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Average Surgical Technologist Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A surgical technologist in United Kingdom earns about 73,800 GBP a year. That's 6% above the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 33,600 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 118,900 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a surgical technologist make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
73,800 GBP
6,150 GBP per month
Lowest reported
33,600 GBP
2,800 GBP per month
Highest reported
118,900 GBP
9,908 GBP per month

A typical surgical technologist working in United Kingdom brings home around 6,150 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 33,600 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 118,900 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior surgical technologist working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the surgical technologist salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How surgical technologist pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all surgical technologists in United Kingdom earn less than 79,800 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 52,000 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 109,000 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of surgical technologists sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 33,600 GBP. The highest stretch to 118,900 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

33,600
Low
79,800
Median
118,900
High
52,000
25th
109,000
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Surgical technologist pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a surgical technologist in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical surgical technologist salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    38,000 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +33% from previous
    50,600 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +55% from previous
    78,200 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +20% from previous
    93,600 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +10% from previous
    102,700 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +9% from previous
    111,700 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 55%. That is the point at which a surgical technologist typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Surgical technologist pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving surgical technologist pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average surgical technologist salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Bachelor's Degree
    43,800 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +100% from previous
    87,600 GBP

Surgical technologist gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male surgical technologists in United Kingdom earn an average of 78,200 GBP a year, while female surgical technologists earn around 71,700 GBP. That works out to a 9% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Surgical Technologist gender pay gap

8%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 78,200 GBP
Women 71,700 GBP

Pay raises for a surgical technologist in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 13% every 13 months, which works out to roughly 12% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Surgical technologist bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

61%

61% of surgical technologists in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a surgical technologist a moderate-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary. The remaining 39% of surgical technologists reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Surgical technologist: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Surgical technologist salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Surgical technologist pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Birmingham
  • Sheffield
  • Glasgow
  • Belfast
  • Manchester
  • Liverpool
  • Nottingham
  • Bradford
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion140,700 GBP151,800 GBP65,500-219,500 GBP
ScotlandRegion108,200 GBP112,700 GBP55,200-172,300 GBP
BirminghamCity88,700 GBP99,100 GBP40,300-142,300 GBP
SheffieldCity88,300 GBP95,300 GBP41,700-140,700 GBP
GlasgowCity87,400 GBP86,800 GBP46,100-137,100 GBP
BelfastCity86,100 GBP93,100 GBP40,500-134,100 GBP
ManchesterCity85,700 GBP88,600 GBP41,500-137,100 GBP
LiverpoolCity85,500 GBP79,600 GBP44,300-127,600 GBP
NottinghamCity84,600 GBP88,600 GBP43,200-132,000 GBP
BradfordCity84,500 GBP84,800 GBP39,700-128,400 GBP
LeicesterCity84,300 GBP92,500 GBP38,700-138,700 GBP
BristolCity83,700 GBP87,900 GBP39,500-128,400 GBP
CardiffCity83,300 GBP80,400 GBP43,500-130,500 GBP
DerbyCity81,400 GBP77,000 GBP41,500-127,700 GBP
LeedsCity81,300 GBP79,000 GBP44,800-128,200 GBP
SwanseaCity81,300 GBP78,100 GBP40,300-125,400 GBP
LondonCity81,300 GBP91,000 GBP36,500-130,400 GBP
YorkCity80,800 GBP83,700 GBP39,800-123,800 GBP
EdinburghCity80,400 GBP83,300 GBP40,000-127,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity80,200 GBP83,300 GBP35,600-123,800 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity80,000 GBP81,700 GBP38,700-127,700 GBP
CoventryCity79,800 GBP80,700 GBP37,800-123,000 GBP
SomersetCity79,800 GBP79,600 GBP42,700-125,400 GBP
AberdeenCity79,600 GBP74,700 GBP40,200-121,800 GBP
NewcastleCity79,500 GBP78,100 GBP40,300-125,400 GBP
BrightonCity78,700 GBP74,700 GBP40,200-121,800 GBP
WolverhamptonCity78,200 GBP83,800 GBP37,200-123,000 GBP
OxfordCity78,200 GBP73,300 GBP39,500-118,900 GBP
LincolnCity77,300 GBP75,800 GBP35,400-117,100 GBP
SouthamptonCity77,000 GBP79,600 GBP37,900-124,500 GBP
PooleCity76,800 GBP76,000 GBP40,300-118,900 GBP
DundeeCity76,000 GBP81,000 GBP33,000-118,900 GBP
GloucesterCity75,900 GBP73,300 GBP39,300-115,600 GBP
PlymouthCity75,900 GBP77,300 GBP36,400-119,700 GBP
PeterboroughCity75,900 GBP84,600 GBP33,300-123,000 GBP
NewportCity75,000 GBP79,800 GBP35,300-117,100 GBP
CambridgeCity74,200 GBP76,900 GBP36,800-117,100 GBP
HartlepoolCity74,100 GBP77,000 GBP35,500-114,300 GBP
DerryCity73,500 GBP77,000 GBP35,600-116,400 GBP
ExeterCity73,100 GBP71,700 GBP34,300-112,700 GBP
ArmaghCity72,300 GBP71,800 GBP38,000-114,900 GBP
DurhamCity71,700 GBP74,200 GBP32,600-112,700 GBP
NorwichCity71,400 GBP78,200 GBP35,100-116,400 GBP
LisburnCity71,200 GBP67,200 GBP35,600-107,700 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion71,200 GBP67,200 GBP35,600-107,700 GBP
CanterburyCity70,800 GBP66,900 GBP35,000-107,300 GBP
WalesRegion70,700 GBP70,000 GBP36,800-109,700 GBP
WinchesterCity69,200 GBP67,400 GBP35,000-107,300 GBP
InvernessCity69,200 GBP73,300 GBP31,400-108,200 GBP
StirlingCity68,900 GBP65,900 GBP35,500-105,800 GBP
NewryCity68,300 GBP77,400 GBP30,300-111,700 GBP
BangorCity68,200 GBP71,800 GBP35,300-109,700 GBP
WellsCity67,800 GBP68,800 GBP32,600-107,300 GBP
ChesterCity67,800 GBP73,800 GBP33,200-111,700 GBP
TruroCity67,400 GBP64,500 GBP33,600-103,600 GBP
KirkwallCity67,000 GBP67,400 GBP31,400-103,600 GBP
RiponCity66,900 GBP66,400 GBP34,100-102,700 GBP
AbingdonCity66,200 GBP68,500 GBP35,100-107,300 GBP
SalisburyCity66,100 GBP65,200 GBP33,600-103,600 GBP
StromnessCity65,700 GBP72,000 GBP29,400-107,700 GBP
WakefieldCity65,700 GBP72,000 GBP32,900-107,700 GBP
StrontianCity63,500 GBP66,900 GBP32,200-100,700 GBP
St DavidsCity61,400 GBP63,800 GBP30,000-99,600 GBP

Surgical Technologist in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a surgical technologist make per month in United Kingdom?

    A surgical technologist in United Kingdom earns about 6,150 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 73,800 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a surgical technologist in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level surgical technologists in United Kingdom start near 33,600 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 118,900 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 52,000 and 109,000 GBP.

  • Is the median surgical technologist salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 79,800 GBP, higher than the average of 73,800 GBP. Half of surgical technologists in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for surgical technologists in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a surgical technologist in United Kingdom earn around 9% more than women on average (78,200 vs 71,700 GBP a year).

  • Do surgical technologists in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 61% of surgical technologists in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary.

  • Do surgical technologists earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a surgical technologist about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do surgical technologists in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A surgical technologist in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 13% every 13 months, equivalent to roughly 12% a year.