Best Surgical Tech Programs in Ridgecrest, California (2026)

Quick answer: Surgical technologists in California earn a median of $81,310 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited surgical technologist schools near Ridgecrest, California with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

Several training options serve surgical technologist students near Ridgecrest, California, from short certificates to longer hands-on programs. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $81,310 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Ridgecrest Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$81,310BLS OEWS, May 2025
California pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$49,140 to $115,740BLS OEWS, May 2025
Bakersfield, CA metro median wage$78,470BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+4.5% growth, about 7,000 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment11,920 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Kern County establishments10BLS QCEW, 2024
Kern County industry employment7,700BLS QCEW, 2024
Kern County unemployment rate8.6%BLS LAUS, 2024
California location quotient0.87BLS OEWS, May 2025

Explore the Surgical technologist Career

What You’ll Find Below

The school listings below are sorted by proximity to Ridgecrest. Each entry includes the school name, address, and the credentials offered. Use the Kern County and California figures above as a reference point when comparing program length, schedule, and tuition.


Surgical Tech Training near Ridgecrest

How We Rank Schools

We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%

Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Concorde Career College-North Hollywood

North Hollywood, CA 108.3 miles away BOC Score 57.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 76.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 9
  • Annual completions: 387
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $52,837 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

American Career College-Ontario

Ontario, CA 108.1 miles away BOC Score 52.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 16
  • Annual completions: 1491
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $43,139 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Glendale Career College

Glendale, CA 107.8 miles away BOC Score 51.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
  • 240 North Brand Boulevard Lower Level Glendale, CA 91203
  • (818) 243-1131
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 7
  • Annual completions: 289
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $48,064 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Glendale Career College-North-West College-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA 79.9 miles away BOC Score 42.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 49.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 8
  • Annual completions: 50
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $48,064 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA 81.0 miles away BOC Score 39.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 52.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 23
  • Annual completions: 769
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $42,211 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Surgical Technologist Pay and Job Outlook

Surgical Technologists annual wage by percentile: $45,940 at the 10th percentile, $64,650 median, $96,940 at the 90th. Source: U.S. BLS OEWS, May 2025 release.
What surgical technologists earn across the pay scale
Projected job growth for surgical technologists: 115,600 jobs in 2024 to 120,800 in 2034, +4.5% change. Source: U.S. BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034.
Projected job growth for surgical technologists
Top-paying states for surgical technologists - Hawaii leads at $82,640. Source: U.S. BLS OEWS, May 2025 release.
Top-paying states for surgical technologists

Certification & Clinicals in California

  1. Complete an accredited surgical technology certificate, diploma, or associate degree program.
  2. Finish your clinical rotations and master sterile technique and instrumentation.
  3. Prepare for credentials like the NBSTSA CST or NCCT TS-C, based on employer preference.

Tips for Choosing a Surgical Tech Program

  • Look for accreditation recognized by CAAHEP or ABHES when applicable.
  • Ask about lab time on instrument sets and simulation equipment.
  • Compare evening, weekend, and accelerated schedules that fit your life.
  • Review clinical placement support and certification exam pass rates. Individual outcomes may vary.

Next Steps

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does surgical technologist training take near Ridgecrest?

Surgical technologist certificate programs near Ridgecrest typically take 6 to 12 months of full-time study, while associate degree programs generally run about 2 years. Actual completion time depends on schedule (full-time vs. part-time) and any prerequisite coursework.

How much do surgical technologists earn in California?

According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), surgical technologists in California earned a median annual wage of approximately $81,310. Pay varies with experience, certification, and employer; the 10th to 90th percentile range was approximately $49,140 to $115,740 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many surgical technologist schools are near Ridgecrest?

Kern County reports approximately 10 surgical technologist related establishments employing about 7,700 workers (BLS QCEW, 2024). Compare the schools listed above for tuition, duration, and credential alignment with the local employer base.


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)