How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Rochester, NY in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs in Rochester, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across New York.
BLS OES May 2025 · Rochester metro area
A typical Surgical Tech in Rochester, New York earns $29.22 per hour, or $60,780 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,065 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,370, and the top 10% of earners make over $74,520.
That pay is 24% below the New York figure of $79,550 and 6% below the national figure of $64,650. Rochester ranks 8th of 8 metro areas in New York for Surgical Tech pay. About 340 Surgical Techs work in the Rochester area.
Surgical Tech pay in Rochester at a glance
- Typical pay is $29.22 an hour, or $60,780 a year.
- That is 24% below the New York figure, ranking 8th of 8 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $40,370; the top 10% make over $74,520.
- Typical pay rose +59% from 2015 to 2025, against +58% for New York as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Rochester?
Pay in Rochester runs from entry-level positions at around $19.41 an hour to more than $35.83 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the New York and national figures.
Surgical Tech pay by career stage in Rochester
| Career stage | Rochester | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $40,370$19.41 an hour | $53,680$25.81 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $51,910$24.96 an hour | $64,390$30.96 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $60,780$29.22 an hour | $79,550$38.25 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $64,540$31.03 an hour | $98,140$47.18 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $74,520$35.83 an hour | $105,330$50.64 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Rochester area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Rochester
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Rochester area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Surgical Tech pay in Rochester was $38,290 a year. By 2025 it had reached $60,780, a change of +59%, compared with +58% for New York over the same years.
How Rochester compares with other New York cities
New York pays Surgical Techs the most in New York at $84,120 a year, $23,340 more than Rochester. The lowest-paying area in the state is Rochester at $60,780.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Rochester | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $84,120 | $40.44 | +38% | 6,320 |
| 2 | Ithaca | $77,760 | $37.38 | +28% | 30 |
| 3 | Buffalo metro incl. Cheektowaga | $77,440 | $37.23 | +27% | 560 |
| 4 | Kiryas Joel metro incl. Newburgh · Poughkeepsie | $75,390 | $36.24 | +24% | 180 |
| 5 | Albany metro incl. Schenectady · Troy | $64,070 | $30.81 | +5% | 280 |
| 6 | Syracuse | $63,270 | $30.42 | +4% | 310 |
| 7 | Utica metro incl. Rome | $60,860 | $29.26 | 0% | 60 |
| 8 | Rochester | $60,780 | $29.22 | this city | 340 |
Every metro area in New York with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · New York typical pay $79,550
Is Rochester a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Techs in Rochester earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $60,780 a year, 6% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Rochester area, about 0.7 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.7. Surgical Tech jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Surgical Tech make in Rochester, NY?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Rochester earns $60,780 a year, or $29.22 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $40,370 and the top 10% earn over $74,520.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Rochester?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Rochester is $29.22. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $19.41, and the top 10% earn over $35.83 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Rochester?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Rochester typically offer around $19.41 an hour, or $40,370 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Rochester higher than in the rest of New York?
- Rochester pay is 24% below the New York figure of $79,550 a year, ranking 8th of 8 metro areas in the state. New York pays the most in New York at $84,120.