How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Salem, OR in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs in Salem, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Oregon.
BLS OES May 2025 · Salem metro area
A typical Surgical Tech in Salem, Oregon earns $37.51 per hour, or $78,010 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,501 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $67,640, and the top 10% of earners make over $95,730.
That pay is 4% below the Oregon figure of $81,390 and 21% above the national figure of $64,650. Salem ranks 3rd of 4 metro areas in Oregon for Surgical Tech pay. About 100 Surgical Techs work in the Salem area.
Surgical Tech pay in Salem at a glance
- Typical pay is $37.51 an hour, or $78,010 a year.
- That is 4% below the Oregon figure, ranking 3rd of 4 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $67,640; the top 10% make over $95,730.
- Typical pay rose +62% from 2016 to 2025, against +66% for Oregon as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Salem?
Pay in Salem runs from entry-level positions at around $32.52 an hour to more than $46.02 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Oregon and national figures.
Surgical Tech pay by career stage in Salem
| Career stage | Salem | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $67,640$32.52 an hour | $59,930$28.81 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $77,540$37.28 an hour | $73,190$35.19 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $78,010$37.51 an hour | $81,390$39.13 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $94,640$45.50 an hour | $94,640$45.50 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $95,730$46.02 an hour | $97,330$46.80 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Salem area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Salem
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Salem area · BLS OES May estimates, 2016 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2016, typical Surgical Tech pay in Salem was $48,020 a year. By 2025 it had reached $78,010, a change of +62%, compared with +66% for Oregon over the same years.
How Salem compares with other Oregon cities
Portland pays Surgical Techs the most in Oregon at $82,430 a year, $4,420 more than Salem. The lowest-paying area in the state is Medford at $76,720.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Salem | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland | $82,430 | $39.63 | +6% | 650 |
| 2 | Eugene metro incl. Springfield | $79,210 | $38.08 | +2% | 110 |
| 3 | Salem | $78,010 | $37.51 | this city | 100 |
| 4 | Medford | $76,720 | $36.89 | -2% | 90 |
Every metro area in Oregon with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Oregon typical pay $81,390
Is Salem a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Techs in Salem earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $78,010 a year, 21% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Salem area, about 0.5 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.7. 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 Salem, OR?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Salem earns $78,010 a year, or $37.51 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $67,640 and the top 10% earn over $95,730.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Salem?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Salem is $37.51. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $32.52, and the top 10% earn over $46.02 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Salem?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Salem typically offer around $32.52 an hour, or $67,640 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Salem higher than in the rest of Oregon?
- Salem pay is 4% below the Oregon figure of $81,390 a year, ranking 3rd of 4 metro areas in the state. Portland pays the most in Oregon at $82,430.