How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Joplin, MO in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs in Joplin, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Missouri.
BLS OES May 2025 · Joplin metro area
A typical Surgical Tech in Joplin, Missouri earns $27.28 per hour, or $56,750 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,729 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $44,200, and the top 10% of earners make over $77,390.
That pay is 7% below the Missouri figure of $61,120 and 12% below the national figure of $64,650. Joplin ranks 4th of 5 metro areas in Missouri for Surgical Tech pay. About 100 Surgical Techs work in the Joplin area.
Surgical Tech pay in Joplin at a glance
- Typical pay is $27.28 an hour, or $56,750 a year.
- That is 7% below the Missouri figure, ranking 4th of 5 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $44,200; the top 10% make over $77,390.
- Typical pay rose +41% from 2015 to 2025, against +54% for Missouri as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Joplin?
Pay in Joplin runs from entry-level positions at around $21.25 an hour to more than $37.21 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Missouri and national figures.
Surgical Tech pay by career stage in Joplin
| Career stage | Joplin | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $44,200$21.25 an hour | $44,930$21.60 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $53,100$25.53 an hour | $50,690$24.37 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $56,750$27.28 an hour | $61,120$29.39 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $63,240$30.41 an hour | $68,410$32.89 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $77,390$37.21 an hour | $78,410$37.70 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Joplin area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Joplin
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Joplin area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Surgical Tech pay in Joplin was $40,250 a year. By 2025 it had reached $56,750, a change of +41%, compared with +54% for Missouri over the same years.
How Joplin compares with other Missouri cities
Kansas City pays Surgical Techs the most in Missouri at $62,250 a year, $5,500 more than Joplin. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cape Girardeau at $49,880.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Joplin | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City | $62,250 | $29.93 | +10% | 980 |
| 2 | St. Louis | $61,790 | $29.71 | +9% | 810 |
| 3 | Springfield | $61,120 | $29.39 | +8% | 320 |
| 4 | Joplin | $56,750 | $27.28 | this city | 100 |
| 5 | Cape Girardeau | $49,880 | $23.98 | -12% | 60 |
Every metro area in Missouri with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Missouri typical pay $61,120
Is Joplin a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Techs in Joplin earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $56,750 a year, 12% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Joplin area, about 1.1 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.8. That makes the local economy more reliant on Surgical Techs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Surgical Tech make in Joplin, MO?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Joplin earns $56,750 a year, or $27.28 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $44,200 and the top 10% earn over $77,390.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Joplin?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Joplin is $27.28. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $21.25, and the top 10% earn over $37.21 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Joplin?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Joplin typically offer around $21.25 an hour, or $44,200 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Joplin higher than in the rest of Missouri?
- Joplin pay is 7% below the Missouri figure of $61,120 a year, ranking 4th of 5 metro areas in the state. Kansas City pays the most in Missouri at $62,250.