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What to Pay a Surgical Technologist in Wichita, KS (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$50,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$44K–$57K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+3.8%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~26
Wichita metro average
To hire a Surgical Technologist in Wichita at market, plan on a base salary range of $44,000 to $57,000, with $50,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 26 days, expect to lead at $57K–$66K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Kansas does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your Surg Tech pay range in Wichita

Three pay positions, modeled against current Wichita market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$38K–$44K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Wichita average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$47.6K–$52.8K
Default for most Wichita employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~26 days. A range width of ~30% (min $44,000 to max $57,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a Surg Tech's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$54.2K–$66K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

Surg Tech salary percentile distribution in Wichita, KS

Where the Wichita market actually sits for Surg Tech base pay.

10th $38K
25th $44K
Median $50K
75th $57K
90th $66K

Most Wichita employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($50,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $44,000 and a max of $57,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Kansas pay transparency compliance for Surg Tech job postings

What you must post when hiring a Surg Tech in Kansas.

Not required statewide. Kansas has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a Surg Tech role in Wichita, a compliant good-faith range looks like $44,000 to $57,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $44,000–$57,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top Surg Tech employers in Wichita — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring Surg Techs in the Wichita metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Ascension Via Christi Health system $47K–$59K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Wesley Healthcare (HCA) Health system $47K–$59K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Wesley Children's Hospital Pediatric specialty (HCA) $47K–$59K Very common ($8K–$15K)
Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center Federal / VA $44K–$56K Federal benefits
Kansas Surgery & Recovery Center Ambulatory surgery $44K–$56K Very common ($8K–$15K)

Surg Tech talent supply and hiring difficulty in Wichita

How hard is it to fill a Surg Tech role in Wichita.

~26
Avg Days to Fill
~700
Active Postings
~3,000
Wichita Surg Tech Workforce
Tight
Supply : Demand

Wichita surgical technologist market centered on hospital OR, ambulatory surgery centers, and specialty surgery hospitals. Cardiothoracic and orthopedic sub-specialties command premiums.

Skill premiums Surg Tech candidates command in Wichita, KS

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
CST (Certified Surgical Technologist) Standard baseline Required
Cardiothoracic surgical tech +8–12% Very high
Orthopedic / joint replacement +6–10% High
Robotic surgery (da Vinci) certified +7–11% High and growing

Surg Tech total compensation in Wichita — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for Surg Techs in Wichita. "Prevalence" reflects share of Wichita disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Wichita Postings
Base salary $50,000 (median) 100%
Call pay (standby + callback) $4–$8/hr standby + 1.5× hourly ~86%
Sign-on bonus $3K–$7K ~64%
CST certification pay +5–8% on base ~54%
Overtime opportunity $5K–$10K annualized ~88%
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$61K–$72K

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

Surg Tech pay by setting in Wichita — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the Surg Tech range splits by employer type in the Wichita metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
General hospital OR $48,000 $43K–$55K High
Cardiothoracic surgery $54,000 $48K–$61K Very high
Orthopedic / joint replacement $52,000 $46K–$59K High
Ambulatory surgery center $47,000 $42K–$53K Moderate
Specialty surgery hospital $51,000 $45K–$57K High

FAQ: hiring a Surgical Technologist in Wichita, KS

Market median is $50,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $50,000 — typically $44,000 to $57,000. To lead the market, plan on $57K–$66K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Kansas. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $44,000–$57,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$45,000 falls below the Wichita market median of $50,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 64% of Wichita surgical tech postings include a sign-on bonus ($3K–$7K). Cardiothoracic and robotic-surgery-certified techs command the top premiums.
Average fill time is approximately 26 days in the Wichita metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($57K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($44K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Wichita-metro posting volume: Ascension Via Christi, Wesley Healthcare (HCA), Wesley Children's Hospital, Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Kansas Surgery & Recovery Center lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for Surg Tech in Wichita — for example, $44,000 to $57,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Kansas has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related Surg Tech pay benchmarks — Kansas metros and nearby nursing roles

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.