Surgical techs in California earn a median $81,310 a year (BLS OEWS, 2025), and Santa Barbara sits within reach of accredited training. Compare CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited certificate and associate degree programs near Santa Barbara, plan your clinical rotations, and prepare for the NBSTSA CST exam.
Schools below are sorted by distance from Santa Barbara (closest first). Compare program length, schedule, accreditation, and credential alignment.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 5 schools
within 86 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
5 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
Concorde Career College-North Hollywood
📍
North Hollywood, CA
•77.0 miles away•BOC Score
57.6
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
12412 Victory Boulevard North Hollywood, CA 91606-3134
Surgical Technologists employment projection 2024 to 2034
Year
Employment
2024
115,600
2034 projected
120,800
Percent change
+4.5%
Surgical Tech Pay & Outlook
Surgical technologists in California earn a median of $81,310 per year, ranging from about $49,140 (10th percentile) to $115,740 (90th percentile) (BLS OEWS, 2025).
California employed about 11,920 surgical technologists (BLS OEWS, 2025).
Nationally, BLS projects employment to change about +4.5% over 2024-2034, with roughly 7,000 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections, 2025).
How to Become a Surgical Tech in California
Enroll in an accredited surgical technology program. Complete a certificate, diploma, or associate degree in surgical technology from a program with accreditation from CAAHEP or ABHES.
Complete clinical rotations. Finish supervised clinical rotations in an operating room, mastering sterile technique, instrumentation, and case setup.
Pass a national certification exam. Sit for the NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam or the NCCT Tech in Surgery-Certified (TS-C) exam, based on employer preference.
Apply for surgical tech positions. Apply to hospitals and outpatient surgery centers; many employers list CST certification as a hiring or advancement requirement.
Pathways & Clinical Hours
Surgical technology is learned through accredited classroom-plus-clinical programs rather than registered apprenticeships. Programs combine lab work on instrument sets with supervised operating-room rotations; total clinical hours vary by school, so confirm requirements with each program and the state health board.
What You Study
Sterile technique, aseptic practice, and infection control
Surgical instrumentation and case setup
Anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology
Operating-room roles and patient safety
Supervised clinical rotations
Choosing a Surgical Tech Program
Confirm accreditation recognized by CAAHEP or ABHES first.
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.
Surgical technologists in California earned a median wage of $81,310 per year (BLS OEWS, 2025). Pay varies by employer, shift, and experience.
Is surgical technology a growing career?
BLS projects employment of surgical technologists to change about +4.5% over the 2024-2034 decade (BLS Employment Projections, 2025), with roughly 7,000 openings a year.
How long is a surgical tech program near Santa Barbara?
Most surgical technology programs take about 12 to 24 months. Certificate and diploma tracks are shorter, while associate degrees run roughly two years. Confirm the schedule with each school.
What certification do surgical techs need?
Many employers prefer the NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) credential or the NCCT Tech in Surgery-Certified (TS-C). Requirements vary by employer; some states regulate the title.
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.
Data
Provider
Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
