How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Tacoma, WA in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs in Tacoma, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Washington.
BLS OES May 2025 · Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue metro area
A typical Surgical Tech in Tacoma, Washington earns $38.41 per hour, or $79,900 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,658 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $59,260, and the top 10% of earners make over $104,710.
That pay is 3% above the Washington figure of $77,270 and 24% above the national figure of $64,650. Tacoma ranks 3rd of 9 metro areas in Washington for Surgical Tech pay. About 1,460 Surgical Techs work in the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue area. Tacoma is part of the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Seattle and Bellevue share these figures.
Surgical Tech pay in Tacoma at a glance
- Typical pay is $38.41 an hour, or $79,900 a year.
- That is 3% above the Washington figure, ranking 3rd of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $59,260; the top 10% make over $104,710.
- Typical pay rose +48% from 2015 to 2025, against +47% for Washington as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Tacoma?
Pay in Tacoma runs from entry-level positions at around $28.49 an hour to more than $50.34 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Washington and national figures.
Surgical Tech pay by career stage in Tacoma
| Career stage | Tacoma | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $59,260$28.49 an hour | $55,270$26.57 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $62,730$30.16 an hour | $62,330$29.97 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $79,900$38.41 an hour | $77,270$37.15 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $99,700$47.93 an hour | $90,620$43.57 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $104,710$50.34 an hour | $103,690$49.85 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Tacoma
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Surgical Tech pay in Tacoma was $54,090 a year. By 2025 it had reached $79,900, a change of +48%, compared with +47% for Washington over the same years.
How Tacoma compares with other Washington cities
Vancouver pays Surgical Techs the most in Washington at $82,430 a year, $2,530 more than Tacoma. The lowest-paying area in the state is East Wenatchee at $63,590.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Tacoma | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver metro incl. Hillsboro | $82,430 | $39.63 | +3% | 650 |
| 2 | Mount Vernon metro incl. Anacortes | $81,470 | $39.17 | +2% | 50 |
| 3 | Tacoma | $79,900 | $38.41 | this city | 1,460 |
| 4 | Bellingham | $75,970 | $36.53 | -5% | 50 |
| 5 | Richland metro incl. Kennewick | $75,000 | $36.06 | -6% | 110 |
| 6 | Spokane Valley metro incl. Spokane | $72,030 | $34.63 | -10% | 260 |
| 7 | Port Orchard metro incl. Bremerton · Silverdale | $70,130 | $33.72 | -12% | 70 |
| 8 | Yakima | $64,740 | $31.12 | -19% | 90 |
| 9 | Wenatchee metro incl. East Wenatchee | $63,590 | $30.57 | -20% | 50 |
Every metro area in Washington with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Washington typical pay $77,270
Is Tacoma a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Techs in Tacoma earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $79,900 a year, 24% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Seattle · Tacoma · Bellevue area, about 0.7 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.8. 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 Tacoma, WA?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Tacoma earns $79,900 a year, or $38.41 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $59,260 and the top 10% earn over $104,710.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Tacoma?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Tacoma is $38.41. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $28.49, and the top 10% earn over $50.34 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Tacoma?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Tacoma typically offer around $28.49 an hour, or $59,260 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Tacoma higher than in the rest of Washington?
- Tacoma pay is 3% above the Washington figure of $77,270 a year, ranking 3rd of 9 metro areas in the state. Vancouver pays the most in Washington at $82,430.