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Surgical technologist salary in Tennessee

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$60,530median pay per year in Tennessee, or $29.10 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $47,620lowest 10% earn less
  2. $51,31025th percentile
  3. $60,530median
  4. $64,43075th percentile
  5. $75,920top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $64,650[3]

The median pay for surgical technologists in Tennessee was $60,530 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $4,120 below the US median[6].

Jobs in TN
3,310[4]
Rank by median pay
42 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−6.4%[6]

How much do surgical technologists make in Tennessee?

The median is the middle of the pay range. Half of surgical technologists in Tennessee earned more than $60,530 a year and half earned less[1]. That works out to $29.10 an hour[1]. The average was close, at $60,110 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for surgical technologists was $64,650[3]. Tennessee's median was $4,120 (6.4%) lower[6]. Compared with all jobs in the state, the pay is higher. The median for all occupations in Tennessee was $47,380, so surgical technologists were $13,150 above it[8][9]. For the lowest-paid 10%, earnings were under $47,620[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $75,920[2].

By metro area, the Nashville metro area had the highest median among the 8 metro areas with a published figure, at $63,120 a year[10]. Memphis came in at $61,150 and Knoxville at $54,900[11].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers, both part-time and full-time. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners. It also does not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Tennessee vs US pay

Pay for surgical technologists in Tennessee next to the national figures[1][3].

TNUS
Median per year$60,530[1]$64,650[3]
Median per hour$29.10[1]$31.08[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$47,620[2]$45,940[13]
Top 10% earn more than$75,920[2]$96,940[13]
Jobs3,310[4]117,460[3]

Pay by metro area in Tennessee

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN[11]$63,1201,120
Memphis, TN-MS-AR$61,150630
Knoxville, TN$54,900520
Chattanooga, TN-GA$60,900380
Johnson City, TN$59,180120
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA$60,500110
Clarksville, TN-KY$52,51070
Jackson, TN$59,09070

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Virginia[14]$67,5801,910
Georgia$64,0104,380
Missouri$61,1202,100
North Carolina$60,9204,400
Kentucky$60,4901,440
Arkansas$57,4001,640
Mississippi$49,8101,110
Alabama$49,4202,480

Median pay for surgical technologists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for surgical technologists are projected to grow 5% 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 technologist make in Tennessee?
The median was $60,530 a year in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,620 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $75,920[2].
How much does a surgical technologist make an hour in Tennessee?
The median hourly wage was $29.10[1]. At the 10th percentile it was $22.89 an hour, and at the 90th percentile it was $36.50[17].
Which city in Tennessee pays surgical technologists the most?
Among the 8 metro areas with a published median, the Nashville metro area had the highest at $63,120 a year[10].
Is Tennessee a good state for surgical technologists?
For median pay, Tennessee ranked 42nd out of the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was $4,120 below the US median, and $13,150 above the median for all jobs in the state[6][9].
What do you need to become a surgical technologist in Tennessee?
This is a US figure, not a Tennessee one. Across the US, the typical education for entry is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no work experience in a related occupation needed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Surgical Technologists in Tennessee was $60,530 per year and $29.10 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 Technologists in Tennessee: 10th percentile $47,620, 25th percentile $51,310, 75th percentile $64,430, 90th percentile $75,920. 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 Technologists in the US as a whole was $64,650 per year and $31.08 per hour, with about 117,460 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 3,310 people worked as Surgical Technologists in Tennessee (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Tennessee had the 42nd highest median annual wage for Surgical Technologists out of the 50 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 Technologists in Tennessee ($60,530) was $4,120 (6.4%) lower than the US median ($64,650). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Surgical Technologists in Tennessee was $60,110 per year and $28.90 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Tennessee was $47,380. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Surgical Technologists in Tennessee was $13,150 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,380). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 8 metro areas in or partly in Tennessee with a published median for Surgical Technologists, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN had the highest median annual wage, $63,120. 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 Technologists in the US: 10th percentile $45,940, 25th percentile $54,690, 75th percentile $79,750, 90th percentile $96,940. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Surgical Technologists in states that border Tennessee (highest first): Virginia $67,580; Georgia $64,010; Missouri $61,120; North Carolina $60,920; Kentucky $60,490; Arkansas $57,400; Mississippi $49,810; Alabama $49,420. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Surgical Technologists is projected to grow 5% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 7,100 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 Technologists: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Surgical Technologists in Tennessee: 10th percentile $22.89, 25th percentile $24.67, 75th percentile $30.98, 90th percentile $36.50. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Tennessee. 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.