Comparisons

• Salaries for surgical technicians in Florida vary a great deal by city. The median annual salary for a surgical technician in Fort Walton Beach, for instance, was $33,870 as of February 2011, according to Salary.com. In contrast, surgical technicians in West Palm Beach had a median annual salary of $39,670, which is much closer to the national median salary of $39,820. Surgical technicians in Pensacola were earning a median salary of $36,000 per year, in Fort Myers $36,733, in Orlando $37,950, in Miami $38,680 and in Jacksonville $38,730 per year.
  
  

Salary Range

• The salary range for this group of cities is wider than the nationwide range, and also dips significantly lower. The middle 50 percent had annual pay rates of about $30,910 to $42,750 in the Florida cities. The bottom 10 percent were earning less than $28,220 per year, and the top 10 percent more than $46,450. In contrast, the bottom 10 percent in the nationwide range were earning less than $33,170, and the top 10 percent more than $47,810.
  
  

Specifics

• The job search website Simply Hired listed several hundred job openings for surgical technicians in Florida in February 2011. Positions were available in general surgery and also in the specialties of cardiac surgery, dermatology, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmic surgery, orthopedics, plastic surgery, trauma and urology. Some employers look for a certified nursing assistant with formal training in surgical technology. Full-time and part-time positions are available, as well as temporary jobs through staffing agencies and on contract with the employer. Surgical technicians also can work in traveling positions throughout Florida.
  
  

Benefits

• Although the Simply Hired listings generally do not provide salary information, some show that employers provide substantial benefits packages to surgical technicians. In addition to health insurance, life insurance, paid time off and a 401(k) savings plan, some organizations provide shift differentials, child care reimbursement or on-site child care, sick child care, tuition assistance for continuing education, flexible scheduling, free gym memberships and discounts at tourist spots.