Surgical Technologists Salary
The median pay for a surgical technologists in Trenton-Princeton, NJ is $70,610/year ($33.95/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.18), that's roughly $68,434 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,950/month, about 42.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $71K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.18). 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 Trenton-Princeton
Surgical technologists pay in Trenton-Princeton tracks closely to the national median, $71K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,950/month, which is 42% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.18) 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 Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $63K | $64K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $84K | $75K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $70K | $68K |
| Pittsburgh | $62K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level surgical technologists (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $37K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track surgical technologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Trenton-Princeton numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a surgical technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Trenton-Princeton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 42% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for surgical technologists in Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surgical technologists typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,227/month. At HUD’s $1,950/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $71K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for surgical technologists?
Trenton-Princeton pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do surgical technologists make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $70,610 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,780, and experienced surgical technologists can clear $90,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,638/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 42% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 103.18 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median surgical technologists salary is worth about $68,434 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.