Surgical Technologist Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Surgical Technologists in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $81,580 a year — 26% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $61,804 take-home, or $5,150 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median surgical technologist salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,118
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,058
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,183
- California income tax$3,357
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,061
- Take-home pay$61,804
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Surgical Technologist pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $50,250 | $24.16 | $40,838 | $3,403 |
| 25th percentile | $66,100 | $31.78 | $52,356 | $4,363 |
| Median (50th) | $81,580 | $39.22 | $61,804 | $5,150 |
| 75th percentile | $97,790 | $47.01 | $71,489 | $5,957 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $102,010 | $49.04 | $74,011 | $6,168 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $81,580 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median surgical technologist's $61,804 take-home pay has the buying power of $54,421 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Surgical Technologist jobs are less concentrated in Los Angeles, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.73), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for surgical technologists, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #4 of 6 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas, TX | $79,990 | $65,103 | $63,152 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $71,050 | $58,814 | $59,631 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $84,120 | $64,063 | $56,913 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $81,580 | $61,804 | $54,421 |
| 5 | Atlanta, GA | $67,570 | $53,481 | $53,450 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $66,360 | $52,360 | $50,543 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 6 metros →
About the job: surgical technologists
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons’ assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.0% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a surgical technologist make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median surgical technologist salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $81,580 a year, or about $39.22 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $66,100 and $97,790.
What is a surgical technologist’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $81,580 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $61,804 a year ($5,150 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,418 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a surgical technologist?
Pay here is 26% above the national median of $64,650. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $54,421 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #4 of 6 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a surgical technologist afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 44% of a median surgical technologist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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