Surgical Technologist Jobs in Fresno, CA
Surgical technologists in Fresno earn a median of about $31 an hour, and Community Regional posts $35.72 to $45.45 for certified techs. Hospitals and the city's outpatient surgery centers are both hiring. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get certified.
Current surgical technologist Openings in Fresno, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Surgical Technologist Work in Fresno
Fresno's operating rooms cover the whole central San Joaquin Valley. Community Regional Medical Center downtown is the region's Level I trauma and burn center, so its surgical techs scrub everything from emergency trauma cases to cardiac and neurosurgery, while Clovis Community and Fresno Heart and Surgical Hospital add elective and heart surgery in the north and northeast. Valley Children's Hospital, just across the San Joaquin River on Highway 41 in Madera, runs pediatric operating rooms for the Valley's children.
The other half of the market is outpatient. USPI operates Fresno Surgical Hospital and surgery centers such as Renaissance and Summit in Fresno, where techs scrub scheduled outpatient cases on mostly weekday daytime hours. Hospital jobs tend to pay more and are more likely to include call and night coverage, while surgery centers trade a little pay for predictable hours.
Top Fresno Employers Hiring Surgical Technologists
These Fresno-area employers have posted surgical technologist openings on their own careers sites:
- Community Health System - hires full-time surgical techs at Community Regional Medical Center at $35.72 to $45.45 an hour and requires a CST or TS-C credential.
- USPI - the surgery center operator hires scrub techs for Renaissance Surgery Center and Summit Surgical Center in Fresno at $25 to $40 an hour.
- Valley Children's Healthcare - the pediatric hospital hires full-time Operating Room Tech I staff for general surgery at $28.90 to $42.95 an hour on 10-hour day shifts.
Surgical Technologist Salaries in Fresno
- Entry level: about $25 to $33 per hour for new program graduates.
- Experienced: roughly $33 to $42 per hour with a few years of multi-specialty OR experience.
- Senior / specialty: $42 to $46 per hour for certified techs in trauma, cardiac or neurosurgery at the larger hospitals.
These are estimates based on federal wage data for the Fresno metro (median $30.95 and 90th percentile $41.17 an hour in 2025) and the ranges Fresno employers post today. Pay moves with the CST credential, the specialty you scrub, call and weekend coverage, and whether the employer is a hospital or an outpatient surgery center.
How to Become a Surgical Technologist in Fresno
California does not license or certify surgical technologists at the state level; a 2014 bill to set state standards was vetoed. Employers set the bar instead, and Fresno's hospitals ask for a recognized surgical technology program plus a national credential, either the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting or the Tech in Surgery - Certified (TS-C). Carrington College offers an Associate of Science in Surgical Technology at its Fresno campus on East Sierra Avenue, accredited by CAAHEP and finishable in as few as 15 months, and its graduates are eligible for the CST exam. Expect to need a current BLS card as well.
What the Job Involves
Surgical technologists prepare the operating room, sterilize and lay out instruments, and set up the sterile field before each case. During surgery they pass instruments and supplies to the surgeon, anticipate the next step, hold retractors, and keep counts of sponges, needles and instruments with the circulating nurse. After the case they help dress the wound, handle specimens and turn the room over for the next patient.
Skills Employers Look For
- CST or TS-C certification
- Graduation from a recognized surgical technology program
- Strong aseptic technique and sterile field control
- Instrument knowledge across several specialties
- Accurate counts and attention to detail
- Current BLS certification
- Steady focus during long or emergency cases
Career Path and Advancement
New Fresno techs usually start in general surgery, then build specialty skills in orthopedics, cardiac, neurosurgery or trauma at Community Regional or in pediatrics at Valley Children's. Experienced techs move up to lead tech or specialty coordinator, take on sterile processing or OR management roles, or go on to train as surgical assistants. Some switch to USPI's Fresno surgery centers for daytime hours once they have multi-specialty experience.
Related Careers in Fresno
If surgical technology interests you, these related Fresno roles are worth a look:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a surgical tech in Fresno?
No. California has no state license for surgical technologists. Fresno hospitals such as Community Regional still require a national credential, either the CST or the TS-C, and most surgery centers ask for certification too.
How much do surgical technologists make in Fresno?
Federal data puts the Fresno median at about $30.95 an hour. Surgery centers post $25 to $40 an hour, and Community Regional posts $35.72 to $45.45 for certified techs.
Where can I train to be a surgical tech in Fresno?
Carrington College offers a CAAHEP-accredited Associate of Science in Surgical Technology at its Fresno campus on East Sierra Avenue. The program can be finished in as few as 15 months and prepares you for the CST exam.
Do Fresno surgical techs take call?
Hospital techs are more likely to, because trauma and emergency surgery run around the clock at Community Regional. Surgery center jobs at USPI's Fresno centers are mostly weekday daytime shifts.
Can I become a surgical tech without certification?
A few employers will hire experienced operating room techs without a national credential. Valley Children's, for example, accepts an OR tech training program or three years of OR tech experience, but certification opens far more Fresno jobs.
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