How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Norfolk, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs in Norfolk, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk metro area
A typical Surgical Tech in Norfolk, North Carolina earns $31.43 per hour, or $65,370 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,448 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,540, and the top 10% of earners make over $94,000.
That pay is 7% above the North Carolina figure of $60,920 and 1% above the national figure of $64,650. Norfolk ranks 4th of 13 metro areas in North Carolina for Surgical Tech pay. About 420 Surgical Techs work in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area. Norfolk is part of the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chesapeake share these figures.
Surgical Tech pay in Norfolk at a glance
- Typical pay is $31.43 an hour, or $65,370 a year.
- That is 7% above the North Carolina figure, ranking 4th of 13 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,540; the top 10% make over $94,000.
- Typical pay rose +42% from 2015 to 2025, against +56% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Norfolk?
Pay in Norfolk runs from entry-level positions at around $19.01 an hour to more than $45.19 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 Norfolk
| Career stage | Norfolk | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $39,540$19.01 an hour | $45,990$22.11 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $58,650$28.20 an hour | $51,540$24.78 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $65,370$31.43 an hour | $60,920$29.29 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $77,590$37.30 an hour | $68,520$32.94 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $94,000$45.19 an hour | $78,650$37.81 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Norfolk
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Surgical Tech pay in Norfolk was $46,180 a year. By 2025 it had reached $65,370, a change of +42%, compared with +56% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Norfolk compares with other North Carolina cities
Greenville pays Surgical Techs the most in North Carolina at $76,820 a year, $11,450 more than Norfolk. The lowest-paying area in the state is Pinehurst at $56,510.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Norfolk | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville | $76,820 | $36.93 | +18% | 100 |
| 2 | Fayetteville | $65,660 | $31.57 | 0% | 100 |
| 3 | Asheville | $65,450 | $31.47 | 0% | 160 |
| 4 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $65,370 | $31.43 | this city | 420 |
| 5 | Charlotte | $63,490 | $30.52 | -3% | 1,170 |
| 6 | Cary metro incl. Raleigh | $61,480 | $29.56 | -6% | 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 | -7% | 370 |
| 10 | Greensboro metro incl. High Point | $59,070 | $28.40 | -10% | 340 |
| 11 | Rocky Mount | $57,570 | $27.68 | -12% | 40 |
| 12 | Lenoir | $57,000 | $27.40 | -13% | 180 |
| 13 | Southern Pines metro incl. Pinehurst | $56,510 | $27.17 | -14% | 130 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $60,920
Is Norfolk a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Tech pay in Norfolk sits close to the national figure: $65,370 a year, 1% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area, about 0.6 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.8. That makes Surgical Techs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Surgical Tech make in Norfolk, NC?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Norfolk earns $65,370 a year, or $31.43 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $39,540 and the top 10% earn over $94,000.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Norfolk?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Norfolk is $31.43. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $19.01, and the top 10% earn over $45.19 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Norfolk?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Norfolk typically offer around $19.01 an hour, or $39,540 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Norfolk higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Norfolk pay is 7% above the North Carolina figure of $60,920 a year, ranking 4th of 13 metro areas in the state. Greenville pays the most in North Carolina at $76,820.