Surgical Tech Programs in the United States

Surgical technology programs that prepare for the CST exam.

The United States has 498 schools with surgical technologist programs in this directory: 367 public and 131 private. Together they graduated 7,561 students from these programs in the latest federal count.

Published program tuition runs from $750 to $44,064, with a median of $36,285 across the 66 programs that report a program price.

Graduates earned a median of $58,285 one year after finishing, where the Department of Education reports earnings for the program.

The largest programs by graduates are at Meridian Institute of Surgical Assisting, Madisonville Community College and Ivy Tech Community College.

Surgical Tech Programs by state

• Alabama6
• Arizona10
• Arkansas10
• California30
• Colorado8
• Florida36
• Georgia19
• Idaho4
• Illinois21
• Indiana4
• Iowa7
• Kansas7
• Kentucky12
• Louisiana10
• Maryland7
• Massachusetts8
• Michigan18
• Minnesota11
• Mississippi9
• Missouri13
• Montana3
• Nebraska4
• New Jersey8
• New Mexico3
• New York15
• North Carolina22
• Ohio22
• Oklahoma14
• Oregon3
• Pennsylvania18
• Puerto Rico5
• South Carolina13
• Tennessee17
• Texas39
• Utah6
• Virginia10
• Washington8
• West Virginia8
• Wisconsin17

Largest surgical tech programs

Other states

States with fewer than 3 listings in this category are shown here instead of on their own page.

Connecticut

Delaware

Maine

Nevada

New Hampshire

North Dakota

Rhode Island

South Dakota

Wyoming

Common questions

How much does surgical technologist training cost in the United States?

The median published tuition is $36,285 (range $750 to $44,064, 66 programs reporting). The lowest listed prices are at North-West College-Long Beach ($750), James Rumsey Technical Institute ($1,200) and Charles H McCann Technical School ($1,740). Public community and technical colleges often charge less but report tuition per year rather than per program, so check each school's net price calculator.

How long does surgical technologist school take?

Programs that report a length take a median of 18 months to finish (9 to 23 months). Certificates are shorter; associate degrees usually take about two years.

How much do surgical technologist graduates earn?

Across 403 programs with reported outcomes, the median graduate earned $58,285 one year after finishing (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard). Earnings vary by program and local labor market.

Are there public surgical technologist programs in the United States?

Yes. 367 public schools offer it, including Coastal Alabama Community College, Gadsden State Community College, George C Wallace Community College-Dothan, John C Calhoun State Community College and Bevill State Community College.

Data: U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2024-25 and College Scorecard (October 2026 release). How this directory is built.