Surgical Technologist Schools, Programs & Certification
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Being a member of a life-saving surgical team is a noble goal, but not everyone can commit to multiple years of education and training to become a surgeon. However, becoming a surgical technologist is a great career option for those who want to work in an operating room without investing the time and education required to become a surgeon.
Careers in healthcare are poised for growth in the coming years. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2022), a surge of 2 million healthcare careers will be needed in the coming decade between 2021 and 2031. In addition, the BLS projects surgical technologist careers to grow by 6 percent in the same period (BLS 2022). This rate is slightly faster than the national average (5 percent) and equates to 6,500 new jobs.
Even though becoming a surgical technologist does not require as much education as becoming a doctor or surgeon, it requires a rigorous education program that can take one and a half and two years to complete. In surgical technologist schools, students learn basic anatomy and medical terminology, sterilize and prepare an operating room, and learn techniques to assist doctors and patients before, during, and after surgery.
One of the most critical components of a surgical technology program is the practical hands-on experience. A practicum is an in-person clinical rotation that requires students to apply their academic learning in a real-world setting. Having real-world training in an operating room is vital to becoming certified to practice as a surgical technologist.
Read on to learn more about surgical technologist schools, certifications, salary, and detailed career outlook data for this growing profession.
Surgical Tech Degree & Certification Programs
Most surgical technologist schools confer two degrees: an associate’s in science (AS) or an associate’s in applied science (AAS). However, a handful of schools offer a certificate program or a bachelor of science (BS) degree in health sciences with a surgical specialty. Associate degree programs usually take between one and two years, while an accelerated certificate program can be completed in nine months.
MedCerts
Although there are many surgical technologist schools, choosing accredited programs is crucial for employment after graduation. Many states require surgical techs to be board-certified through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).
To qualify to take the surgical technologist exams offered by the NBSTSA, students must graduate from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). All of the surgical technologist programs featured here are accredited by CAAHEP, meaning their curriculum and high academic standards will prepare students for national surgical tech certification.
Below are accredited surgical technology degree and certification programs.
Carrington College (Certificate, AS)
With campuses throughout Phoenix, AZ, and San Jose, CA, Carrington College offers an associate’s degree program to become a surgical technologist. Required courses in this program include microbiology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and surgical procedures.
Students graduating from this school have the option to become board certified. The Carrington program requires students to complete 120 surgical cases before graduation, to ensure its graduates are adequately prepared to join the workforce immediately.
This 60-credit program includes courses such as introduction to surgical technology; surgical case management; basic surgical procedures; advanced surgical procedures; anatomy & physiology with medical terminology; principles of mathematics; and introduction to psychology.
- Location: Phoenix, AZ; San Jose, CA
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: 15 months
- Estimated Tuition: Arizona: $41,938 (total); California: $44,210 (total)
College of Southern Idaho (AAS)
Located in Twin Falls, ID, the College of Southern Idaho offers a two-year degree program in surgical technology. The program instructs students in several aspects of surgery including instrumentation, aseptic technique, anatomy, microbiology, and procedures. In addition, this curriculum enables graduates to sit for national certification testing in surgical technology.
This 60-credit program includes courses such as central sterile processing; surgical concepts; surgical practice and procedures; human anatomy and disease; surgical pharmacology; anesthesia; advanced surgical procedures; and wound closure techniques.
- Location: Twin Falls, ID
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: Six semesters
- Estimated Tuition: In-district ($140 per credit); out-of-district ($285 per credit)
Kingsborough Community College (AAS)
Located in the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn, NY, Kingsborough Community College (KCC) offers a surgical technology program that requires 64 credits to complete.
After the initial semester, students must register for practicum hours every subsequent semester to gain the necessary clinical experience. But that experience pays off, with 75 percent of 2020 graduates passing the certified surgical technologist (CST) exam. After the first semester, students are enrolled in practical experiences in operating rooms in various clinics for the remaining five semesters.
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: 2.5 years
- Estimated Tuition: $2,400 per semester
Mt. Hood Community College (AAS)
Offering the only regionally-accredited associate of applied science in surgical technology in Oregon, graduates from the MHCC program can complete their degree in six quarters. The courses in this program follow the Association of Surgical Technologists Core Curriculum and include clinical experiences with local area hospitals.
Students in this program are admitted into a cohort of 20 every fall term and must have a minimum 2.5 GPA. In addition, graduates from this program who want to pursue a bachelor of science can transfer credits to the Oregon Institute of Technology’s allied health management online degree program.
This 92-credit program includes courses such as surgical technology – ophthalmologic and neurosurgery; surgical technology – thoracic, cardiovascular, and vascular surgery; surgical technology – orthopedic surgery; surgical technology – general and pediatric surgery; surgical technology – obstetric, gynecologic, and genitourinary surgery; and surgical technology – otorhino- laryngologic, oromaxillofacial, plastic and burn surgery, among others.
- Location: Gresham, OR
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
- Estimated Tuition: $12,807.50
New England Institute of Technology (AS)
The New England Institute of Technology (NEIT), located in East Greenwich, RI, offers an AS degree in surgical technology. Graduates from this program have a reputation for finding surgical jobs in the New England area, where they do their practicum experiences.
Before the practicum, students at NEIT will complete 160 hours of intensive surgical simulations, including endovascular and laparoscopic equipment. The program also includes a 20-week clinical externship in the field. Graduates of this 18-month program finish their AS degrees with the opportunity to be board certified.
Made up of 101 credits, the program includes courses such as introduction to surgical technology; surgical instrumentation; surgical procedures; pathophysiology; advanced topics in surgical technology; introduction to medical ethics and bioethics; advanced applications of surgical technology; and operating room laboratory.
- Location: East Greenwich, RI
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 months
- Estimated Tuition: $700 per credit
South Plains College (AAS)
A very versatile program, South Plains College in Lubbock, TX, provides options for new healthcare students and seasoned healthcare professionals to study surgical technology with an associate of applied science degree program. This AAS program includes a practicum as a part of the coursework.
In addition, the last two semesters of the program have hands-on clinical experiences in six area hospitals to prepare graduates for the national and Texas state certification exams.
As part of the program, students will delve into topics such as introduction to surgical technology; fundamentals of perioperative concepts and techniques; surgical procedures; pharmacology for health professions; technological sciences for the surgical technologist; general psychology; and special topics in surgical/operating room technician.
- Location: Lubbock, TX
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: 15 months
- Estimated Tuition: In-district resident ($209 per credit); non-resident ($397 per credit)
NYU Langone Health, an academic medical center in New York City, NY, offers a surgical technology program that prepares qualified students to be surgical technologists. This one-year program is divided into two 6-month semesters, with courses starting in September and March. The first semester includes study in basic surgical procedures and aseptic technique fundamentals of operating room technology, while the second semester is spent in the clinical area.
The curriculum includes courses such as introduction and orientation to surgical technology; anatomy and physiology; patient care and safety; principles of operating room technique; surgical procedures; microbiology and pharmacology; and two clinical practices. Students also participate in clinical rotations.
Upon successful completion, graduates are awarded a certificate of completion. This qualifies them to sit for the national certifying examination administered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).
- Location: New York, NY
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $16,500
List of Surgical Technologist Schools
School | City | State | Website | grads (2018) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Madisonville Community College | Madisonville | Kentucky | madisonville.kctcs.edu | 121 |
Ivy Tech Community College | Indianapolis | Indiana | www.ivytech.edu | 117 |
Baker College | Flint | Michigan | www.baker.edu | 102 |
San Jacinto Community College | Pasadena | Texas | www.sanjac.edu | 97 |
Gwinnett Technical College | Lawrenceville | Georgia | www.gwinnetttech.edu | 70 |
Wayne County Community College District | Detroit | Michigan | www.wcccd.edu | 69 |
EDIC College | Caguas | Puerto Rico | www.ediccollege.edu | 66 |
Glendale Career College | Glendale | California | www.success.edu | 66 |
Antilles School of Technical Careers | San Juan | Puerto Rico | www.antillespr.edu | 55 |
Berkeley College-Woodland Park | Woodland Park | New Jersey | www.berkeleycollege.edu | 53 |
American Career College-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | California | americancareercollege.edu | 51 |
Macomb Community College | Warren | Michigan | www.macomb.edu | 51 |
Concorde Career College-Memphis | Memphis | Tennessee | www.concorde.edu/campus/memphis-tennessee | 49 |
American Career College-Ontario | Ontario | California | americancareercollege.edu | 47 |
Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences | New York | New York | www.swedishinstitute.edu | 47 |
Mandl School-The College of Allied Health | New York | New York | www.mandl.edu | 46 |
College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | Illinois | www.cod.edu | 45 |
Tyler Junior College | Tyler | Texas | www.tjc.edu | 45 |
Savannah Technical College | Savannah | Georgia | www.savannahtech.edu | 43 |
Southern Crescent Technical College | Griffin | Georgia | www.sctech.edu | 43 |
Southern Technical College | Fort Myers | Florida | www.southerntech.edu | 43 |
Brookline College-Tempe | Tempe | Arizona | brooklinecollege.edu | 42 |
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay | Wisconsin | www.nwtc.edu | 42 |
Amarillo College | Amarillo | Texas | www.actx.edu | 41 |
CBD College | Los Angeles | California | www.cbd.edu | 41 |
Community Care College | Tulsa | Oklahoma | www.communitycarecollege.edu | 40 |
American College of Healthcare and Technology | Riverside | California | www.ach.edu | 37 |
John C Calhoun State Community College | Tanner | Alabama | calhoun.edu | 37 |
New England Institute of Technology | East Greenwich | Rhode Island | www.neit.edu | 37 |
Pittsburgh Technical College | Oakdale | Pennsylvania | www.ptcollege.edu | 37 |
Tulsa Technology Center | Tulsa | Oklahoma | tulsatech.edu | 37 |
Collin County Community College District | McKinney | Texas | www.collin.edu | 36 |
Midwestern Career College | Chicago | Illinois | www.mccollege.edu | 36 |
Nashville State Community College | Nashville | Tennessee | www.nscc.edu | 36 |
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus | San Juan | Puerto Rico | umet.suagm.edu | 36 |
Bunker Hill Community College | Boston | Massachusetts | www.bhcc.mass.edu | 35 |
Ogeechee Technical College | Statesboro | Georgia | www.ogeecheetech.edu | 35 |
South Plains College | Levelland | Texas | www.southplainscollege.edu | 35 |
Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids | Iowa | www.kirkwood.edu | 34 |
Premiere Career College | Irwindale | California | www.premierecollege.edu | 34 |
Columbus State Community College | Columbus | Ohio | www.cscc.edu | 33 |
Baptist Health College Little Rock | Little Rock | Arkansas | www.bhclr.edu | 32 |
Carrington College-San Jose | San Jose | California | carrington.edu | 32 |
Concorde Career College-North Hollywood | North Hollywood | California | www.concorde.edu/campus/north-hollywood-california | 32 |
Concorde Career College-San Diego | San Diego | California | www.concorde.edu/campus/san-diego-california | 32 |
Southeastern College-West Palm Beach | West Palm Beach | Florida | www.sec.edu | 32 |
Gulf Coast State College | Panama City | Florida | www.gulfcoast.edu | 31 |
Central New Mexico Community College | Albuquerque | New Mexico | www.cnm.edu | 31 |
Concorde Career College-Grand Prairie | Grand Prairie | Texas | www.concorde.edu/campus/grand-prairie-texas | 31 |
Eastwick College-Ramsey | Ramsey | New Jersey | www.eastwickcollege.edu | 31 |
Salt Lake Community College | Salt Lake City | Utah | www.slcc.edu | 31 |
American Career College-Anaheim | Anaheim | California | americancareercollege.edu | 30 |
Austin Community College District | Austin | Texas | www.austincc.edu | 30 |
Central Ohio Technical College | Newark | Ohio | www.cotc.edu | 30 |
Concorde Career College-San Antonio | San Antonio | Texas | www.concorde.edu/campus/san-antonio-texas | 30 |
Ozarks Technical Community College | Springfield | Missouri | www.otc.edu | 30 |
Parkland College | Champaign | Illinois | www.parkland.edu | 30 |
College of Western Idaho | Nampa | Idaho | cwi.edu | 29 |
Anoka Technical College | Anoka | Minnesota | www.anokatech.edu | 29 |
Carrington College-Citrus Heights | Citrus Heights | California | carrington.edu | 29 |
Contra Costa Medical Career College | Antioch | California | www.ccmcc.edu | 29 |
East Valley Institute of Technology | Mesa | Arizona | www.evit.com | 29 |
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville | Knoxville | Tennessee | tcatknoxville.edu | 28 |
Augusta Technical College | Augusta | Georgia | www.augustatech.edu | 28 |
Concorde Career College-Dallas | Dallas | Texas | www.concorde.edu/campus/dallas-texas | 28 |
Davis Technical College | Kaysville | Utah | www.davistech.edu | 28 |
Georgia Northwestern Technical College | Rome | Georgia | www.gntc.edu | 28 |
Houston Community College | Houston | Texas | www.hccs.edu | 28 |
Pittsburgh Career Institute | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | www.pci.edu | 28 |
Skyline College | San Bruno | California | skylinecollege.edu | 28 |
Delta College | University Center | Michigan | www.delta.edu | 27 |
Florida State College at Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Florida | www.fscj.edu | 27 |
Herzing University-Kenner | Kenner | Louisiana | www.herzing.edu | 27 |
Renton Technical College | Renton | Washington | www.rtc.edu | 27 |
San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia | Visalia | California | www.sjvc.edu | 27 |
The College of Health Care Professions-San Antonio | San Antonio | Texas | chcp.edu | 26 |
Trocaire College | Buffalo | New York | trocaire.edu | 25 |
Arkansas State University-Newport | Newport | Arkansas | www.asun.edu | 25 |
Erwin Technical College | Tampa | Florida | www.erwin.edu | 25 |
Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown | North Carolina | www.gtcc.edu | 25 |
Nassau Community College | Garden City | New York | www.ncc.edu | 25 |
Gadsden State Community College | Gadsden | Alabama | www.gadsdenstate.edu | 24 |
Hutchinson Community College | Hutchinson | Kansas | www.hutchcc.edu | 24 |
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | Chicago | Illinois | www.ccc.edu/colleges/malcolm-x | 23 |
Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale | Florida | www.keiseruniversity.edu | 23 |
Niagara County Community College | Sanborn | New York | www.niagaracc.suny.edu | 23 |
University of Cincinnati-Clermont College | Batavia | Ohio | www.ucclermont.edu | 23 |
Coastal Pines Technical College | Waycross | Georgia | www.coastalpines.edu | 22 |
Columbus Technical College | Columbus | Georgia | www.columbustech.edu | 22 |
Concorde Career College-Portland | Portland | Oregon | www.concorde.edu/campus/portland-oregon | 22 |
EHOVE Career Center | Milan | Ohio | www.ehove.net | 22 |
Fayetteville Technical Community College | Fayetteville | North Carolina | www.faytechcc.edu | 22 |
Lansing Community College | Lansing | Michigan | www.lcc.edu | 22 |
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City | Kansas City | Missouri | www.mcckc.edu | 22 |
Rochester Community and Technical College | Rochester | Minnesota | www.rctc.edu | 22 |
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology | Wichita | Kansas | www.wsutech.edu | 22 |
Atenas College | Manati | Puerto Rico | www.atenascollege.edu | 21 |
Bergen Community College | Paramus | New Jersey | www.bergen.edu | 21 |
Columbia Basin College | Pasco | Washington | www.columbiabasin.edu | 21 |
Concorde Career Institute-Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Florida | www.concorde.edu/campus/jacksonville-florida | 21 |
ECPI University | Virginia Beach | Virginia | www.ecpi.edu | 21 |
Great Lakes Institute of Technology | Erie | Pennsylvania | www.glit.edu | 21 |
Northwest Mississippi Community College | Senatobia | Mississippi | www.northwestms.edu | 21 |
Northwest Technical Institute | Springdale | Arkansas | www.nwti.edu | 21 |
Southern Regional Technical College | Thomasville | Georgia | southernregional.edu | 21 |
The University of Montana | Missoula | Montana | www.umt.edu | 21 |
York Technical College | Rock Hill | South Carolina | www.yorktech.edu | 21 |
Bevill State Community College | Jasper | Alabama | www.bscc.edu | 20 |
Career Networks Institute | Orange | California | www.cnicollege.edu | 20 |
Frederick Community College | Frederick | Maryland | www.frederick.edu | 20 |
Horry-Georgetown Technical College | Conway | South Carolina | www.hgtc.edu | 20 |
Illinois Central College | East Peoria | Illinois | icc.edu | 20 |
Jefferson Community and Technical College | Louisville | Kentucky | jefferson.kctcs.edu | 20 |
Madison Area Technical College | Madison | Wisconsin | madisoncollege.edu | 20 |
Massachusetts Bay Community College | Wellesley Hills | Massachusetts | www.massbay.edu | 20 |
Medical Career Institute | Ocean | New Jersey | www.mcinj.edu | 20 |
Platt College-McCann-Monroe | Monroe | Louisiana | www.mccann.edu | 20 |
Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Chattanooga | Chattanooga | Tennessee | www.miller-motte.edu | 20 |
Ponce Paramedical College Inc | Ponce | Puerto Rico | www.popac.edu | 20 |
Spartanburg Community College | Spartanburg | South Carolina | www.sccsc.edu | 20 |
The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest | Houston | Texas | www.chcp.edu | 20 |
Vernon College | Vernon | Texas | www.vernoncollege.edu | 20 |
Clover Park Technical College | Lakewood | Washington | www.cptc.edu | 19 |
East Central Community College | Decatur | Mississippi | www.eccc.edu | 19 |
Elgin Community College | Elgin | Illinois | www.elgin.edu | 19 |
Harris School of Business-Voorhees Campus | Voorhees | New Jersey | www.harrisschool.edu | 19 |
Mountainland Technical College | Lehi | Utah | mtec.edu | 19 |
North-West College-West Covina | West Covina | California | www.north-westcollege.edu | 19 |
Northern Michigan University | Marquette | Michigan | www.nmu.edu | 19 |
O C Collins Career Center | Chesapeake | Ohio | www.collins-cc.edu | 19 |
Palm Beach State College | Lake Worth | Florida | www.palmbeachstate.edu | 19 |
South Central Louisiana Technical College | Morgan City | Louisiana | www.scl.edu | 19 |
Western Dakota Technical Institute | Rapid City | South Dakota | www.wdt.edu | 19 |
Fortis Institute-Houston | Houston | Texas | www.fortis.edu | 18 |
Bluegrass Community and Technical College | Lexington | Kentucky | bluegrass.kctcs.edu | 18 |
Choffin Career and Technical Center | Youngstown | Ohio | www.choffinctc.com/adult-education | 18 |
Community College of Allegheny County | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | www.ccac.edu | 18 |
Concorde Career Institute-Orlando | Orlando | Florida | www.concorde.edu/campus/orlando-florida | 18 |
Hinds Community College | Raymond | Mississippi | www.hindscc.edu | 18 |
Hudson Valley Community College | Troy | New York | www.hvcc.edu | 18 |
Midwest Institute | Fenton | Missouri | midwestinstitute.com | 18 |
Nevada Career Institute | Las Vegas | Nevada | www.nevadacareerinstitute.com | 18 |
North Central Texas College | Gainesville | Texas | www.nctc.edu | 18 |
Platt College-McCann-Lewisburg | Lewisburg | Pennsylvania | www.mccann.edu | 18 |
Platt College-Miller-Motte-Wilmington | Wilmington | North Carolina | www.miller-motte.edu | 18 |
Southeast Community College Area | Lincoln | Nebraska | www.southeast.edu | 18 |
Stautzenberger College-Brecksville | Brecksville | Ohio | www.sctoday.edu | 18 |
West Virginia Northern Community College | Wheeling | West Virginia | www.wvncc.edu | 18 |
Albany Technical College | Albany | Georgia | www.albanytech.edu | 17 |
Delgado Community College | New Orleans | Louisiana | www.dcc.edu | 17 |
Indian River State College | Fort Pierce | Florida | www.irsc.edu | 17 |
Lone Star College System | The Woodlands | Texas | www.lonestar.edu | 17 |
North-West College-Long Beach | Long Beach | California | www.nw.edu | 17 |
Rockingham Community College | Wentworth | North Carolina | www.rockinghamcc.edu | 17 |
Saint Louis Community College | Bridgeton | Missouri | www.stlcc.edu | 17 |
Sandhills Community College | Pinehurst | North Carolina | www.sandhills.edu | 17 |
Sinclair Community College | Dayton | Ohio | www.sinclair.edu | 17 |
Tarrant County College District | Fort Worth | Texas | www.tccd.edu | 17 |
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hohenwald | Hohenwald | Tennessee | www.tcathohenwald.edu | 17 |
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro | Murfreesboro | Tennessee | www.tcatmurfreesboro.edu | 17 |
Ulster BOCES School of Practical Nursing | Lake Katrine | New York | www.ulsterboces.org | 17 |
Athens Technical College | Athens | Georgia | www.athenstech.edu | 16 |
Colegio Universitario de San Juan | San Juan | Puerto Rico | www.cunisanjuan.edu | 16 |
El Centro College | Dallas | Texas | www.elcentrocollege.edu | 16 |
Florence-Darlington Technical College | Florence | South Carolina | www.fdtc.edu | 16 |
Great Plains Technology Center | Lawton | Oklahoma | www.greatplains.edu | 16 |
Harris School of Business-Dover Campus | Dover | Delaware | www.harrisschool.edu | 16 |
Mohawk Valley Community College | Utica | New York | www.mvcc.edu | 16 |
Monroe Community College | Rochester | New York | www.monroecc.edu | 16 |
Moore Norman Technology Center | Norman | Oklahoma | www.mntc.edu | 16 |
Piedmont Technical College | Greenwood | South Carolina | www.ptc.edu | 16 |
Seattle Central College | Seattle | Washington | www.seattlecentral.edu | 16 |
Southwestern College | Chula Vista | California | www.swccd.edu | 16 |
St Cloud Technical and Community College | Saint Cloud | Minnesota | www.sctcc.edu | 16 |
Traviss Technical College | Lakeland | Florida | www.traviss.edu | 16 |
Triton College | River Grove | Illinois | www.triton.edu | 16 |
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | Fort Smith | Arkansas | uafs.edu | 16 |
Western Suffolk BOCES | Northport | New York | www.wilsontech.org | 15 |
Camden County College | Blackwood | New Jersey | www.camdencc.edu | 15 |
Concorde Career College-Aurora | Aurora | Colorado | www.concorde.edu/campus/aurora-colorado | 15 |
Daytona State College | Daytona Beach | Florida | www.daytonastate.edu | 15 |
Del Mar College | Corpus Christi | Texas | www.delmar.edu | 15 |
Greenville Technical College | Greenville | South Carolina | www.gvltec.edu | 15 |
Herzing University-Toledo | Toledo | Ohio | www.herzing.edu | 15 |
Itawamba Community College | Fulton | Mississippi | www.iccms.edu | 15 |
Lamar State College-Port Arthur | Port Arthur | Texas | www.lamarpa.edu | 15 |
Lanier Technical College | Gainesville | Georgia | www.laniertech.edu | 15 |
Manatee Technical College | Bradenton | Florida | manateetech.edu | 15 |
Mercy College of Health Sciences | Des Moines | Iowa | www.mchs.edu | 15 |
Mt Hood Community College | Gresham | Oregon | www.mhcc.edu | 15 |
Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Pennsylvania | www.pct.edu | 15 |
Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Charleston | Charleston | South Carolina | miller-motte.edu | 15 |
Pueblo Community College | Pueblo | Colorado | www.pueblocc.edu | 15 |
Quincy College | Quincy | Massachusetts | www.quincycollege.edu | 15 |
Robert Morris University Illinois | Chicago | Illinois | robertmorris.edu | 15 |
San Juan College | Farmington | New Mexico | www.sanjuancollege.edu | 15 |
Sheridan Technical College | Hollywood | Florida | www.sheridantechnicalcollege.edu | 15 |
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | Concord | North Carolina | atriumhealth.org/education/cabarrus-college-of-health-sciences | 14 |
Educational Technical College-Recinto de Bayamon | BAYAMON | Puerto Rico | www.edutecpr.com | 14 |
American National University-Lexington | Lexington | Kentucky | www.an.edu/locations | 14 |
Central Carolina Technical College | Sumter | South Carolina | www.cctech.edu | 14 |
Central Georgia Technical College | Warner Robins | Georgia | www.centralgatech.edu | 14 |
College of Lake County | Grayslake | Illinois | www.clcillinois.edu | 14 |
Eastern Iowa Community College District | Davenport | Iowa | www.eicc.edu | 14 |
Fortis Institute-Nashville | Nashville | Tennessee | www.fortis.edu | 14 |
Kirtland Community College | Roscommon | Michigan | www.kirtland.edu | 14 |
Lenoir Community College | Kinston | North Carolina | www.lenoircc.edu | 14 |
Metro Technology Centers | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | www.metrotech.edu | 14 |
Minnesota State Community and Technical College | Fergus Falls | Minnesota | www.minnesota.edu | 14 |
Orange Technical College-Orlando Campus | Orlando | Florida | www.orangetechcollege.net | 14 |
Owens Community College | Perrysburg | Ohio | www.owens.edu | 14 |
Southern Union State Community College | Wadley | Alabama | www.suscc.edu | 14 |
Temple College | Temple | Texas | www.templejc.edu | 14 |
Texas State Technical College | Waco | Texas | www.tstc.edu | 14 |
Washington County Career Center-Adult Technical Training | Marietta | Ohio | www.mycareerschool.com | 14 |
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | Valdosta | Georgia | www.wiregrass.edu | 14 |
Atlanta Technical College | Atlanta | Georgia | atlantatech.edu | 13 |
Columbia Area Career Center | Columbia | Missouri | career-center.org/pce | 13 |
Lorenzo Walker Technical College | Naples | Florida | www.lwtc.edu | 13 |
Atlantic Cape Community College | Mays Landing | New Jersey | www.atlantic.edu | 13 |
Canadian Valley Technology Center | El Reno | Oklahoma | www.cvtech.edu | 13 |
Carolinas College of Health Sciences | Charlotte | North Carolina | www.carolinascollege.edu | 13 |
Catawba Valley Community College | Hickory | North Carolina | www.cvcc.edu | 13 |
Concorde Career College-San Bernardino | San Bernardino | California | www.concorde.edu/campus/san-bernardino-california | 13 |
Delaware County Community College | Media | Pennsylvania | www.dccc.edu | 13 |
Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs | Iowa | www.iwcc.edu | 13 |
Kilgore College | Kilgore | Texas | www.kilgore.edu | 13 |
Lincoln Land Community College | Springfield | Illinois | www.llcc.edu | 13 |
Monongalia County Technical Education Center | Morgantown | West Virginia | mtec.mono.k12.wv.us | 13 |
Montgomery College | Rockville | Maryland | www.montgomerycollege.edu | 13 |
North Shore Community College | Danvers | Massachusetts | www.northshore.edu | 13 |
Northland Community and Technical College | Thief River Falls | Minnesota | www.northlandcollege.edu | 13 |
Oakland Community College | Bloomfield Hills | Michigan | www.oaklandcc.edu | 13 |
Pearl River Community College | Poplarville | Mississippi | www.prcc.edu | 13 |
Pinellas Technical College-St. Petersburg | Saint Petersburg | Florida | www.myptc.edu | 13 |
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College | Cumberland | Kentucky | southeast.kctcs.edu | 13 |
Spokane Community College | Spokane | Washington | scc.spokane.edu | 13 |
Springfield Technical Community College | Springfield | Massachusetts | www.stcc.edu | 13 |
Tallahassee Community College | Tallahassee | Florida | www.tcc.fl.edu | 13 |
Technical College of the Lowcountry | Beaufort | South Carolina | www.tcl.edu | 13 |
University of Akron Main Campus | Akron | Ohio | www.uakron.edu | 13 |
Washburn Institute of Technology | Topeka | Kansas | www.washburntech.edu | 13 |
Aims Community College | Greeley | Colorado | www.aims.edu | 12 |
Central Technology Center | Drumright | Oklahoma | www.centraltech.edu | 12 |
College of Central Florida | Ocala | Florida | www.cf.edu | 12 |
College of Eastern Idaho | Idaho Falls | Idaho | www.cei.edu | 12 |
Concorde Career Institute-Tampa | Tampa | Florida | www.concorde.edu/campus/tampa-florida | 12 |
Edgecombe Community College | Tarboro | North Carolina | www.edgecombe.edu | 12 |
Fortis College-Columbus | Westerville | Ohio | www.fortiscollege.edu | 12 |
Fortis College-Houston | Houston | Texas | www.fortiscollege.edu | 12 |
Lurleen B Wallace Community College | Andalusia | Alabama | www.lbwcc.edu | 12 |
Midlands Technical College | West Columbia | South Carolina | www.midlandstech.edu | 12 |
Mt. Diablo Adult Education-Mt. Diablo USD | Concord | California | mdae.mdusd.org | 12 |
North-West College-Riverside | Riverside | California | www.north-westcollege.edu | 12 |
Pensacola State College | Pensacola | Florida | www.pensacolastate.edu | 12 |
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences | Reading | Pennsylvania | www.readinghealth.org | 12 |
Somerset Community College | Somerset | Kentucky | somerset.kctcs.edu | 12 |
South Central Career Center | West Plains | Missouri | www.scccwp.org | 12 |
St Philip's College | San Antonio | Texas | www.alamo.edu/spc | 12 |
Stevens-Henager College | West Haven | Utah | www.stevenshenager.edu | 12 |
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | Little Rock | Arkansas | www.uams.edu | 12 |
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne | Indiana | www.sf.edu | 12 |
West Georgia Technical College | Waco | Georgia | www.westgatech.edu | 12 |
Wharton County Junior College | Wharton | Texas | www.wcjc.edu | 12 |
American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education | Piscataway | New Jersey | www.aimseducation.edu | 11 |
Ashland Community and Technical College | Ashland | Kentucky | ashland.kctcs.edu | 11 |
Concorde Career Institute-Miramar | Miramar | Florida | www.concorde.edu/campus/miramar-florida | 11 |
CUNY Kingsborough Community College | Brooklyn | New York | www.kbcc.cuny.edu | 11 |
Durham Technical Community College | Durham | North Carolina | www.durhamtech.edu | 11 |
Eastern Maine Community College | Bangor | Maine | www.emcc.edu | 11 |
Franklin Technology-MSSU | Joplin | Missouri | www.franklintechnologycenter.com | 11 |
Henry Ford College | Dearborn | Michigan | www.hfcc.edu | 11 |
Lake Superior College | Duluth | Minnesota | www.lsc.edu | 11 |
Lord Fairfax Community College | Middletown | Virginia | www.lfcc.edu | 11 |
Mid-State Technical College | Wisconsin Rapids | Wisconsin | www.mstc.edu | 11 |
Mohave Community College | Kingman | Arizona | www.mohave.edu | 11 |
Onondaga Community College | Syracuse | New York | www.sunyocc.edu | 11 |
Pasco-Hernando State College | New Port Richey | Florida | www.phsc.edu | 11 |
Platt College-Miller-Motte-Cary | Cary | North Carolina | www.miller-motte.edu | 11 |
Sentara College of Health Sciences | Chesapeake | Virginia | www.sentara.edu | 11 |
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College | Mount Gay | West Virginia | www.southernwv.edu | 11 |
Stark State College | North Canton | Ohio | www.starkstate.edu | 11 |
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crossville | Crossville | Tennessee | www.tcatcrossville.edu | 11 |
Trinity Valley Community College | Athens | Texas | www.tvcc.edu | 11 |
Waukesha County Technical College | Pewaukee | Wisconsin | www.wctc.edu | 11 |
Aiken Technical College | Graniteville | South Carolina | www.atc.edu | 10 |
Baton Rouge Community College | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | www.mybrcc.edu | 10 |
Bellingham Technical College | Bellingham | Washington | www.btc.edu | 10 |
Bossier Parish Community College | Bossier City | Louisiana | www.bpcc.edu | 10 |
Cape Coral Technical College | Cape Coral | Florida | capecoraltech.edu | 10 |
Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington | North Carolina | www.cfcc.edu | 10 |
Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte | North Carolina | www.cpcc.edu | 10 |
Chattahoochee Technical College | Marietta | Georgia | www.chattahoocheetech.edu | 10 |
Cisco College | Cisco | Texas | www.cisco.edu | 10 |
Coastal Carolina Community College | Jacksonville | North Carolina | www.coastalcarolina.edu | 10 |
El Paso Community College | El Paso | Texas | www.epcc.edu | 10 |
Fortis College-Orange Park | Orange Park | Florida | fortis.edu | 10 |
Great Falls College Montana State University | Great Falls | Montana | www.gfcmsu.edu | 10 |
Indian Capital Technology Center-Muskogee | Muskogee | Oklahoma | www.ictctech.com | 10 |
Laramie County Community College | Cheyenne | Wyoming | www.lccc.wy.edu | 10 |
Lorain County Community College | Elyria | Ohio | www.lorainccc.edu | 10 |
Luzerne County Community College | Nanticoke | Pennsylvania | www.luzerne.edu | 10 |
McLennan Community College | Waco | Texas | www.mclennan.edu | 10 |
MiraCosta College | Oceanside | California | www.miracosta.edu | 10 |
Moraine Park Technical College | Fond du Lac | Wisconsin | www.morainepark.edu | 10 |
North Arkansas College | Harrison | Arkansas | www.northark.edu | 10 |
Piedmont Virginia Community College | Charlottesville | Virginia | www.pvcc.edu | 10 |
Rolla Technical Institute/Center | Rolla | Missouri | rolla.k12.mo.us | 10 |
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Jackson | Jackson | Tennessee | www.tcatjackson.edu | 10 |
Milwaukee Area Technical College | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | matc.edu | 9 |
Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences | Lancaster | Pennsylvania | www.pacollege.edu | 9 |
Pima Medical Institute-Denver | Denver | Colorado | pmi.edu | 9 |
Yakima Valley College | Yakima | Washington | www.yvcc.edu | 9 |
Academy of Careers and Technology | Beckley | West Virginia | www.wvact.net | 9 |
Angelina College | Lufkin | Texas | www.angelina.edu | 9 |
Carver Career Center | Charleston | West Virginia | www.carvercareercenter.edu | 9 |
City College-Altamonte Springs | Altamonte Springs | Florida | www.citycollege.edu | 9 |
City College-Fort Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale | Florida | www.citycollege.edu | 9 |
College of the Albemarle | Elizabeth City | North Carolina | www.albemarle.edu | 9 |
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry | Dover | Delaware | www.dtcc.edu | 9 |
Dixie State University | Saint George | Utah | dixie.edu | 9 |
Fortis Institute-Baltimore | Baltimore | Maryland | www.fortis.edu | 9 |
Galveston College | Galveston | Texas | www.gc.edu | 9 |
Hillyard Technical Center | Saint Joseph | Missouri | www.hillyardtech.com | 9 |
Howard College | Big Spring | Texas | www.howardcollege.edu | 9 |
Jefferson College of Health Sciences | Roanoke | Virginia | www.jchs.edu | 9 |
John A Logan College | Carterville | Illinois | www.jalc.edu | 9 |
Anne Arundel Community College | Arnold | Maryland | www.aacc.edu | 8 |
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville | North Carolina | www.abtech.edu | 8 |
California Healing Arts College | Carson | California | www.chac.edu | 8 |
Chester Career College | CHESTER | Virginia | chestercareercollege.edu | 8 |
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College | Cincinnati | Ohio | www.cincinnatistate.edu | 8 |
Cuyahoga Community College District | Cleveland | Ohio | www.tri-c.edu | 8 |
Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny | Iowa | www.dmacc.edu | 8 |
Educational Technical College-Recinto de Coamo | Coamo | Puerto Rico | www.edutecpr.com | 8 |
Finger Lakes Health College of Nursing | Geneva | New York | www.flhcon.edu | 8 |
Front Range Community College | Westminster | Colorado | www.frontrange.edu | 8 |
Hazard Community and Technical College | Hazard | Kentucky | hazard.kctcs.edu | 8 |
Northcentral Technical College | Wausau | Wisconsin | www.ntc.edu | 8 |
Owensboro Community and Technical College | Owensboro | Kentucky | owensboro.kctcs.edu | 8 |
Scioto County Career Technical Center | Lucasville | Ohio | www.sciototech.org | 8 |
South Arkansas Community College | El Dorado | Arkansas | www.southark.edu | 8 |
South College | Knoxville | Tennessee | www.south.edu | 8 |
Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences | Cape Girardeau | Missouri | www.sehcollege.edu | 8 |
Walters State Community College | Morristown | Tennessee | www.ws.edu | 8 |
Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove | Illinois | www.waubonsee.edu | 8 |
Buckeye Hills Career Center | Rio Grande | Ohio | www.buckeyehills.net | 7 |
Chippewa Valley Technical College | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | www.cvtc.edu | 7 |
Cleveland Community College | Shelby | North Carolina | www.clevelandcc.edu | 7 |
College of Southern Nevada | Las Vegas | Nevada | www.csn.edu | 7 |
Fortis College-Richmond | Richmond | Virginia | www.fortis.edu | 7 |
Gateway Technical College | Kenosha | Wisconsin | www.gtc.edu | 7 |
Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | www.hacc.edu | 7 |
Meridian Community College | Meridian | Mississippi | www.meridiancc.edu | 7 |
Minnesota West Community and Technical College | Granite Falls | Minnesota | www.mnwest.edu | 7 |
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | Perkinston | Mississippi | www.mgccc.edu | 7 |
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health | Omaha | Nebraska | www.methodistcollege.edu | 7 |
Northwestern Michigan College | Traverse City | Michigan | www.nmc.edu | 7 |
Pima Community College | Tucson | Arizona | www.pima.edu | 7 |
Quinsigamond Community College | Worcester | Massachusetts | www.qcc.edu | 7 |
Richland Community College | Decatur | Illinois | www.richland.edu | 7 |
Riverside College of Health Careers | Newport News | Virginia | www.riverside.edu | 7 |
Rock Valley College | Rockford | Illinois | www.rockvalleycollege.edu | 7 |
Southeast Arkansas College | Pine Bluff | Arkansas | www.seark.edu | 7 |
Valley College of Medical Careers | West Hills | California | www.valleycollegeofmedicalcareers.info | 7 |
Washtenaw Community College | Ann Arbor | Michigan | www.wccnet.edu | 7 |
Western Nebraska Community College | Scottsbluff | Nebraska | www.wncc.edu | 7 |
RIVEROAK Technical College | Live Oak | Florida | rtc.suwannee.k12.fl.us | 6 |
American National University-Dayton | Kettering | Ohio | www.an.edu/locations/dayton-oh | 6 |
Autry Technology Center | Enid | Oklahoma | autrytech.edu | 6 |
Baltimore City Community College | Baltimore | Maryland | www.bccc.edu | 6 |
Fortis Institute-Cookeville | Cookeville | Tennessee | www.fortis.edu | 6 |
Milwaukee Career College | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | www.mkecc.edu | 6 |
North-West College-Santa Ana | Santa Ana | California | www.nw.edu | 6 |
Odessa College | Odessa | Texas | www.odessa.edu | 6 |
Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | Illinois | www.prairiestate.edu | 6 |
Southern University at Shreveport | Shreveport | Louisiana | www.susla.edu | 6 |
Tri-County Technical College | Pendleton | South Carolina | www.tctc.edu | 6 |
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | Johnstown | Pennsylvania | www.upj.pitt.edu | 6 |
Wes Watkins Technology Center | Wetumka | Oklahoma | www.wwtech.org | 6 |
West Kentucky Community and Technical College | Paducah | Kentucky | westkentucky.kctcs.edu | 6 |
Western Technical College | La Crosse | Wisconsin | www.westerntc.edu | 6 |
Alvernia University | Reading | Pennsylvania | www.alvernia.edu | 5 |
Bismarck State College | Bismarck | North Dakota | bismarckstate.edu | 5 |
Chesapeake College | Wye Mills | Maryland | www.chesapeake.edu | 5 |
Fortis College-Grand Prairie | Grand Prairie | Texas | www.fortis.edu | 5 |
Great Bay Community College | Portsmouth | New Hampshire | www.greatbay.edu | 5 |
Montgomery County Community College | Blue Bell | Pennsylvania | www.mc3.edu | 5 |
Prince George's Community College | Largo | Maryland | www.pgcc.edu | 5 |
Roane State Community College | Harriman | Tennessee | www.roanestate.edu | 5 |
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College | Bowling Green | Kentucky | southcentral.kctcs.edu | 5 |
Wilson Community College | Wilson | North Carolina | www.wilsoncc.edu | 5 |
American National University-Youngstown | Youngstown | Ohio | www.an.edu | 4 |
American College of Healthcare and Technology | Huntington Park | California | www.ach.edu | 4 |
American National University | Salem | Virginia | www.an.edu/locations | 4 |
Charles H McCann Technical School | North Adams | Massachusetts | www.mccanntech.org | 4 |
City College-Miami | Miami | Florida | www.citycollege.edu | 4 |
Flathead Valley Community College | Kalispell | Montana | www.fvcc.edu | 4 |
Iowa Lakes Community College | Estherville | Iowa | www.iowalakes.edu | 4 |
James Rumsey Technical Institute | Martinsburg | West Virginia | www.jamesrumsey.com | 4 |
John Wood Community College | Quincy | Illinois | www.jwcc.edu | 4 |
Manchester Community College | Manchester | Connecticut | www.manchestercc.edu | 4 |
Mount Aloysius College | Cresson | Pennsylvania | www.mtaloy.edu | 4 |
New Mexico State University-Carlsbad | Carlsbad | New Mexico | carlsbad.nmsu.edu | 4 |
Oklahoma City Community College | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | www.occc.edu | 4 |
Paris Junior College | Paris | Texas | www.parisjc.edu | 4 |
University of Arkansas Community College-Hope | Hope | Arkansas | www.uacch.edu | 4 |
Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies | Springfield | Missouri | www.drury.edu/evening-and-online | 3 |
National American University-Overland Park | Overland Park | Kansas | www.national.edu | 3 |
Northern Oklahoma College | Tonkawa | Oklahoma | www.noc.edu | 3 |
Shawnee Community College | Ullin | Illinois | www.shawneecc.edu | 3 |
Southern Maine Community College | South Portland | Maine | www.smccme.edu | 3 |
Blue Ridge Community College | Flat Rock | North Carolina | www.blueridge.edu | 2 |
Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction | Colorado | www.coloradomesa.edu | 2 |
Fortis College-Baton Rouge | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | www.fortis.edu | 2 |
GateWay Community College | Phoenix | Arizona | www.gatewaycc.edu | 2 |
McDowell Technical Community College | Marion | North Carolina | www.mcdowelltech.edu | 2 |
North Central Missouri College | Trenton | Missouri | www.ncmissouri.edu | 2 |
Abcott Institute | Southfield | Michigan | www.abcott.edu | 1 |
Davidson County Community College | Thomasville | North Carolina | www.davidsonccc.edu | 1 |
Kaskaskia College | Centralia | Illinois | www.kaskaskia.edu | 1 |
North Central Michigan College | Petoskey | Michigan | www.ncmich.edu | 1 |
Northeast Community College | Norfolk | Nebraska | www.northeast.edu | 1 |
Rend Lake College | Ina | Illinois | www.rlc.edu | 1 |
Suncoast Technical College | Sarasota | Florida | suncoast.edu | 1 |
Tulsa Community College | Tulsa | Oklahoma | www.tulsacc.edu | 1 |
Western Iowa Tech Community College | Sioux City | Iowa | www.witcc.edu | 1 |
Surgical Tech Hybrid & Online Programs
Because surgical technology is such a hands-on profession, there are very few fully online and hybrid options from which to choose. In addition, surgical technology programs require an extensive practicum (typically between 300 and 1,200 hours of hands-on practice) even when the coursework is delivered entirely online.
MedCerts
That said, there are several hybrids (a combination of in-person and distance learning) and online surgical technologist programs, including the following:
Baptist Health System School of Health Professionals (AS)
Located in San Antonio, TX, Baptist Health System School of Health Professionals offers an associate’s degree in surgical technology. Upon completing this program, students can take the national surgical technologist certification exam required for employment in Texas.
Courses are offered in person and online. The program’s 63-credit curriculum includes technological sciences; surgical procedures; fundamentals of perioperative technique; surgical pathophysiology; microbiology for the surgical technologist; surgical pharmacology and anesthesia; and introduction to surgical technology.
In addition, several pre-operative topics from specimen care to the application of wound dressings are included in the curriculum. Graduates find work in hospital operating rooms, central sterile processing departments, and outpatient surgical units.
- Location: San Antonio, TX
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
- Estimated Tuition: $25,200
OneMSU, Great Falls College – Montana State University (AAS)
Located in Great Falls, MT, Great Falls College – Montana State University offers a CAAHEP-accredited surgical technologist program in a hybrid format as part of its three-campus “OneMSU” distance learning network. Although students can complete classroom work online, students are required to rotate through clinical sites in Montana to complete a minimum of 120 surgical cases.
Additionally, students are required to attend lecture classes in real time via WebEx. Upon completing this 70-credit program, graduates can take national certification exams in surgical technology. The curriculum includes courses such as introduction to surgical technology; surgical pharmacology; introduction to philosophy and biomedical ethics; operating room techniques; surgical procedures; and introduction to interpersonal communication.
- Location: Great Falls, MT
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
- Estimated Tuition: $8,829
Central Piedmont Community College (AAS)
Located in Charlotte, NC, Central Piedmont Community College offers a 71-credit associate of applied science degree program in surgical technology. Students can take didactic courses on campus in a classroom/lab/clinical combination or in a hybrid format.
Students in this program can join the Surgical Technology Club to develop their professional networks and participate in the Scrub Bowl, an annual event hosted by the North Carolina Association of Surgical Technologies that helps prepare students for the national certification exam.
The curriculum includes courses such as perioperative patient care; introduction to surgical technology; surgical procedures; advanced theoretical concepts; surgical clinical supplement; and anatomy and physiology.
- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
- Estimated Tuition: Resident ($76 per credit); non-resident ($268 per credit)
Rasmussen University (AS)
Rasmussen University offers an associate’s degree in surgical technology with campuses in Florida, Illinois, and Minnesota. On-campus and online classes are available in addition to field experience.
Students in this program can prove existing knowledge in specific courses with self-directed assessments for $149. In addition, graduates from this program pay no additional costs to take the national surgical tech certification exam. Consisting of 92 credits, the program includes courses such as medical terminology; pathophysiology; fundamentals of surgical technology; surgical procedures; surgical pharmacology; surgical microbiology; and human anatomy and physiology.
- Location: Cities in FL, IL, MN
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: 21 months
- Estimated Tuition: $279 per credit
Southeast Community College (Certificate, AAS)
Southeast Community College (SCC), with three campuses in Nebraska, offers a surgical technology program that is one of the most flexible and provides an excellent online cohort in conjunction with a local clinical practicum. Three campus visits are required at the beginning and end of this program, including the last week to take the national board exam.
In 2021, 96 percent of surgical technology graduates from SCC were employed locally upon graduation, and 86 percent of graduates continued their education in Nebraska. SCC also offers a surgical first assist certificate for currently certified surgical technologists.
- Location: Lincoln, NE
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: Five semesters
- Estimated Tuition: $10,763.50
Berkeley College (AAS)
Berkeley College’s online surgical technology associate in applied science degree program prepares students to work as valuable members of surgical teams, which most commonly include anesthesiologists, circulating nurses, and surgeons. This surgical technology program is only offered at the Woodland Park campus; however, individuals who already possess the CST credential and who are interested in obtaining an associate degree may take this program through Berkeley College Online.
The program comprises 60 credits and includes courses such as fundamentals of surgical technology; surgical techniques; surgical specialty intervention procedures; pharmacology and anesthesiology; operating room clinical practicum; surgical technology capstone; and microbiology.
- Location: Woodland Park, NJ
- Accreditation: CAAHEP
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
- Estimated Tuition: $890 per credit
School | City | State | Website | grads (2018) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Meridian Institute of Surgical Assisting | Nashville | Tennessee | www.meridian-institute.edu | 346 |
Rasmussen College-Minnesota | St. Cloud | Minnesota | rasmussen.edu | 28 |
Holmes Community College | Goodman | Mississippi | www.holmescc.edu | 22 |
Seward County Community College | Liberal | Kansas | www.sccc.edu | 20 |
Vincennes University | Vincennes | Indiana | www.vinu.edu | 20 |
Concorde Career College-Kansas City | Kansas City | Missouri | www.concorde.edu/campus/kansas-city-missouri | 19 |
College of Southern Idaho | Twin Falls | Idaho | www.csi.edu | 18 |
Siena Heights University | Adrian | Michigan | www.sienaheights.edu | 17 |
Santa Fe College | Gainesville | Florida | www.sfcollege.edu | 16 |
Rasmussen College-Illinois | Rockford | Illinois | rasmussen.edu | 11 |
Baptist Health System School of Health Professions | San Antonio | Texas | www.bshp.edu | 6 |
Rasmussen College-North Dakota | Fargo | North Dakota | rasmussen.edu | 3 |
Linn-Benton Community College | Albany | Oregon | www.linnbenton.edu | 2 |
Surgical Tech Core & Elective Courses
To complete most surgical tech programs, students must get a B or higher letter grade in both core classes and specialty surgical tech courses. Many of these courses are shared with other healthcare degrees – like medical ethics and anatomy and physiology. Still, a few classes specific to surgical tech schools are integral to those programs.
- Medical terminology – This course is required for many healthcare professionals and is particularly important for surgical technologists. In this course, students will learn the root words, suffixes, and prefixes by which all other medical terms are created. In addition, they will learn the names of each part of the human body and the most common illnesses and physical impairments.
- Surgical procedures – This course aims to teach students the theory and practices they should use with various surgeries. Typical surgeries covered include gynecological, orthopedic, genitourinary, and many others. The course emphasizes procedures, technology, and tools for each independent surgery.
- Pharmacology for surgical technology – In this course, students are introduced to different pharmaceuticals that may be used during a surgical procedure. In addition, students learn specific drug interactions, systems and regulations for administration, and the calculation of dosages. Drugs that might be used before and after a procedure are also introduced.
- Clinical practicum or externship – This course is required for all surgical technologists. Students complete rotations in a working hospital or medical facility where surgeries are regularly performed in this course. Under the tutelage of a senior surgical technologist, they can use the knowledge they have learned in hands-on practice to assist during surgical procedures.
Surgical Tech Accreditation
To practice as a surgical technologist, students need to complete a surgical technology program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
These two accrediting organizations, in tandem with the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA), evaluate surgical technologist programs to ensure that the coursework and health education practices comply with national standards.
During the ARC/STSA accreditation process, professional surgical technologists and healthcare educators carefully examine the program objectives and outcomes to determine whether a program is eligible for CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation. Each clinical cohort is also evaluated to ensure that the technology and healthcare procedures used are at the current healthcare standard. Finally, the ARC/STSA thoroughly investigates all professors to ensure their professional abilities and background.
Additionally, colleges should be accredited by a regional or national accrediting body approved by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Typical regional accrediting bodies include:
- Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS-WASC)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges (SACS/COC)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Career Outlook
The field of healthcare is growing and not just for nurses and physicians. General healthcare jobs are expected to increase by 13 percent between 2021 and 2031, with surgical technology positions expected to increase by 6 percent (BLS 2022). The growth rate for surgical techs is slightly faster than the national average for all occupations (5 percent).
Two main factors drive the increased need for surgical technologists. Firstly, as the baby boomer generation ages, they will require more surgeries to maintain their standard of living. Secondly, access to better healthcare will make day-to-day surgeries (like sports-related surgeries) more feasible for the general population.
Another reason surgical technologists will likely remain in such high demand because they are a cost-effective investment for hospitals. Surgical technologists are less expensive to hire than registered nurses but can often assist in the same procedures. This enables nurses to practice in more advanced areas that suit their skill sets and helps healthcare facilities provide better care to their patients and support their staff.
Career Facts | Surgical Technologist |
---|---|
Related Careers | Radiation Therapist, Endoscopy Technician, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Nuclear Medicine Technologist |
Common Job Titles | Surgical Technologist, Certified Surgical Technologist |
Technology & Equipment | Electrocautery Equipment, Surgical Saws And Drills, Surgical Vacuums, Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirators |
Sourced from BLS, May 2021 |
Surgical Tech Work Environments
In May 2021, 110,700 surgical techs were employed in the following work environments (BLS May 2021):
- Hospitals: state, local, and private: 72 percent
- Offices of physicians: 11 percent
- Outpatient care centers: 11 percent
- Offices of dentists: 2 percent
- Administrative and support services: 1 percent
Surgical Tech Salaries
The BLS (May 2021) shows the average annual salary for surgical technologists is $53,590, slightly less than the national average for all occupations ($58,260).
The salary percentiles for the 109,060 working surgical techs in the United States are:
- 10th percentile: $36,930
- 25th percentile: $46,440
- 50th percentile (median): $48,530
- 75th percentile: $60,780
- 90th percentile: $75,940
The highest-paid surgical techs work for specialty hospitals with annual average salaries of $59,180.
The state with the highest average salary for surgical technologists is California, at $68,410 per year. Other top-paying states include Alaska ($65,690), the District of Columbia ($65,250), Connecticut ($65,190), and Nevada ($65,180).
Licensing & Certification for Surgical Technologists
Surgical technologists who desire to be board-certified must complete a CAAHEP-accredited program. A list of accredited surgical tech schools is available on the CAAHEP website.
In addition to completing a program at one of the accredited surgical tech schools, certified students must also complete a certification exam. This exam is provided through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).
Finally, board certification candidates must have completed the appropriate coursework and clinical hours. Depending on the degree program, a student may complete between 300 and 1,200 clinical hours to complete the university’s requirements. These clinical hours are necessary to be licensed as a surgical technologist.
Although it is not legally required for surgical technologists to be board certified at this time, it may be a better career decision. Completing a surgical tech degree from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited school is the only way to earn this designation and sit for the national test. This makes students who earn this designation much more employable and more likely to find positions in the highest-earning bracket for this allied health career.