How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Hickory, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs in Hickory, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton metro area
A typical Surgical Tech in Hickory, North Carolina earns $27.40 per hour, or $57,000 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,750 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $41,930, and the top 10% of earners make over $72,850.
That pay is 6% below the North Carolina figure of $60,920 and 12% below the national figure of $64,650. Hickory ranks 12th of 13 metro areas in North Carolina for Surgical Tech pay. About 180 Surgical Techs work in the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton area. Hickory is part of the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Lenoir and Morganton share these figures.
Surgical Tech pay in Hickory at a glance
- Typical pay is $27.40 an hour, or $57,000 a year.
- That is 6% below the North Carolina figure, ranking 12th of 13 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $41,930; the top 10% make over $72,850.
- Typical pay rose +49% from 2015 to 2025, against +56% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Hickory?
Pay in Hickory runs from entry-level positions at around $20.16 an hour to more than $35.02 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
Surgical Tech pay by career stage in Hickory
| Career stage | Hickory | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $41,930$20.16 an hour | $45,990$22.11 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $47,900$23.03 an hour | $51,540$24.78 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $57,000$27.40 an hour | $60,920$29.29 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $63,530$30.55 an hour | $68,520$32.94 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $72,850$35.02 an hour | $78,650$37.81 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Hickory
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Surgical Tech pay in Hickory was $38,220 a year. By 2025 it had reached $57,000, a change of +49%, compared with +56% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Hickory compares with other North Carolina cities
Greenville pays Surgical Techs the most in North Carolina at $76,820 a year, $19,820 more than Hickory. The lowest-paying area in the state is Pinehurst at $56,510.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Hickory | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville | $76,820 | $36.93 | +35% | 100 |
| 2 | Fayetteville | $65,660 | $31.57 | +15% | 100 |
| 3 | Asheville | $65,450 | $31.47 | +15% | 160 |
| 4 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $65,370 | $31.43 | +15% | 420 |
| 5 | Charlotte | $63,490 | $30.52 | +11% | 1,170 |
| 6 | Cary metro incl. Raleigh | $61,480 | $29.56 | +8% | 560 |
| 7 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $60,920 | $29.29 | +7% | 480 |
| 8 | Wilmington | $60,900 | $29.28 | +7% | 210 |
| 9 | Chapel Hill metro incl. Durham | $60,610 | $29.14 | +6% | 370 |
| 10 | Greensboro metro incl. High Point | $59,070 | $28.40 | +4% | 340 |
| 11 | Rocky Mount | $57,570 | $27.68 | +1% | 40 |
| 12 | Hickory | $57,000 | $27.40 | this city | 180 |
| 13 | Southern Pines metro incl. Pinehurst | $56,510 | $27.17 | -1% | 130 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $60,920
Is Hickory a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Techs in Hickory earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $57,000 a year, 12% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Hickory · Lenoir · Morganton area, about 1.2 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.7. 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 Hickory, NC?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Hickory earns $57,000 a year, or $27.40 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $41,930 and the top 10% earn over $72,850.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Hickory?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Hickory is $27.40. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $20.16, and the top 10% earn over $35.02 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Hickory?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Hickory typically offer around $20.16 an hour, or $41,930 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Hickory higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Hickory pay is 6% below the North Carolina figure of $60,920 a year, ranking 12th of 13 metro areas in the state. Greenville pays the most in North Carolina at $76,820.