconsin (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Wisconsin had the 12th highest median annual wage for Surgical Assistants out of the 43 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Surgical Assistants in Wisconsin ($78,030) was $11,230 (16.8%) higher than the US median ($66,800). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Surgical Assistants in Wisconsin was $75,650 per year and $36.37 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Wisconsin was $50,270. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Surgical Assistants in Wisconsin was $27,760 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($50,270). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 5 metro areas in or partly in Wisconsin with a published median for Surgical Assistants, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI had the highest median annual wage, $81,690. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Surgical Assistants in the US: 10th percentile $39,690, 25th percentile $50,170, 75th percentile $88,010, 90th percentile $107,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Surgical Assistants in states that border Wisconsin (highest first): Illinois $80,210; Minnesota $75,950; Iowa $66,030; Michigan $56,430. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Surgical Assistants is projected to grow 6.1% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,400 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Surgical Assistants: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections

State figures cover only Wisconsin. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.