While the South might not make headlines with high salaries, it remains one of the best regions in the United States to find and keep a job. This is a strong point of persuasion with unemployment rates in the gutter all around the country. Throughout the economic downturn, housing and job markets in the American South have remained relatively stable and the surgical technician industry is no exception.
Surgical technicians enjoy the highest employment levels in metropolitan areas such as Chattanooga, Tennessee, Florence, South Caroline, Owensboro, Kentucky, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Professionals in this industry will find more job opportunities and better job security in this areas as well as a strong earning potential.
The pay scale for surgical technician in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is the highest among metropolitan areas with high employment levels, with an annual average salary of $37,440. In Florence, South Caroline, surgical techs earn an average of $34,830 annually.
This chart displays annual mean salaries for Surgical Technicians in the U.S. The data was collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OES - May 2008.
In Owensboro, Kentucky, surgical techs can expect to earn around $31,230 and in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the average is $30,650.
Some of the salaries are nearly half what surgical techs earn in other parts of the country. However, high salaries usually mean high competition for jobs as well as high costs of living. The cost of living in southern states remains reasonable and manageable for most Americans and surgical techs should be able to live comfortably in these salary ranges. What the South lacks in earning potential it makes up for in employment possibilities.
Related Charts for Surgical Technician Salaries:
Surgical Technician Pay Scale - Major Metropolitan Areas
Surgical Technician Salaries - Popular States
Surgical Technician Salary Ranges - Popular Industries
The bar graph above shows the average surgical technician salary in cities with the highest employment levels. The data is displayed below in table format:
| City | Annual Mean Wage |
|---|
| Florence, SC | 34830 |
| Owensboro, KY | 31230 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | 30650 |
| Chattanooga, TN | 37440 |
