PermanentPosted 14 days ago
Surgical Technician II, Surgery Center
Sutter Health · Santa Barbara, CA
Pay range with your report
Surgical Technologist jobs in Santa Barbara, CA
The median surgical technologist pay in the Santa Barbara area is $37.63 per hour ($78,270 a year), with the typical range running from $32.57 to $38.98. That ranks 26th of 281 U.S. metro areas for surgical technologist pay, and 43rd of 261 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 3 hospitals in Santa Barbara. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Santa Barbara.
- $37.63median pay per hour, Santa Maria
- $33–$39typical range per hour
- 130surgical technologists employed in the metro area
- 109cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
More open Surgical Technologist roles in Santa Barbara
1 more open role from employers in Santa Barbara. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
Surgical Technologist pay in Santa Barbara, CA
The metro median is 4% below the California statewide median of $39.00 per hour. Nationally the median is $30.21 per hour. BLS counts about 130 surgical technologists employed in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area, 0.6 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.86).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $25.94 | $53,960 | 14% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $32.57 | $67,750 | 8% above U.S. median |
| Median | $37.63 | $78,270 | 25% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $38.98 | $81,080 | 29% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $49.91 | $103,810 | 65% above U.S. median |
How Santa Barbara ranks
- 26th of 281 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 43rd of 261 after adjusting for local prices
- 14th of 20 California 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.
Get the Santa Barbara Surgical Technologist pay report
Named employers near Santa Barbara, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWhat your pay buys in Santa Barbara
- Overall prices in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara run 9% above the U.S. average (index 108.8, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 51% above the U.S. average (index 151.4).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $37.63 median hour buys what $34.59 buys at the national price level, 14% above 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 Santa Barbara paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,355
- Per year: $67,734
- Per month: $5,644
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Santa Barbara
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $214 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $92 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $2,142 |
| 13-week assignment | $27,846 |
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. 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).
Open Surgical Technologist roles in California
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Santa Barbara as they open.
Per diemPosted today
Surgical Technician
CommonSpirit Health · Woodland, CA
$46.94–$53.94/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Operating Room Technician
CommonSpirit Health · Carmichael, CA
$43.65–$49.44/ hour
New this week
For youUpdated weekly
230+ more Surgical Technologist roles for you in California
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
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PermanentPosted yesterday
Surgical Tech II Certified
CommonSpirit Health · Glendale, CA
$36.65–$51.32/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Surgical Tech LDR- Certified
Palomar Health · Escondido, CA
$31.85–$47.85/ hour
New this week
Per diemPosted 2 days ago
Surgical Tech-Non-Cert
Palomar Health · Escondido, CA
$30.92–$46.42/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted 3 days ago
OR Tech II / Surgical Tech II - Surgery - Sharp Tri-City - Variable Shift - Full Time
Sharp HealthCare · California
$42.45–$47.62/ hour
New this week
Hospitals in Santa Barbara
CMS lists 3 hospitals in Santa Barbara, 2 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of surgical technologists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital Santa Barbara, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Santa Barbara, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Santa Barbara County Psychiatric Health Facility Santa Barbara, CA | Psychiatric | Government and federal | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Surgical Technologist pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Buenaventura, CA | 28 mi | $38.49/hr | 109,831 |
| Oxnard, CA | 32 mi | $38.49/hr | 200,616 |
| Camarillo, CA | 41 mi | $38.49/hr | 69,881 |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | 50 mi | $38.49/hr | 124,229 |
| Santa Maria, CA | 55 mi | $37.63/hr | 111,346 |
| Simi Valley, CA | 56 mi | $38.49/hr | 125,778 |
Surgical Technologist jobs in California · Surgical Technologist jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in California
CST certification or completion of an accredited program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do surgical technologists make in Santa Barbara, CA?
Surgical Technologists in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area have a median pay of $37.63 per hour, about $78,270 a year. The middle half earn between $32.57 and $38.98 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Santa Barbara a good place for surgical technologists once cost of living is counted?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara ranks 43rd of 261 metro areas for surgical technologist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 26th of 281 before adjusting. Overall prices run 9% above the U.S. average.
Where do surgical technologists work in Santa Barbara?
CMS lists 3 hospitals in Santa Barbara, led by Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Do I need a California license to work in Santa Barbara as a surgical technologist?
CST certification or completion of an accredited program. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California 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 Santa Barbara?
The federal per diem benchmark in Santa Barbara is $214 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,142 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place surgical technologists in Santa Barbara?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Santa Barbara and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Santa Barbara.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near Santa Barbara pay surgical technologists? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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230+ Surgical Technologist roles in California, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Surg Tech pay reportSanta Barbara, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- CommonSpirit HealthSTOCKTON, CA · 10 postings$47.95/ hr$32–$62
- Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare SystemSalinas, CA · 2 postings$44.43/ hr$41–$48
- Sharp HealthCareChula Vista, CA · 6 postings$41.81/ hr$34–$48
- Enloe Medical CenterChico, CA · 2 postings$41.50/ hr$36–$47
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$35Median$42.52High$52
28 Surg Tech postings with published pay in California, 22 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 28 Surg Tech roles
- Surgical TechnicianPer diem$46.94–$53.94/ hour
- Operating Room TechnicianPermanent$43.65–$49.44/ hour
+ 26 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.