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Health care · Ohio

Surgical technologist: what the job actually is

Setting up the operating room, keeping everything sterile, and handing the surgeon the right instrument at the right moment during surgery.

By , founder, U.S. Air Force veteranChecked against official Ohio sources Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025

The work

What this job actually is

  • Setting up sterile instruments, drapes and supplies before every surgery.
  • Scrubbing in and passing instruments, sponges and sutures to the surgeon, often before they ask.
  • Counting every sponge, needle and instrument so nothing is left inside a patient.
  • Standing for hours in one spot, in a cold room, wearing a mask and gown.
  • Cleaning up and breaking down the room fast, so the next case can start.

A Tuesday

What a normal day looks like

Not a good day or a bad one. The ordinary version, which is what you would actually be living.

  1. 6:00 a.m.: Check the schedule and pull instruments for your first case.
  2. 6:45: Set up the sterile field and do the first count with the nurse.
  3. 7:30: First surgery. Three hours on your feet passing instruments.
  4. 10:45: Final count, break down, turnover, set up for the next case.
  5. 1:00 p.m.: A second surgery runs long. Lunch gets pushed.
  6. 3:30: Last count, final cleanup, report off. Some days you are on call tonight.

Honestly

Who loves this, and who should not do it

You may like this if
  • You like order, routine and getting procedures exactly right.
  • You are fascinated by surgery and anatomy.
  • You do not need much patient conversation; most patients are asleep.
You may hate this if
  • Blood, smells or seeing inside the body would bother you.
  • Standing still for hours is hard on you.
  • You do not want to be on call nights or weekends.

The route in

How you actually get there in Ohio

  1. Graduate from an accredited surgical technology program

    NBSTSA says you must graduate from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited surgical technology program to be eligible for the CST exam.

  2. Pass the CST exam

    The Certified Surgical Technologist credential comes from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. Most employers expect it.

  3. Watch Ohio's new law

    Ohio law currently sets no standards for surgical technologists. House Bill 423, which would create certification rules under the Ohio Department of Health, passed the Ohio House in May 2026 and was sent to a Senate committee. Check its status before you choose a program.

While you are still in high school

  • Look at your career center's health science program; Ohio's Health Science field lists surgical technician among the jobs it prepares for.
  • Ohio's industry-recognized credential list includes NCCT's Tech in Surgery certification and sterile processing certification.
  • Use College Credit Plus for anatomy, biology or general college courses with no tuition for public school students at public colleges.

Where this comes from: NBSTSA: Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam eligibility · Ohio Legislature: House Bill 423 (surgical technologist certification) status · Ohio House: House passes HB 423 on surgical assistants and technologists · Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: industry-recognized credentials, Health career field · Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: Health Science career field (career-tech) · Ohio Department of Higher Education: College Credit Plus FAQs (costs, course rules) · Ohio Revised Code 3365.03, College Credit Plus eligibility. Rules change, so check the official page before you rely on a detail.

The money

What it pays in Ohio

Last on purpose. Pay matters, but it is a bad reason to pick a job you would dislike for thirty years.

$62,420
Median pay in Ohio, a year
$30.01
Median pay in Ohio, an hour
3,730
People doing this job in Ohio
$60,010
Median pay in the Akron area, a year

Most people in Ohio earn between $48,110 (the lowest-paid tenth, usually new starters) and $80,640 (the highest-paid tenth) a year.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Ohio and Akron, OH metro area. Median means half earn more and half earn less.

Try it this week

Practice the core skills

  1. Watch a full, real surgery video from a hospital or medical school channel, start to finish.

  2. Lay out 20 kitchen utensils in a set order and have someone call for them at random. Time yourself.

  3. Stand still in one place for an hour while doing a task with your hands. Notice your back and legs.

  4. Write down whether the video made you curious or uneasy.

Questions to ask somebody who does it

  • How often are you on call?
  • Which type of surgery do you like assisting most?
  • Did your employer require the CST?
  • What do new techs mess up most often?

Can you own one?

Not really: this job is almost always done for an employer.

Questions

Quick answers

How much does a surgical technologist make in Ohio?
The median pay for a surgical technologist in Ohio is $62,420 a year ($30.01 an hour), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for May 2025. Most people earn between $48,110 and $80,640.
How do you become a surgical technologist in Ohio?
Graduate from an accredited surgical technology program. Pass the CST exam. Watch Ohio's new law.

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