Surgical Technologists (29-2055)

Occupation description:  Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeon's assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.

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Employment and Job Openings

  Average employment Average annual openings
  2010 estimate2020 projectionPercent change GrowthReplacementTotal
Alaska 144188 30.64 37
United States 93,600111,300 18.91,760 1,6303,390

Job outlook

  • Alaska: Alaska’s employment growth is robust with low employment opportunities. Read more.


2012 Wages

  Mean Wage and
95% Confidence Interval
Wage by Percentile
  LowMeanHigh 10thMedian90th
United States n/a20.91n/a 14.2920.0928.96
Alaska 24.7125.7926.87 19.9425.4233.27
Anchorage/Mat-Su Area (MSA) 24.7526.1627.57 20.2625.6234.11

Labor Force Indicators

2011 Worker Characteristics
Total workersNonresident workers Percent nonresidentPercent age 45 plusPercent age 50 plus
17828 15.728.0 18.5
2011 Potential Supply
Qualified but working in another occupation10
Currently employed in a lower paid occupation4
UI claimants previously working in occupation10
2011 ALEXsys Employment Data
Number of registrants 45
Number of job position postings 42
Ratio of registrants to job position postings 1.1

Typical Entry-level Education, Experience, and/or On-the-job Training

Education: Postsecondary non-degree award Work experience: None On-the-job training: None