AR · Little Rock · Updated October 15, 2026

Surgical Technologist jobs in Little Rock, AR

Pay for surgical technologists in the Little Rock area centers on $25.70 per hour, or about $53,460 a year. The lower quarter earns under $21.79 and the upper quarter over $30.69. The CMS hospital directory lists 7 hospitals in Little Rock. That ranks 218th of 281 U.S. metro areas for surgical technologist pay, and 205th of 261 once local prices are factored in. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Little Rock.

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Surgical Technologist pay in Little Rock, AR

The metro median is in line with the Arkansas statewide median of $25.67 per hour. Nationally the median is $30.21 per hour. BLS counts about 580 surgical technologists employed in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metro area, 1.6 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 2.21).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$19.88$41,35034% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$21.79$45,32028% below U.S. median
Median$25.70$53,46015% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$30.69$63,8402% above U.S. median
Top 10%$33.78$70,26012% above U.S. median

How Little Rock ranks

  • 218th of 281 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 205th of 261 after adjusting for local prices
  • 3rd of 4 Arkansas metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Surgical Technologists (SOC 29-2055), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Little Rock

  • Overall prices in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway run 11% below the U.S. average (index 89.4, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 32% below the U.S. average (index 68.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $25.70 median hour buys what $28.76 buys at the national price level, 5% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Little Rock paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$925
  • Per year: $46,260
  • Per month: $3,855

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Little Rock

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$110
Meals and incidentals per day$68
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,246
13-week assignment$16,198

Travel surgical technologist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free (this is the standard rate that applies here). Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Little Rock

CMS lists 7 hospitals in Little Rock, 0 of the 5 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of surgical technologists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Arkansas Heart Hospital, Llc
Little Rock, AR
Acute careFor-profit3 of 5Yes
Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock
Little Rock, AR
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Chi-St Vincent Infirmary
Little Rock, AR
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
University Of Arkansas Medical Sciences
Little Rock, AR
Acute careGovernment and federal2 of 5Yes
Va Central Ar. Veterans Healthcare System Lr
Little Rock, AR
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal2 of 5Yes
Arkansas Children's Hospital
Little Rock, AR
Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
Arkansas State Hospital
Little Rock, AR
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedYes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Surgical Technologist pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
North Little Rock, AR8 mi$25.70/hr64,498
Conway, AR25 mi$25.70/hr70,711
Jonesboro, AR121 mi$24.87/hr82,384
Fort Smith, AR122 mi$28.69/hr90,507
Southaven, MS136 mi$29.22/hr57,493
Fayetteville, AR138 mi$30.27/hr103,134

Surgical Technologist jobs in Arkansas · Surgical Technologist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Arkansas

CST certification or completion of an accredited program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Arkansas requires for your role with the Arkansas licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Arkansas taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Arkansas state guide

Other healthcare roles in Little Rock

Little Rock city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do surgical technologists make in Little Rock, AR?

Surgical Technologists in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metro area have a median pay of $25.70 per hour, about $53,460 a year. The middle half earn between $21.79 and $30.69 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Little Rock a good place for surgical technologists once cost of living is counted?

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway ranks 205th of 261 metro areas for surgical technologist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 218th of 281 before adjusting. Overall prices run 11% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring surgical technologists in Little Rock?

We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in Little Rock. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Little Rock.

Do I need a Arkansas license to work in Little Rock as a surgical technologist?

CST certification or completion of an accredited program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Arkansas requires for your role with the Arkansas licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Little Rock?

The federal per diem benchmark in Little Rock is $110 a night for lodging and $68 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,246 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place surgical technologists in Little Rock?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Little Rock and across Arkansas. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Little Rock.

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Pay report · Surg Tech near Little Rock, AR
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Surg Tech pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Arkansas list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Seattle Children'sSeattle, WA · 4 postings$48.62/ hr$31–$60
  • CommonSpirit HealthSTOCKTON, CA · 10 postings$47.95/ hr$32–$62
  • Fairview Health ServicesBurnsville, MN · 6 postings$46.05/ hr$32–$54
  • NewYork-PresbyterianNew York · 6 postings$44.62/ hr$33–$51

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Arkansas list

2What they are offering now

Low$24Median$37.24High$50

293 Surg Tech postings with published pay in the US, 229 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 1 Surg Tech roles

  1. Specialty Surgical TechnicianPermanent
    $24.27–$36.10/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Little Rock, AR · posted 21 days ago

Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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