How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Wausau, WI in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs in Wausau, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Wisconsin.
BLS OES May 2025 · Wausau metro area
A typical Surgical Tech in Wausau, Wisconsin earns $33.38 per hour, or $69,430 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,786 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $54,480, and the top 10% of earners make over $86,840.
That pay is 6% below the Wisconsin figure of $74,120 and 7% above the national figure of $64,650. Wausau ranks 8th of 11 metro areas in Wisconsin for Surgical Tech pay. About 90 Surgical Techs work in the Wausau area.
Surgical Tech pay in Wausau at a glance
- Typical pay is $33.38 an hour, or $69,430 a year.
- That is 6% below the Wisconsin figure, ranking 8th of 11 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $54,480; the top 10% make over $86,840.
- Typical pay rose +55% from 2015 to 2025, against +49% for Wisconsin as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Wausau?
Pay in Wausau runs from entry-level positions at around $26.19 an hour to more than $41.75 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Wisconsin and national figures.
Surgical Tech pay by career stage in Wausau
| Career stage | Wausau | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $54,480$26.19 an hour | $59,410$28.56 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $61,360$29.50 an hour | $63,030$30.30 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $69,430$33.38 an hour | $74,120$35.64 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $76,070$36.57 an hour | $79,010$37.99 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $86,840$41.75 an hour | $86,670$41.67 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Wausau area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Wausau
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Wausau area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Surgical Tech pay in Wausau was $44,860 a year. By 2025 it had reached $69,430, a change of +55%, compared with +49% for Wisconsin over the same years.
How Wausau compares with other Wisconsin cities
St. Paul pays Surgical Techs the most in Wisconsin at $82,000 a year, $12,570 more than Wausau. The lowest-paying area in the state is Kenosha at $60,090.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Wausau | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Paul metro incl. Bloomington | $82,000 | $39.43 | +18% | 1,080 |
| 2 | Madison | $75,930 | $36.51 | +9% | 330 |
| 3 | Eau Claire | $74,900 | $36.01 | +8% | 70 |
| 4 | Milwaukee metro incl. Waukesha | $74,830 | $35.98 | +8% | 610 |
| 5 | Janesville metro incl. Beloit | $74,360 | $35.75 | +7% | 60 |
| 6 | Green Bay | $73,120 | $35.16 | +5% | 240 |
| 7 | Neenah metro incl. Oshkosh | $71,890 | $34.56 | +4% | 50 |
| 8 | Wausau | $69,430 | $33.38 | this city | 90 |
| 9 | Appleton | $67,220 | $32.32 | -3% | 100 |
| 10 | Sheboygan | $65,070 | $31.29 | -6% | 30 |
| 11 | Kenosha | $60,090 | $28.89 | -13% | 50 |
Every metro area in Wisconsin with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Wisconsin typical pay $74,120
Is Wausau a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Techs in Wausau earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $69,430 a year, 7% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Wausau area, about 1.3 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.8. 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 Wausau, WI?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Wausau earns $69,430 a year, or $33.38 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $54,480 and the top 10% earn over $86,840.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Wausau?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Wausau is $33.38. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $26.19, and the top 10% earn over $41.75 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Wausau?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Wausau typically offer around $26.19 an hour, or $54,480 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Wausau higher than in the rest of Wisconsin?
- Wausau pay is 6% below the Wisconsin figure of $74,120 a year, ranking 8th of 11 metro areas in the state. St. Paul pays the most in Wisconsin at $82,000.