Best Surgical Tech Programs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2026)

Quick answer: Surgical technologists in Pennsylvania earn a median of $62,680 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited surgical technologist schools near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

Choosing a surgical technologist program near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania comes down to accreditation, schedule, and how each school prepares you for the field. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $62,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Pittsburgh Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$62,680BLS OEWS, May 2025
Pennsylvania pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$47,130 to $77,760BLS OEWS, May 2025
Pittsburgh, PA metro median wage$62,370BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+4.5% growth, about 7,000 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment4,490 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Allegheny County establishments100BLS QCEW, 2024
Allegheny County industry employment39,650BLS QCEW, 2024
Allegheny County unemployment rate3.5%BLS LAUS, 2024
Pennsylvania location quotient0.98BLS OEWS, May 2025

Nearby Cities

Explore the Surgical technologist Career

What You’ll Find Below

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


Surgical Tech Training near Pittsburgh

How We Rank Schools

Local school lists are ordered by location first, using the distance from the city or state page you are viewing. Each eligible school also shows a BOC Score, computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data.

Location / proximity to this page
Primary local sort
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

Carlow University

Pittsburgh, PA 0.7 miles away BOC Score 52.7
Tuition $35,874 - $49,327
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 87.0%
  • Graduation rate: 57.6%
  • Programs offered: 12
  • Annual completions: 64
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $67,381 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Pittsburgh, PA 1.2 miles away BOC Score 73.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 84.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 29
  • Annual completions: 1051
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $73,701 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Community College of Allegheny County

Pittsburgh, PA 2.3 miles away BOC Score 40.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 23.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 74
  • Annual completions: 1817
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,519 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Westmoreland County Community College

Youngwood, PA 25.1 miles away BOC Score 49.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 28.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 63
  • Annual completions: 478
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,187 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

West Virginia Northern Community College

Wheeling, WV 47.1 miles away BOC Score 48.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 31.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 39
  • Annual completions: 227
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $39,901 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Surgical Technologist Pay and Job Outlook

Annual Wage by Percentile - Surgical Technologists
Surgical Technologists annual wage percentiles, BLS OEWS May 2025P10 $45940, P25 $54690, P50 $64650, P75 $79750, P90 $96940.10th$45,94025th$54,69050th (median)$64,65075th$79,75090th$96,940
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Surgical Technologists annual wage percentiles
PercentileAnnual wage
10th$45,940
25th$54,690
50th (median)$64,650
75th$79,750
90th$96,940
Projected employment growth, Surgical Technologists, 2024-2034
Surgical Technologists employment 2024 vs 2034 projection, BLS Employment Projections2024 employment 115600; 2034 projected employment 120800; percent change +4.5%.2024115,600 jobs2034 (proj.)120,800 jobsChange: +4.5%
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
Surgical Technologists employment projection 2024 to 2034
YearEmployment
2024115,600
2034 projected120,800
Percent change+4.5%

Certification & Clinicals in Pennsylvania

  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 Pittsburgh?

Surgical technologist certificate programs near Pittsburgh 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 Pennsylvania?

According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), surgical technologists in Pennsylvania earned a median annual wage of approximately $62,680. Pay varies with experience, certification, and employer; the 10th to 90th percentile range was approximately $47,130 to $77,760 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many surgical technologist schools are near Pittsburgh?

Allegheny County reports approximately 100 surgical technologist related establishments employing about 39,650 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)