Surgical Technologist.
San Francisco.
$77,000
median salary, 35% above the national average
$63,000 to $93,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
San Francisco is 35% more expensive than the national average. For Surgical Technologists, that shakes out to a median of $77,000, with the full range spanning $63,000 to $93,000. Surgical specialty drives compensation, with cardiovascular, neuro, and robotic surgery techs earning the most. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
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How San Francisco compares
San Francisco, CA
$77,000
Cost of living: 35% above average
National Average
$57,000
San Francisco is $20,000 above
What you should know
Here is what the Surgical Technologist market actually looks like in San Francisco. San Francisco is the epicenter of venture capital and startup innovation, consistently producing the highest tech salaries in the nation. The city's concentration of AI labs, SaaS companies, and fintech firms creates intense competition for talent. Despite remote work trends, SF still commands the steepest salary premiums for engineering and product roles. Surgical specialty drives compensation, with cardiovascular, neuro, and robotic surgery techs earning the most. Certification through NBSTSA is increasingly required and commands higher pay. Level I trauma centers and academic medical centers pay above community hospitals, and call pay for after-hours coverage adds meaningful income.
New surgical techs start at $45,000 to $50,000 with certification. Experienced techs in specialty ORs earn $58,000 to $68,000 after five years. Lead surgical techs or first assistants can reach $70,000 to $82,000, with surgical first assist certification opening the highest pay tier. In San Francisco, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 35% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Surgical techs receive call pay of $3 to $6 per hour when on standby, plus overtime for emergency cases. Benefits include health insurance, scrub allowances, and certification renewal reimbursement. Some hospitals offer retention bonuses in tight labor markets. And on the tax side: california's top marginal state income tax rate is 13.3%, the highest in the U.S. San Francisco has no additional city income tax, but overall tax burden remains steep. When someone quotes you $77,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage competing offers aggressively. SF employers expect candidates to shop around, and matching or beating a rival offer is standard practice here. The range for Surgical Technologists in San Francisco runs from $63,000 to $93,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in San Francisco
Negotiating in San Francisco
Leverage competing offers aggressively. SF employers expect candidates to shop around, and matching or beating a rival offer is standard practice here.