How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Colorado in 2026?

A typical Surgical Tech in Colorado earns about $36.41 per hour ($75,740 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to roughly $6,312 a month, or $1,457 a week, figures calculated from the annual pay. Pay varies by city and experience, covered further below.

Colorado pay sits 17% above the national figure of $64,650 a year, and its hourly rate of $36.41 also tops the national hourly figure of $31.08. The state ranks 12th out of 51 for Surgical Tech pay. About 2,100 Surgical Techs work in Colorado, compared with 117,460 nationwide, a gap that places Colorado among the higher-paying states for this role.

Entry-level positions in Colorado typically offer around $24.54 an hour, or about $51,040 a year, for Surgical Techs just starting out. Pay tends to move toward the $36.41-an-hour typical rate within the first few years on the job. New hires in hospital settings sometimes start closer to the middle of that range.

Experienced Surgical Techs in Colorado often earn upwards of $39.91 an hour, or about $83,000 a year, and the top 10% make over $44.51 an hour ($92,580 a year). That leaves a spread of $41,540 between entry-level and top-tier pay. Setting, years of experience, and city all factor into where an individual tech lands within that range.

Colorado Surgical Tech pay has climbed steadily over the past decade, from $48,260 in 2015 to $75,740 in 2025. That is a gain of $27,480, or 57%, over ten years. Pay rose in nearly every year along the way, without a single sharp jump.

The national increase over the same decade was smaller, at 46%. Colorado's pay has moved up faster than the country as a whole, though past growth is no guarantee of future raises. For someone starting out now, the trend shows a role where pay has kept climbing over time.

Pay runs highest in Boulder, where Surgical Techs typically earn $81,600 a year ($39.23 an hour), about 8% above the statewide figure; figures for each city cover its full metro area. Greeley and the Denver metro area (which includes Aurora and Centennial) follow closely, with typical pay of $77,750 and $77,020 a year. Pueblo rounds out the higher-paying cities at $76,940 a year.

Grand Junction pays the least among the state's larger cities, with typical pay of $65,410 a year ($31.45 an hour), a spread of $16,190 between the highest- and lowest-paying cities covered. Denver has the largest Surgical Tech workforce in the state, with 1,210 workers earning $37.03 an hour, even though its overall pay sits below Boulder's. Higher pay in cities like Boulder often reflects a higher cost of living rather than easier work.

Colorado pays Surgical Techs more than every neighboring state listed here. Arizona comes closest, at $72,260 a year, about 5% below Colorado's figure, while New Mexico trails furthest at $51,780, 32% below. Nebraska, Utah, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming fall in between, generally 16% to 22% lower than Colorado. Surgical Tech licensure or certification earned in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, though requirements vary.

Surgical Techs in Colorado typically earn $75,740 a year, well above the national figure, and pay has risen 57% over the past decade. Entry-level techs start lower, while experienced techs and those in higher-paying cities like Boulder earn considerably more. Readers weighing a move to Colorado, or into the field, can check the state's licensing or registry page for requirements and the city pages on this site for local pay figures.