Surgical Technologist Jobs in Hickory, NC: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Hickory, the May 2025 median for surgical technologists is about $57.0K, 12% under the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $47.9K to $63.5K.

Pay

The median is the middle of surgical technologists already employed, not a starting wage. The 25th is the lower quarter of that group. The 75th is what the upper quarter already earns.

Percentile	Metro	NC	U.S.
25th	$47,900	$51,540	$54,690
Median	$57,000	$60,920	$64,650
75th	$63,530	$68,520	$79,750

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

2.0

Metro employment

180

National growth, 2025 to 2035

National openings a year

7.1 thousand

This is the same score as the free check.

Who's hiring

Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals, 3 campuses
Frye Regional Medical Center, 2 campuses
Prime Surgical Suites, 2 campuses
Alliance Imaging, 1 campuses
Blue Ridge Healthcare Medical Group, 1 campuses
Blueridge Healthcare Surgery Center, 1 campuses

Campuses on file in the provider extract, not live job ads.

License and training

Most states do not license surgical technologists, but several require certification or registration. Employers often want the CST from NBSTSA. Confirm the rule in your state.

Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, surgical technologists

The work

You open the case, count instruments and sponges, and pass what the surgeon needs before they ask for it. Then you count everything again before the incision is closed.

Call and add-on cases are common in hospitals, including nights and weekends. Surgery centers usually run a tighter and steadier daytime schedule.

Nearby metros

Charlotte, NC · 46 miles
Winston-Salem, NC · 64 miles
Spartanburg, SC · 65 miles
Asheville, NC · 70 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Surgical Technologist in Hickory.

Surgical Technologists hiring pages

Upload your resume, see your match score, and let local employers find you

Questions

Who hires surgical technologists in Hickory?

Hospitals and surgery centers hire surgical technologists in Hickory. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals, Frye Regional Medical Center, Prime Surgical Suites.

Do I need certification as a surgical tech in North Carolina?

Some states require it. Check the North Carolina rule before you start in Hickory.

What should a surgery center in Hickory weigh when hiring?

Ask which cases the tech scrubs alone. Hickory has far more of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 6% under the North Carolina median.