Prevailing Wage for Surgical Technologists
Prevailing wage for Surgical Technologists is set by DOL using four experience levels, and the floor varies significantly depending on where the worksite is located. Whether your offer letter says Certified Surgical Technician, Certified Surgical Technologist (CST), or OR Tech, the same SOC 29-2055 wage requirements apply to H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorships.
See all jobs for Surgical TechnologistsLook up your work address
Entry-level surgical techs with limited hands-on OR experience, typically recent graduates of an accredited surgical technology program with minimal independent responsibility. Employers filing at Level 1 expect close supervision throughout all procedures and setup tasks.
Qualified techs who can independently set up and scrub across standard procedure types with minimal supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Surgical Technologists, covering candidates one to three years into their clinical career.
Experienced techs who handle complex, specialty-specific procedures such as cardiovascular, orthopedic, or robotic-assisted surgeries and may informally mentor newer staff. Employers filing here expect broad procedural competency without case-by-case instruction.
Fully competent techs in senior or lead scrub roles, often holding the CST credential with specialized service-line expertise. Level 4 applies when the position carries significant autonomy, cross-department coordination, or formal training responsibilities.
Prevailing Wage for Surgical Technologists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
See all jobs for Surgical Technologists
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Surgical Technologists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Surgical Technologists
Verify your specialty service line affects your level
Surgical techs who scrub exclusively in high-acuity specialties like cardiovascular or orthopedics are frequently filed at Level 3 or Level 4. Accepting a Level 2 offer for a specialty-specific posting may mean your wage floor is understated for the actual scope of work.
Watch for staffing agency worksite misclassification
Many surgical tech sponsorships run through staffing agencies placing candidates at hospital worksites. DOL requires the prevailing wage to reflect the physical worksite location, not the agency's headquarters. Confirm the LCA lists the actual hospital address, not a central agency office.
Compare California metros before accepting any offer
The San Jose and San Francisco Bay Area metros set prevailing wages for OR techs substantially above the national median at every level. If you have CST credentials and flexibility, comparing offers across California metros can meaningfully change your guaranteed floor.
Search Migrate Mate for employers with surgical tech sponsorship history
Hospital systems and surgical centers vary widely in how often they sponsor OR technologists. Migrate Mate shows which employers have an actual sponsorship track record for this role, so you can prioritize applications to facilities already familiar with the LCA process.
Jobs for Surgical Technologists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Surgical TechnologistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-2055.00 alongside Surgical Technologists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Certified Surgical Technician Prevailing Wage
Certified Surgical Technician Prevailing Wage
Certified Surgical Technician positions fall under SOC 29-2055.00 (Surgical Technologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) Prevailing Wage
Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2055.00 (Surgical Technologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St) Prevailing Wage
Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St) Prevailing Wage
Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2055.00 (Surgical Technologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Operating Room Technician (OR Tech) Prevailing Wage
Operating Room Technician (OR Tech) Prevailing Wage
Operating Room Technician (OR Tech) positions fall under SOC 29-2055.00 (Surgical Technologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Operating Room Technologist (OR Tech) Prevailing Wage
Operating Room Technologist (OR Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Operating Room Technologist (OR Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2055.00 (Surgical Technologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Surgical Scrub Technician Prevailing Wage
Surgical Scrub Technician Prevailing Wage
Surgical Scrub Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2055.00 (Surgical Technologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech) Prevailing Wage
Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech) Prevailing Wage
Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech) positions fall under SOC 29-2055.00 (Surgical Technologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Surgical Technician Prevailing Wage
Surgical Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Surgical Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2055.00 (Surgical Technologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech) Prevailing Wage
Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech) Prevailing Wage
Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2055.00 (Surgical Technologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Surgical Technologists?
DOL derives prevailing wages for Surgical Technologists from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC converts those survey results into four wage levels for SOC 29-2055 at the metro and national level. Employers must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level before USCIS will approve the visa petition.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL assigns Level 1 to entry-level techs with limited experience, Level 2 to qualified techs working independently across standard cases, Level 3 to experienced techs handling complex or specialty procedures, and Level 4 to senior or lead roles with broad autonomy. Your level should match the actual duties and experience required in the job posting, not just the title on the offer letter. If the description requires specialty-line expertise, Level 2 is likely understated.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same OR tech role differ so much between cities?
OFLC publishes metro-level wage floors derived from BLS regional surveys, which capture local labor market conditions. A certified surgical technologist role in San Jose carries a substantially higher wage floor than the same title in a rural market because the regional survey reflects higher local pay norms. The worksite city on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, determines which metro floor applies, so a national health system filing from its corporate office must still use the wages for each physical hospital location.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
DOL will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage level. Without a certified LCA, USCIS will deny the H-1B or other work visa petition. The employer must either increase the offered salary to meet the floor, reclassify the position to an accurate lower level if the duties genuinely support it, or withdraw the sponsorship. Accepting a below-floor offer does not protect your status; the petition will fail at adjudication.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Surgical Technologists position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 29-2055 wages by metro area and wage level. Enter the worksite city or metropolitan statistical area, select the occupation code, and the tool returns the current DOL floor for each level. Cross-reference this against the salary listed in any offer letter. For a faster view of which employers have sponsored OR techs in specific locations, Migrate Mate lets you filter by role and location to see historical sponsorship activity.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Surgical Technologists right now.
Search Jobs for Surgical Technologists