Surgical Technologists Salary
The median pay for a surgical technologists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $60,610/year ($29.14/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $62,120 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 42.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About surgical technologists
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Surgical technologists pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 42.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for surgical technologists in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $63K | $65K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $61K | $63K |
| Winston-Salem | $61K | $66K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $59K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level surgical technologists (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Surgical Technologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Surgical Technologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $83K | +28% | 290 |
| Oregon | $81K | +26% | 1,090 |
| California | $81K | +26% | 11,920 |
| Massachusetts | $81K | +25% | 2,220 |
| Alaska | $80K | +24% | 310 |
| Minnesota | $80K | +24% | 1,770 |
| Connecticut | $80K | +24% | 1,220 |
| New York | $80K | +23% | 6,540 |
| District of Columbia | $78K | +20% | 340 |
| Washington | $77K | +20% | 2,510 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +19% | 2,780 |
| Colorado | $76K | +17% | 2,100 |
| Nevada | $75K | +17% | 1,110 |
| New Hampshire | $75K | +16% | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $74K | +15% | 240 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +15% | 2,180 |
| Idaho | $73K | +12% | 1,100 |
| Arizona | $72K | +12% | 2,410 |
| Maryland | $69K | +7% | 1,880 |
| Virginia | $68K | +5% | 1,910 |
| Texas | $65K | +1% | 10,160 |
| Illinois | $65K | +0% | 3,570 |
| Indiana | $64K | -1% | 2,680 |
| Georgia | $64K | -1% | 4,380 |
| Nebraska | $64K | -1% | 770 |
| Michigan | $63K | -2% | 3,840 |
| Maine | $63K | -3% | 470 |
| Utah | $63K | -3% | 1,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $63K | -3% | 4,490 |
| Florida | $62K | -3% | 9,120 |
| Ohio | $62K | -3% | 3,730 |
| Delaware | $62K | -4% | 340 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -4% | 2,680 |
| North Dakota | $62K | -5% | 370 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -5% | 1,940 |
| Missouri | $61K | -5% | 2,100 |
| Montana | $61K | -6% | 490 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -6% | 4,400 |
| Vermont | $61K | -6% | 140 |
| Kansas | $61K | -6% | 1,200 |
| Iowa | $61K | -6% | 950 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -6% | 3,310 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -6% | 1,440 |
| South Dakota | $60K | -7% | 600 |
| Wyoming | $59K | -9% | 210 |
| Arkansas | $57K | -11% | 1,640 |
| Louisiana | $57K | -11% | 2,230 |
| New Mexico | $52K | -20% | 540 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -23% | 1,110 |
| Alabama | $49K | -24% | 2,480 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -24% | 580 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track surgical technologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a surgical technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 42.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical technologists in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical technologists typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,397/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 71% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is surgical technologist a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for surgical technologists?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do surgical technologists make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $60,610 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,950, and experienced surgical technologists can clear $82,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,001/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 42.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a surgical technologists salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median surgical technologists salary is worth about $62,120 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surgical technologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.