Surgical Technologists pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,590 a year or less, while the top 10% make $94,030 or more. The middle half of surgical technologists in Chicago earn between $62,730 and $78,980.
- $51K10th
- $63K25th
- $66KMedian
- $79K75th
- $94K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $73,090 | $6,091 | $35.14 |
| Median | $66,360 | $5,530 | $31.90 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $62,730 | $5,228 | $30.16 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $78,980 | $6,582 | $37.97 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Surgical Technologists salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $73,090, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $56,772 a year, or $4,731 a month and $2,184 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $58,086 | $4,841 |
| Working in IL | $56,772 | $4,731 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for surgical technologists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $73,090 buys what about $70,554 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 4.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Surgical Technologists salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 6 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$73,090
- Bloomington$68,170
- Springfield$66,080
- Rockford$64,120
- Peoria$63,110
- Kankakee$58,370
Highest-paying cities for surgical technologists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($105,420).
- San Jose, CA$105,420
- Vallejo, CA$103,120
- San Francisco, CA$96,990
- Napa, CA$96,920
- Santa Cruz, CA$95,450
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Surgical Technologists salary in Chicago: questions
How much do surgical technologists make an hour in Chicago?
$35.14 an hour on average, and $31.91 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level surgical technologists salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,590 a year and the 25th percentile is $62,730, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the surgical technologists take-home pay in Chicago?
About $56,772 a year ($4,731 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $73,090.
Do surgical technologists earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($69,506).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-2055; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.3%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.74, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.74).
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